The 1925 Tri-State Tornado
The worst tornado in history by U.S. death toll killed at least 695 people while crossing Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana on March 18, 1925.
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Moore, Oklahoma
Recorded begin-to-end track
Date of tornadoMay 20, 2013
Moore’s EF5 tornado
RatingEF5
Path length12 mi
Deaths24
Injuries207
Max width1,900 yd
Reported damage$2B
The devastating EF5 tornado moved through Moore and produced catastrophic damage. Search another city to explore its record.
“Worst” is ranked by fatalities, then rating, injuries, reported property damage, width, and path length. One city can have several matching records.
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The biggest tornado ever—by width
The 2013 El Reno tornado holds the official maximum path-width record at 2.6 miles. “Biggest” does not mean deadliest or highest-rated.
F5 and EF5 are damage ratings
The top rating describes surveyed damage—not a tornado’s physical size. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in 2007.
Questions, answered
Understanding tornado records.
What was the worst tornado in history?
By recorded U.S. fatalities, it was the Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925. NOAA and the National Weather Service cite at least 695 deaths. Early records are estimates, and research has questioned whether the full path was one continuous tornado.
What was the biggest tornado ever recorded?
If “biggest” means official path width, the May 31, 2013 El Reno, Oklahoma tornado reached 2.6 miles. Width, intensity, path length, and human impact measure different things.
Does a city result prove a property was hit?
No. City labels, coordinates, and historical tracks can be approximate. Use the address lookup for a more precise distance screen, then verify important decisions with official records and qualified professionals.
Sources: National Weather Service: Tri-State Tornado · NOAA Storm Prediction Center Tornado FAQ. TornadoTrace is informational and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NOAA or the National Weather Service.
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