Tornado History

Massachusetts Tornado History

This page summarizes tornado history for Massachusetts. The local dataset contains 204 tornado records from 1951 through 2025, with a strongest listed rating of F4 (Devastating damage) and at least $544.5M in reported property damage. The latest tornado record in this group is September 6, 2025. Across these records, NOAA lists 102 deaths and 1,542 injuries.

Key Tornado Statistics

Total Tornadoes204
Total Deaths102
Total Injuries1,542
Property Damage$544.5M
Avg Length3.6 mi
Avg Width106 yd

Key Tornado Facts for Massachusetts

Top local patterns from the historical tornado records in this group.

Average 2.7 tornadoes per year (3.7/yr in last decade)
July is the peak tornado month with 66 recorded events
Deadliest tornado: F4 in Massachusetts with 90 deaths
1958 was the most active year with 12 tornadoes
The 1950s had the most tornado activity (41 events)
Longest tornado: 200 miles in Massachusetts
Widest tornado: 900.0 yards in Massachusetts
Most tornadoes in one day: 7 on Jul 10, 1989

Monthly Distribution

Shows tornado frequency across months of the year, highlighting seasonal patterns and peak tornado periods.

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Summary: In Massachusetts, July is the most active month with 66 tornadoes.

Annual Tornado Trend

Shows year-by-year tornado counts, making active years and quiet stretches easier to spot.

12840

Summary: 1958 was the most active year with 12 recorded tornadoes.

Tornado Intensity Distribution

Shows the breakdown of tornadoes by EF/F rating.

F0
EF0
F1
EF1
F2
EF2
F3
EF3
F4
Unknown

Summary: F1 tornadoes are the most common in this group, with 79 recorded events.

Property Damage Trends

Visualizes reported property damage over time. Bars use a log-like scale so very large damage years do not flatten the rest of the chart.

$257.5M$25.8M$2.6M$0

Summary: The highest reported property damage year in this group is 1953 with at least $257.5M in NOAA-listed property damage.

Tornado Count By County

Compares the counties with the most tornado records in this state dataset.

Worcester
Franklin
Middlesex
Hampden
Berkshire
Norfolk
Bristol
Essex
Plymouth
Hampshire
Barnstable
Dukes
Suffolk

Summary: Worcester County has the highest count in this state group with 52 tornado records.

Historical Track Sketch

F4 June 9, 19531953F4 August 28, 19731973EF3 June 1, 20112011F3 June 9, 19531953F3 June 9, 19531953F3 June 9, 19531953F3 October 3, 19701970F3 October 3, 19701970F3 September 29, 19741974F3 September 13, 19711971F3 June 22, 19811981EF3 June 1, 20112011EF2 July 28, 20142014F2 November 21, 19561956F2 July 21, 1972F2 August 10, 1979F2 July 3, 1997F2 July 3, 1997F2 July 11, 1958F2 August 14, 1958F2 August 28, 1965F2 August 11, 1966F2 July 11, 2006F2 November 21, 1956F2 July 21, 1961F2 October 12, 1962F2 May 20, 1963F2 May 20, 1963F2 May 20, 1963F2 March 1, 1966F2 August 11, 1966F2 August 28, 1970F2 August 9, 1972F2 August 27, 1972F2 July 13, 1975F2 July 24, 1975F2 August 21, 1951F2 July 5, 1955F2 November 21, 1956F2 July 5, 1957F2 July 11, 1958F2 August 25, 1958F2 May 20, 1963F2 November 18, 1967F2 December 18, 1951F2 July 12, 1955F2 August 31, 1966EF1 August 4, 2018EF1 July 23, 2019F1 August 21, 2004EF1 July 23, 2019EF1 August 22, 2016EF1 February 25, 2017F1 June 1, 1956F1 July 4, 1964F1 July 1, 1968F1 August 17, 1970F1 June 18, 1970F1 August 7, 1986F1 September 16, 1986F1 July 10, 1989F1 July 10, 1989F1 July 10, 1989F1 July 10, 1989F1 August 15, 1991EF1 February 25, 2017EF1 July 23, 2019F1 July 3, 1997F1 July 3, 1997F1 July 3, 1997F1 July 23, 2002EF1 July 26, 2018EF1 August 18, 2023EF1 June 26, 2024F1 June 1, 1956F1 June 1, 1956F1 June 1, 1956F1 June 19, 1957F1 June 19, 1957F1 July 21, 1962© OpenStreetMap contributors
This map covers the wider location—not your exact property.Measure the closest recorded track to a street address in or near Massachusetts.
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Notable Tornado Records

The table highlights the strongest and most damaging records in this page's local dataset. Damage totals are NOAA-reported minimum estimates where available.

DateRatingAreaLengthWidthDeathsInjuriesMin. property damage
June 9, 1953F4Worcester, Massachusetts34.9 mi900 yd901,228$250.0M
August 28, 1973F4Berkshire, Massachusetts6.4 mi313 yd436$25.0M
June 1, 2011EF3Hampden, Massachusetts31.52 mi880 yd3200$227.6M
June 9, 1953F3Worcester, Massachusetts14.9 mi667 yd01$2.5M
June 9, 1953F3Norfolk, Massachusetts13.1 mi667 yd015$2.5M
June 9, 1953F3Bristol, Massachusetts0 mi667 yd01$2.5M
October 3, 1970F3Middlesex, Massachusetts0 mi60 yd10$250K
October 3, 1970F3Worcester, Massachusetts35.4 mi60 yd00$250K
September 29, 1974F3Middlesex, Massachusetts0 mi33 yd01$250K
September 13, 1971F3Hampshire, Massachusetts0.5 mi7 yd00$25K
June 22, 1981F3Worcester, Massachusetts7.1 mi167 yd03$25K
June 1, 2011EF3Worcester, Massachusetts6.06 mi880 yd00N/A
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Source And Limits

Data sourced from NOAA Storm Prediction Center and the NCEI Storm Events Database. TornadoTrace summarizes reported weather events for screening and research; it is not a damage assessment, inspection, or insurance determination. Coordinates and records can be approximate, incomplete, revised, or missing. No warranty of completeness or accuracy.

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