St. Louis tornado history
There is a long history of destructive tornadoes in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The third-deadliest, and the costliest in United States history, the 1896 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado, injured more than one thousand people and caused at least 255 fatalities in the City of St. Louis and in East St. Louis. The second-costliest tornado also occurred in St. Louis in September 1927.[1] More tornado fatalities occurred in St. Louis than any other city in the United States.[2] Also noteworthy is that destructive tornadoes occur in winter and autumn, as well as the typical months of spring.[3] Additionally, damaging tornadoes occur in the morning and late at night, as well as the more common late afternoon to early evening maximum period.
In April 2011, an EF4 tornado on Good Friday caused widespread damage along a 22 mi (35 km) track across the northern part of the St. Louis metropolitan area; including significant damage to Lambert International Airport, causing a complete shutdown for over 24 hours, but no deaths.[4] Prior to that event, a F4 tornado also struck the northern metro, and killed three in January 1967.[5] Another F4 tornado struck the Granite City and Edwardsville, Illinois area in April 1981.[6] During a major outbreak in December 2021, two tornadoes in the metro area killed 7 people.[7] An EF3 tornado caused extensive damage to western and northwestern portions of the city, including Forest Park, on the afternoon of May 16, 2025, resulting in 5 fatalities and 38 injuries.
City of St. Louis tornadoes
[edit]| Date | Location | Rating | Casualties | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 8, 1871 | St. Louis - East St. Louis - St. Clair County, Illinois | F3 | 9 fatalities, 60 injuries | See: 1871 St. Louis tornado |
| March 29, 1872 | 7th Street | F1 | 2 possible fatalities, 8 injuries | |
| January 12, 1890 | St. Louis - Madison County, Illinois | F2 | 4 fatalities, 15 injuries | |
| May 27, 1896 | St. Louis - East St. Louis - St. Clair County | F4 | 255 fatalities, 1000 injuries | Costliest[1] and third-deadliest tornado in U.S. history (see: 1896 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado)[9] |
| August 19, 1904 | St. Louis - Madison County | F2 | 3 fatalities, 10 injuries | |
| September 29, 1927 | Webster Groves - St. Louis | F3 | 72-79+ fatalities, 550+ injuries | 2nd-costliest.[1] and among top 30 deadliest tornado in U.S. history[10] (see: 1927 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado) |
| September 16, 1958 | St. Louis | F1 | 0 fatalities | |
| February 10, 1959 | Crescent - St. Louis - Madison County | F4 | 21 fatalities, 345 injuries | Very similar path to 1871, 1896, 1927 tornadoes. (see: St. Louis tornado outbreak of February 1959) |
| May 1, 1983 | St. Louis - Madison County | F2 | 3 injuries | |
| March 31, 2007 | Midtown St. Louis | EF0 | 5 injuries | Late-March 2007 tornado outbreak[11] |
| December 31, 2010 | North St. Louis | EF1 | 0 fatalities | 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak[12] |
| April 22, 2011 | Riverview, St. Louis | EF4 | 0 fatalities, some injuries | 2011 St. Louis tornado during tornado outbreak sequence of April 19–24, 2011[4] |
| April 10, 2013 | The Hill, St. Louis | EF0 | 0 fatalities | [13] |
| May 31, 2013 | Riverview, St. Louis | EF3 | 2 injuries | St. Charles County to St. Louis County to extreme northern St. Louis City at 32.5 mi (52.3 km) over 35 min with max width 1 mi (1.6 km)[14] (see: Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013) |
| May 16, 2025 | Wydown/Skinker, Forest Park, DeBaliviere Place, The Ville, Greater Ville | EF3 | 5 fatalities, 38 injuries | 2025 St. Louis tornado |
Greater St. Louis-area tornadoes
[edit]These tables describe the tornado history for Greater St. Louis. In Missouri, this includes the counties of St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin, and Jefferson. In Illinois, this includes the counties of Madison, St. Clair, and Monroe. Data for the independent city of St. Louis is not part of these tables unless part of the path of the tornado striking these counties also struck the city.
