Outbreaks (confirmed tornadoes)
2011 Super Outbreak, Apr 25–28, 2011: 355 tornadoes, 324 deaths, max EF5
1974 Super Outbreak, Apr 3–4, 1974: 147 tornadoes, 310 deaths, max F5
Mar 31–Apr 2, 2023 outbreak: 153 tornadoes, 26 deaths, max EF4
2008 Super Tuesday, Feb 5–6, 2008: 86 tornadoes, 57 deaths, max EF4
Dec 10–11, 2021 outbreak: 71 tornadoes, 89 deaths, max EF4
1965 Palm Sunday outbreak, Apr 11–12, 1965: 48 tornadoes, 260 deaths, max F4
Mar 10–12, 2026 outbreak: 109 tornadoes, 3 deaths, max EF3
Mar 5–7, 2026 outbreak: 32 tornadoes, 8 deaths, max EF3
NWS tornado warning polygons, Feb 5–6, 2008 (ALERT; IEM archive of NWS warnings, 2002 on — none for 1965 or 1974)
NWS tornado warning polygons, Apr 25–28, 2011 (ALERT; IEM archive of NWS warnings, 2002 on — none for 1965 or 1974)
NWS tornado warning polygons, Dec 10–11, 2021 (ALERT; IEM archive of NWS warnings, 2002 on — none for 1965 or 1974)
NWS tornado warning polygons, Mar 31–Apr 2, 2023 (ALERT; IEM archive of NWS warnings, 2002 on — none for 1965 or 1974)
NWS tornado warning polygons, Apr 26–28, 2024 (no tracks) (ALERT; IEM archive of NWS warnings, 2002 on — none for 1965 or 1974)
NWS tornado warning polygons, Mar 5–7, 2026 (ALERT; IEM archive of NWS warnings, 2002 on — none for 1965 or 1974)
NWS tornado warning polygons, Mar 10–12, 2026 (ALERT; IEM archive of NWS warnings, 2002 on — none for 1965 or 1974)
Damage-survey point, rated EF0 (NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit; 2011 on, where the survey was logged; not every tornado has points)
Damage-survey point, rated EF1
Damage-survey point, rated EF2
Damage-survey point, rated EF3
Damage-survey point, rated EF4
Damage-survey point, rated EF5
Damage-survey point, rated unrated / other
Path width: each track buffered to its recorded width, in the outbreak's colour (SPC width 1950–2025; NWS survey width 2026)
SPC hail report (SPC database 1955–2025; SPC preliminary reports for 2026)
SPC wind report (SPC database 1955–2025; SPC preliminary reports for 2026)
SPC forecasts, 2008 Super Tuesday (ALERT — forecasts, not tornadoes): Day 1 outlook issued Feb 4 23:56 CST for the busiest convective day (2008-02-05). IEM archives from 1997–2002: none for 1965 or 1974.
Outlook: Slight risk
Outlook: Moderate risk
Outlook tornado probability outline (2% green … 15% red … 60% blue; click for the value)
Hatched: significant (EF2+) tornado area (SPC 'SIGN')
Tornado watch as issued (13)
Mesoscale discussion area (33 on severe storms or tornadoes; 9 winter-weather discussions left out)
SPC forecasts, 2011 Super Outbreak (ALERT — forecasts, not tornadoes): Day 1 outlook issued Apr 27 00:10 CST for the busiest convective day (2011-04-27). IEM archives from 1997–2002: none for 1965 or 1974.
Outlook: Slight risk
Outlook: Moderate risk
Outlook: High risk
Outlook tornado probability outline (2% green … 15% red … 60% blue; click for the value)
Hatched: significant (EF2+) tornado area (SPC 'SIGN')
Tornado watch as issued (40)
Mesoscale discussion area (103 on severe storms or tornadoes)
SPC forecasts, Dec 10–11, 2021 (ALERT — forecasts, not tornadoes): Day 1 outlook issued Dec 9 23:35 CST for the busiest convective day (2021-12-10). IEM archives from 1997–2002: none for 1965 or 1974.
