This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2014. Strong and destructive
tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Bangladesh, and Eastern India, but they can
occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also appear regularly in neighboring
southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer season, and somewhat regularly in Europe,
Asia, and Australia. There have been 827 tornadoes reported in
the United States in 2014, of which at least 396 have been confirmed. At least 47 fatalities
have been confirmed in 2014: 45 in the United States and 2 in Australia.
Synopsis
Early 2014 featured several strong cold waves that settled across the United States and
kept severe weather suppressed. However, severe weather did develop on January 11 after temperatures
moderated, and four EF0 tornadoes were confirmed–three in Virginia and one in Georgia. The rest of
the month, along with the first half of February, were very quiet in terms of severe weather.
Another intrusion of warm air allowed instability to develop in mid-February, and 41 tornadoes
touched down across the lower Midwest and the Southeast U.S. on February 21 and 22.
Four of these were strong enough to be rated EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. The rest
of February and most of March was quiet, with only weak tornadoes touching down in Arizona,
Florida, and California. However, activity picked up on March 27, with several tornadoes
touching down across Missouri and Iowa in association with a cold front. The general
trend of low activity continued through most of April with only a few small outbreaks occurring.
This trend ended with a major outbreak that started on April 27 producing multiple strong
tornadoes across the Great Plains and the South, and killing 35 people.
Events
United States yearly total Unofficial totals through July 26
Note: Four tornadoes have been confirmed but not yet rated: One on April 20 and three on
May 11.
January
There were 4 tornadoes reported in the United States in January, of which all 4 were confirmed.
January 11 A line of severe thunderstorms swept across
the Southern United States, with four EF0 tornadoes touching down in association with
these thunderstorms. The first of these touched down in rural Cherokee County, Georgia, downing
trees and damaging a fence. The other three tornadoes occurred over southeastern Virginia,
downing trees and causing minimal damage to houses. However, one tornado in the Fox Hill
area caused roof damage to a church and numerous houses, ripped the roof off of a school maintenance
compound, and destroyed the Fox Hill Athletic Association building.
January 25 A small tornado outbreak produced 7 tornadoes
across England,France and Belgium, 6 of which were F1 and one an F2. The strongest tornado
was an F2 that has traveled 12.8 km on the border between France and Belgium damaging
the town of Halluin. 3 people were injured by the storm.
February
There were 45 tornadoes reported in the United States in February, however, 47 have been
confirmed. February 20–21
A large shortwave trough progressed across the northern Plains on February 20, with an
associated surface low-pressure area contributing to a blizzard across Michigan and Wisconsin.
Within the warm sector of the cyclone, modest instability and moisture, as well as sufficient
forcing along a cold front, initiated the development of a squall line across the Ohio
River Valley and Mississippi River Valley by the afternoon. Strong wind shear led to
widespread damaging wind reports in addition to over two dozen tornadoes across the Midwestern
and Southern United States, four of which were rated EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
The EF2s affected rural areas in Illinois near the towns of Martinsburg and Pana, damaging
several farms. The squall line continued to push eastward
into the Mid-Atlantic states on February 21, leading to numerous damaging wind reports
and several tornadoes from Georgia to Maryland. A brief but strong EF2 clipped the northeast
side of Fort Payne, Alabama, causing significant damage to a factory, an apartment complex,
and some homes. Another EF2 struck Dublin, Georgia and destroyed one home, damaged 59
others, and downed numerous trees. Overall, this moderate outbreak produced 46 tornadoes
and no fatalities. March
There were 25 tornadoes reported in the United States in March, of which 18 have been confirmed.
March 25–29 A low pressure system tracked across the United
States, producing tornadoes across California, Missouri, and across southern portions of
the Eastern Seaboard. In Northern California, several brief tornadoes touched down, uprooting
trees and causing minor damage. In Northern Missouri, a supercell thunderstorm produced
a strong EF2 tornado, which caused heavy roof and wall damage to a farmstead near Jameson,
Missouri. Another EF2 occurred in Grundy County which heavily damaged several residences near
Tindall. The storm system continued east over the next few days, producing several weak
and short-lived tornadoes in Florida and North Carolina.
April
There have been 250 tornadoes reported in the United States in April, of which at least
113 have been confirmed. April 6–7
Severe thunderstorms moved across portions of the Southern United States, producing at
least eight confirmed tornadoes. An EF2 tornado destroyed mobile homes and damaged other structures
in and around Hot Coffee, Mississippi. Another EF2 tornado caused significant damage in the
area of Pantego, North Carolina where homes were damaged and destroyed. Two people were
injured when the truck they were in was thrown 50 yards.
April 25
In advance of a compact shortwave trough and associated cold front, numerous severe thunderstorms
developed across central and eastern North Carolina into southern Virginia. An EF3 tornado
tracked through the Whichards Beach area, damaging or destroying 100 homes and injuring
16 people. This event marks the latest time of formation of the first EF3+ tornado in
any year on record. An EF2 in Edenton resulted in a fatality, the first of the year.
