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4. 1966 Topeka Kansas Tornado
The 1966 Topeka Kansas Tornado killed 17 people, injured over 500. It recorded F5 damages, and at the time was the costliest tornado in American history, causing over $200 million dollars in damages. Adjusted for inflation, that comes out to number 4 with $2,358,727,000 of damage. https://www.weather.gov/top/1966TopekaTornado -
5. 1970 Lubbock Texas Tornado
The 1970 Lubbock Texas Tornado killed 26 people and injured over 1700. The F5 tornado notably led to increased research into multi-vortex tornadoes. This twister ranks number 5, and caused over $250 million dollars in damages, which, adjusted for inflation, comes to $1,979,864,000. https://www.everythinglubbock.com/news/local-news/how-the-deadly-1970-lubbock-tornado-changed-tornado-science/ -
10. 1974 Xenia Ohio Tornado
THe 1974 Xenia, Ohio Tornado killed 32 people and injured over 1,100 people. It was one of two tornadoes to be considered an F6 by Professor Ted Fujita, before being knocked down to F5. This tornado ranks number 10, with a total damage cost of $250,000,000, and adjusted for inflation as
1,592,141,000. https://www.greenecountyohio.gov/1968/Xenia-Lives-Remembering-the-1974-Xenia-T -
7. Bridge Creek-Moore Tornado
The 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore Tornado killed 36 people and injured 800 others. Wind speeds of up to 321 MPH were recorded by mobile doppler radar in the tornado, the highest windspeeds ever recorded on earth. The tornado ranks number 7, having caused over $1 billion in damages, or $1,839,296,000 adjusted for inflation. https://www.weathernationtv.com/news/remembering-moore-25th-anniversary-of-f5-tornado#google_vignette -
2. 2011 Tuscaloosa-Birmingham Tornado
The 2011 Tuscaloosa-Birmingham Tornado killed 65 people and injured 1500 people. The tornado tracked for 80.65 miles, recording numerous instances of EF-4 damage. It is the second costliest tornado in U.S. history, and is the costliest tornado in the history of the state of Alabama, costing $2,450,000,000, $3,330,027,000 adjusted for inflation. https://www.weather.gov/bmx/event_04272011tuscbirm -
9. 2011 Hackleburg–Phil Campbell Tornado
The 2011 Hackleburg–Phil Campbell Tornado killed 74 people and injured over 145 people. It tracked for 132 miles, spawning EF-5 damage in Marion, Franklin and Lawrence Counties, and lifted in Franklin County, over Phil Campbell. This twister ranked number 9, with a damage cost of $1,290,000,000, adjusted for inflation as $1,753,361,000. https://www.weather.gov/bmx/event_04272011hackleburg -
1. 2011 Joplin Tornado
The 2011 Joplin Tornado killed 161 people and injured over 1,000. It stormed right throught the heart of Joplin, Missouri with windspeeds of over 200 MPH. The tornado's high death count can be attributed to citizens who ignored the sirens, brushing them off as just another test. This is currently the costliest tornado in U.S. history, costing $2,800,000,000, $3,788,061,000 adjusted for inflation. https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/deadly-joplin-missouri-tornado-anniversary/943521 -
3. 2013 Moore Tornado
The 2013 Moore Tornado killed 36 people and injured 583. It crossed the path of the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore Tornado, and killed 7 children at the Plaza Towers Elementary School. As of September 9, 2024, it is the last time a tornado has been ranked EF-5. The twister ranks number 3, and caused $2,000,000,000 in damages, $2,624,577,000 adjusted for inflation. https://rems.ed.gov/docs/2021ToolBox/CA_Case_Study_6_Tornado.pdf -
6. 2019 North Dallas-Richardson Tornado
The 2019 North Dallas-Richardson Tornado recorded 0 fatalities, and no injuries were reported. The tornado tracked 15 miles through the North Dallas suburb of Richardson, causing EF-3 damage, and leaving over 140,000 without power. The high density of the suburbs allowed the tornado place number 6, causing $1,550,000,000 in damages to over 200 structures, $1,841,183,000 adjusted for inflation. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/0884df07fe0d4fee92bc50224af1689c -
8. 2020 Nashville–Mount Juliet–Lebanon–Gordonsville Tornado
The 2020 Nashville–Mount Juliet–Lebanon–Gordonsville Tornado killed 5 people and injured 220 people. The strong EF-3 tornado tracked over 60 miles through northeast/east Nashville just after midnight, leading many to believe it was multiple tornados. The twister ranked number 8, having caused $1,504,000,000 in damages, $1,781,219,000 adjusted for inflation. https://www.weather.gov/ohx/20200303 (Tornado #3) -
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