Outlook: Marginal risk
Outlook: Slight risk
Outlook: Enhanced risk
Outlook tornado probability outline (2% green … 15% red … 60% blue; click for the value)
Hatched: significant (EF2+) tornado area (SPC 'SIGN')
Tornado watch as issued (11)
Mesoscale discussion area (44 on severe storms or tornadoes; 6 winter-weather discussions left out)
SPC forecasts, Mar 31–Apr 2, 2023 (ALERT — forecasts, not tornadoes): Day 1 outlook issued Mar 31 00:12 CST for the busiest convective day (2023-03-31). IEM archives from 1997–2002: none for 1965 or 1974.
Outlook: Marginal risk
Outlook: Slight risk
Outlook: Enhanced risk
Outlook: Moderate risk
Outlook tornado probability outline (2% green … 15% red … 60% blue; click for the value)
Hatched: significant (EF2+) tornado area (SPC 'SIGN')
Tornado watch as issued (15)
Mesoscale discussion area (55 on severe storms or tornadoes; 1 winter-weather discussion left out)
SPC forecasts, Mar 5–7, 2026 (ALERT — forecasts, not tornadoes): Day 1 outlook issued Mar 6 00:08 CST for the busiest convective day (2026-03-06). IEM archives from 1997–2002: none for 1965 or 1974.
Outlook: Marginal risk
Outlook: Slight risk
Outlook: Enhanced risk
Outlook tornado probability outline (2% green … 15% red … 60% blue; click for the value)
Hatched: SPC conditional-intensity tornado area (CIG1; replaced the significant-tornado hatch on about Mar 2, 2026)
Tornado watch as issued (8)
Mesoscale discussion area (36 on severe storms or tornadoes; 2 winter-weather discussions left out)
SPC forecasts, Mar 10–12, 2026 (ALERT — forecasts, not tornadoes): Day 1 outlook issued Mar 10 23:29 CST for the busiest convective day (2026-03-11). IEM archives from 1997–2002: none for 1965 or 1974.
Outlook: Marginal risk
Outlook: Slight risk
Outlook tornado probability outline (2% green … 15% red … 60% blue; click for the value)
Hatched: SPC conditional-intensity tornado area (CIG1; replaced the significant-tornado hatch on about Mar 2, 2026)
Tornado watch as issued (14)
Mesoscale discussion area (49 on severe storms or tornadoes; 2 winter-weather discussions left out)
Killer tornado, 50+ deaths — one dot per tornado at the middle of its track (deaths are recorded per tornado; all eight outbreaks)
Killer tornado, 20–49
Killer tornado, 5–19
Killer tornado, 1–4
Touchdown 00–04 CST — every tornado's start point by time of day (SPC times, CST; 2026 from the distinct-tornado record)
Touchdown 04–08
Touchdown 08–12
Touchdown 12–16
Touchdown 16–20
Touchdown 20–24 CST
Big dot = one outbreak's hour-by-hour chart (click), placed at its busiest hour, in the outbreak's colour
Line thickness: thin = F/EF0–1 or unrated, medium = 2–3, thick = 4–5. 1950–2025: SPC Severe Weather Database, straight start–end tracks (no recorded end point: dot only), times in CST. 2026: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit paths and NCEI/SPC reports (preliminary, de-duplicated), dates and times in CST. Popups add the UTC time and the local time at each place. Tornadoes, not warnings.
Radar reflectivity (OBSERVED) — 2008 Super Tuesday, Feb 6, 2008 05:35 UTC (23:35 CST)
20–35 dBZ
35–45
45–50
50–60
60+ dBZ
NWS NEXRAD national base-reflectivity composite (N0R, IEM archive; composites exist from 1995, so none for 1965 or 1974). Frame: the later of the outbreak's 2 tied busiest hours for touchdowns (Feb 5, 17:00–18:00 and 23:00–24:00 CST, 12 tornadoes each; tie-break: the later hour), at the median touchdown time in that hour.
Radar reflectivity (OBSERVED) — 2011 Super Outbreak, Apr 27, 2011 11:30 UTC (05:30 CST)
20–35 dBZ
35–45
45–50
50–60
60+ dBZ
NWS NEXRAD national base-reflectivity composite (N0Q, IEM archive; composites exist from 1995, so none for 1965 or 1974). Frame: the outbreak's busiest hour for touchdowns (Apr 27, 05:00–06:00 CST, 22 tornadoes), at the median touchdown time in that hour.