April 27–30
Numerous tornadoes ripped across parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri,
Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Florida. A large, violent tornado struck Mayflower and
Vilonia, Arkansas, on April 27 causing severe damage and killing 16 people. The tornado
was rated a high-end EF4, the first violent tornado of the year. Another death was confirmed
earlier that evening with an EF2 tornado that moved through Quapaw, Oklahoma, and Baxter
Springs, Kansas. Ten people were killed on the 28th when an EF4 tornado struck Louisville,
Mississippi. EF3s caused major damage and fatalities in Coxey, Alabama and Tupelo, Mississippi
as well. Overall, this outbreak produced 80 tornadoes and killed 35 people.
May
There have been 125 tornadoes reported in the United States in May, of which at least
79 have been confirmed. May 10–12
A moderate outbreak of at least 31 tornadoes impacted the central United States in early
May 2014. On May 10, numerous supercell thunderstorms developed across Missouri in advance of an
intensifying upper-level low over the Great Basin. One supercell spawned an EF2 tornado
that moved through downtown Orrick, causing significant damage but no fatalities. 80%
of the structures in Orrick were damaged, and the school lost much of its roof. On May 11,
the upper-level low continued eastward into the Plains, providing ample wind shear for
tornadoes; in preparation for the event, the Storm Prediction Center issued a Moderate
risk for severe weather. Numerous thunderstorms developed across the Midwest – particularly
Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa – spawning many tornadoes. A large multiple-vortex EF3 tornado
passed near the town of Sutton, Nebraska, causing considerable damage to farm properties
and flattening an unanchored farmhouse. Powerful rear flank downdraft winds spawned by the
parent supercell severely damaged downtown Sutton. Another very large rain-wrapped EF3
wedge tornado passed near the town of Cordova, Nebraska, destroying multiple homes nearby
and growing to well over a mile wide at times. The Cordova tornado eventually struck the
town of Beaver Crossing, damaging virtually every structure in town before dissipating.
Numerous other less significant tornadoes touched down in Nebraska that evening as well.
Later that night, an EF2 tornado largely destroyed a lakeside condominium building near Yale,
Iowa. A final EF1 tornado caused minor damage on May 12 near Eaton Township, Ohio before
the outbreak came to an end. May 14–16
Severe thunderstorms moved across portions of the eastern United States with multiple
reports of tornadoes. Two significant tornadoes touched down on May 14. The first, rated EF2,
damaged several homes and destroyed two barns northeast of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. An EF3
tornado caused substantial damage near Cedarville, Ohio, destroying several barns and a farmhouse.
May 22 An EF3 tornado moved across portions of Schenectady
and Albany counties in New York. The worst damage occurred in Duanesburg, where one house
was almost completely destroyed. This marks the strongest tornado in the state of New
York since May 31, 1998. Another tornado, rated EF1, touched down near Marydel, Delaware.
June
There have were 326 tornadoes reported in the United States in June, of which at least
115 were confirmed. June 3–4
On June 3, the Storm Prediction Center issued a high risk outlook for parts of the Great
Plains, mainly due to a significant risk of damaging winds and large hail. A few tornadoes
occurred as well, including an EF3 that leveled a poorly constructed home near Bern, KS. An
EF2 caused damage to farm structures near Oakland, Iowa as well. On the 4th, the system
produced seven additional weak tornadoes across the Midwest, resulting in minor damage.
June 16–18
A tornado outbreak occurred with destructive tornadoes touching down across parts of Nebraska
and Iowa. The town of Pilger, Nebraska was catastrophically damaged by an EF4 tornado,
with two deaths and sixteen critical injuries. The Pilger tornado was one of four EF4 tornadoes
produced by the same parent supercell. The towns of Platteville, Wisconsin, Verona, Wisconsin,
Coleridge, Nebraska, Angus, Ontario, and Wessington Springs, South Dakota all sustained major
impacts from strong tornadoes as well due to this outbreak.
June 30–July 1 Early in the afternoon of June 30 a complex
of thunderstorms developed over Iowa and evolved into a derecho that swept east-northeast to
Lake Michigan. Later that evening a second derecho developed over eastern and central
Iowa and moved eastward, moving through Indiana and into western Ohio in the early morning
hours of July 1. These two events produced straight-line wind damage and multiple tornadoes
from Iowa to portions of Michigan and Ohio. Most of the tornadoes were rated EF1, however,
one tornado was determined to have caused low-end EF2 damage to a home in Traer, Iowa.
July
There have been 56 tornadoes reported in the United States in July, of which at least 45
have been confirmed. July 8
Severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds and several tornadoes across portions of the
northeastern United States. An EF2 tornado struck the town of Smithfield, New York, destroying
several homes and killing four people. A three-story house in Smithfield was knocked off of its
foundation and tumbled 150 yards down a hillside. Another EF2 tornado caused significant damage
in and near New Albany, Pennsylvania. July 15
Two people were killed when a tornado struck the western suburbs of Perth, Western Australia.
The men, who suffered from pre-existing medical conditions, were killed in the suburb of Beaconsfield
when the storm cut power to homes, and subsequently their electronic medical equipment. The tornado
was confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology. July 24
An EF1 tornado started as a waterspout on Chesapeake Bay and struck a campground in
Cherrystone, Virginia, damaging and destroying campers and cabins. A couple were killed when
a tree fell on their tent. Their son suffered life-threatening injuries and died on August
9. Thirty-five others were injured as well. See also
List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes
List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
List of tornadoes striking downtown areas
Fujita scale Enhanced Fujita scale
References
External links