Radar reflectivity (OBSERVED) — 2011 Super Outbreak, Apr 27, 2011 22:10 UTC (16:10 CST)
20–35 dBZ
35–45
45–50
50–60
60+ dBZ
NWS NEXRAD national base-reflectivity composite (N0Q, IEM archive; composites exist from 1995, so none for 1965 or 1974). Frame: the hour with the most tornadoes rated (E)F3 or stronger (Apr 27, 16:00–17:00 CST, 5), at the median touchdown time in that hour.
Radar reflectivity (OBSERVED) — Dec 10–11, 2021, Dec 11, 2021 02:30 UTC (20:30 CST)
20–35 dBZ
35–45
45–50
50–60
60+ dBZ
NWS NEXRAD national base-reflectivity composite (N0Q, IEM archive; composites exist from 1995, so none for 1965 or 1974). Frame: the outbreak's busiest hour for touchdowns (Dec 10, 20:00–21:00 CST, 14 tornadoes), at the median touchdown time in that hour.
Radar reflectivity (OBSERVED) — Mar 31–Apr 2, 2023, Apr 1, 2023 01:15 UTC (19:15 CST)
20–35 dBZ
35–45
45–50
50–60
60+ dBZ
NWS NEXRAD national base-reflectivity composite (N0Q, IEM archive; composites exist from 1995, so none for 1965 or 1974). Frame: the outbreak's busiest hour for touchdowns (Mar 31, 19:00–20:00 CST, 21 tornadoes), at the median touchdown time in that hour.
Radar reflectivity (OBSERVED) — Mar 31–Apr 2, 2023, Apr 1, 2023 03:30 UTC (21:30 CST)
20–35 dBZ
35–45
45–50
50–60
60+ dBZ
NWS NEXRAD national base-reflectivity composite (N0Q, IEM archive; composites exist from 1995, so none for 1965 or 1974). Frame: the hour with the most tornadoes rated (E)F3 or stronger (Mar 31, 21:00–22:00 CST, 3), at the median touchdown time in that hour.
Radar reflectivity (OBSERVED) — Mar 5–7, 2026, Mar 7, 2026 02:15 UTC (20:15 CST)
20–35 dBZ
35–45
45–50
50–60
60+ dBZ
NWS NEXRAD national base-reflectivity composite (N0Q, IEM archive; composites exist from 1995, so none for 1965 or 1974). Frame: the later of the outbreak's 2 tied busiest hours for touchdowns (Mar 6, 18:00–19:00 and 20:00–21:00 CST, 5 tornadoes each; tie-break: the later hour), at the median touchdown time in that hour.
Radar reflectivity (OBSERVED) — Mar 10–12, 2026, Mar 12, 2026 01:35 UTC (19:35 CST)
20–35 dBZ
35–45
45–50
50–60
60+ dBZ
NWS NEXRAD national base-reflectivity composite (N0Q, IEM archive; composites exist from 1995, so none for 1965 or 1974). Frame: the outbreak's busiest hour for touchdowns (Mar 11, 19:00–20:00 CST, 12 tornadoes), at the median touchdown time in that hour.
MESH max hail size (MODELED) — Apr 26–28, 2024
0.75–1 in
1–1.5 in
1.5–2 in
2–2.5 in
2.5–3 in
≥ 3 in
NOAA MRMS Maximum Estimated Size of Hail: the largest hail the radar algorithm estimated at each spot, max of the 24-hour grids ending 12 UTC after each day; a radar estimate, not measured hail. Exists from late 2019.
MESH max hail size (MODELED) — Mar 5–7, 2026
0.75–1 in
1–1.5 in
1.5–2 in
2–2.5 in
2.5–3 in
≥ 3 in
NOAA MRMS Maximum Estimated Size of Hail: the largest hail the radar algorithm estimated at each spot, max of the 24-hour grids ending 12 UTC after each day; a radar estimate, not measured hail. Exists from late 2019.
MESH max hail size (MODELED) — Mar 10–12, 2026
0.75–1 in
1–1.5 in
1.5–2 in
2–2.5 in
2.5–3 in
≥ 3 in
NOAA MRMS Maximum Estimated Size of Hail: the largest hail the radar algorithm estimated at each spot, max of the 24-hour grids ending 12 UTC after each day; a radar estimate, not measured hail. Exists from late 2019.