1870–1950
[edit]| Date | Location | Counties | Rating | Casualties | Notes[15] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 13, 1870 | St. Clair | ||||
| March 8, 1871 | St. Louis City, St. Clair | F3 | 9 fatalities, 60 injuries | 1871 St. Louis tornado | |
| June 30, 1877 | St. Louis | ||||
| May 18, 1878 | St. Louis | ||||
| January 12, 1890 | St. Louis | ||||
| March 27, 1890 | St. Clair | Tornado outbreak of March 27, 1890 | |||
| May 27, 1896 | St. Louis, East St. Louis, IL | St. Louis City, Madison | F4 | 255+ fatalities, 1000+ injuries | 1896 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado |
| May 27, 1896 | New Baden, IL | St. Clair, Clinton | F4 | 24 fatalities, 125 injuries | Tornado outbreak sequence of May 1896 |
| May 14, 1909 | St. Louis | ||||
| September 29, 1927 | St. Louis | F3 | 72-79+ fatalities, 550+ injuries | Tornado outbreak of September 29, 1927 | |
| September 1, 1931 | St. Louis | ||||
| March 15, 1938 | St. Clair | ||||
| March 15, 1938 | St. Clair | ||||
| May 21, 1949 | St. Louis | ||||
| May 21, 1949 | St. Louis |
1950s
[edit]| Date | Location | Counties | Rating | Casualties | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 3, 1950 | St. Louis | F3 | |||
| May 24, 1952 | St. Clair | Tornado outbreak of May 21–24, 1952 | |||
| March 25, 1954 | St. Louis | ||||
| October 6, 1955 | St. Clair | ||||
| October 6, 1955 | St. Clair | ||||
| February 24, 1956 | Pacific, MO, Lebanon, IL | St. Louis, St. Clair | F4 | 6 fatalities, 36 injuries | Traveled 77.6 miles (124.9 km). |
| February 25, 1956 | Pacific, MO | St. Clair | F1 | None | |
| August 30, 1956 | St. Louis | ||||
| September 15, 1956 | St. Clair | ||||
| April 25, 1957 | St. Clair | ||||
| May 9, 1957 | St. Louis | ||||
| May 21, 1957 | St. Clair | May 1957 Central Plains tornado outbreak sequence | |||
| May 22, 1957 | St. Louis | ||||
| April 5, 1958 | St. Clair | ||||
| April 23, 1958 | St. Louis | ||||
| May 3, 1958 | St. Louis | ||||
| May 3, 1958 | St. Clair | ||||
| May 31, 1958 | St. Clair | ||||
| June 1, 1958 | St. Clair | ||||
| February 10, 1959 | Southeastern Florissant, MO | St. Louis | F0 | None | St. Louis tornado outbreak of February 1959: Minor damage to homes. |
| February 10, 1959 | Sherman, MO, Warson Woods, MO | St. Louis | F4 | 21 fatalities, 345 injuries | St. Louis tornado outbreak of February 1959: Damaged or destroyed numerous structures, ripped part of the roof of the St. Louis Arena, and blew down a TV tower before causing catastrophic damage in Downtown St. Louis. |
| May 10, 1959 | St. Clair |
1960–1980
[edit]| Date | Location | Counties | Rating | Casualties | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 29, 1960 | St. Clair | ||||
| September 24, 1961 | St. Clair | ||||
| January 24, 1967 | St. Louis | F4 | 3 deaths, 216 injured | Fourth-worst tornado in history to hit the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, last F4 tornado to affect St. Louis County or City until April 22, 2011. See 1967 St. Louis tornado outbreak.[5] | |
| August 3, 1967 | St. Clair | ||||
| October 24, 1967 | St. Louis | ||||
| April 3, 1968 | St. Clair | ||||
| May 15, 1968 | St. Clair | Tornado outbreak of May 1968 | |||
| August 15, 1968 | St. Louis | ||||
| June 1, 1970 | St. Louis | ||||
| May 7, 1973 | St. Louis | ||||
| May 26, 1973 | St. Louis | ||||
| June 4, 1973 | St. Clair | ||||
| March 7, 1975 | St. Louis | ||||
| March 20, 1976 | St. Clair | ||||
| February 23, 1977 | St. Louis | ||||
| May 12, 1978 | St. Louis |
1980–2000
[edit]| Date | Location | Counties | Rating | Casualties | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 7, 1980 | St. Charles | St. Charles & St. Louis | F3 | A tornado causing F3 damaged affected St. Louis and St. Charles counties producing 2.5 million dollars in damage | ||
| April 3, 1981 | Edwardsville | Madison | F4 | |||
| May 1, 1983 | St. Clair | |||||
| April 3, 1984 | St. Clair | |||||
| May 25, 1984 | St. Clair | |||||
| November 15, 1988 | St. Clair | |||||
| November 15, 1988 | St. Clair | |||||
| November 26, 1990 | St. Clair | |||||
| May 10, 1991 | St. Clair | |||||
| May 11, 1991 | St. Clair | |||||
| July 4, 1992 | St. Clair | |||||
| May 9, 1995 | St. Clair | Tornado outbreak sequence of May 6–27, 1995 | ||||
| May 18, 1995 | St. Clair | |||||
| May 18, 1995 | St. Clair | |||||
| April 19, 1996 | St. Clair | Tornado outbreak sequence of April 1996 | ||||
| June 10, 1996 | St. Louis | |||||
| April 13, 1998 | St. Louis | |||||
| April 15, 1998 | St. Clair, Madison | Tornado outbreak of April 15–16, 1998 | ||||
| April 15, 1998 | St. Clair |
2000—present
[edit]| Date | Location | Counties | Rating | Casualties | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2000 | St. Clair | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||||
| April 10, 2001 | St. Louis | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of April 10–11, 2001 | |||
| April 27, 2002 | St. Clair | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of April 27–28, 2002 | |||
| June 10, 2003 | St. Clair | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||||
| June 10, 2003 | St. Clair | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||||
| June 10, 2003 | St. Clair | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||||
| June 10, 2003 | St. Clair | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||||
| November 27, 2005 | Webster Groves, Maplewood | St. Louis | F0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Late-November 2005 tornado outbreak | |
| January 2, 2006 | Creve Coeur | St. Louis | F1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| March 11, 2006 | Festus, Missouri | Jefferson | F3 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak sequence of March 9–13, 2006 | |
| April 2, 2006 | Fairview Heights, O'Fallon, Illinois | St. Clair | F2 | Tornado outbreak of April 2, 2006 | ||
| July 23, 2006 | Troy, Illinois | Madison | F1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | 2006 St. Louis Derecho | |
| June 8, 2009 | St. Clair | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| December 31, 2010 | Byrnes Mill | Jefferson | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak | ||
| December 31, 2010 | Fenton | St. Louis | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak | ||
| December 31, 2010 | Ballwin | St. Louis | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak | ||
| December 31, 2010 | Sunset Hills, Missouri | St. Louis | EF3 | 1 fatalities, 6 injuries | 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak | |
| February 27, 2011 | Troy, Illinois | Madison | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 22, 2011 | Foristell, New Melle, Maryland Heights, Bridgeton, St. Ann, Edmundson, Kinloch, Berkeley, Ferguson, Dellwood, Bellefontaine Neighbors, Moline Acres, Riverview, St. Louis, Pontoon Beach, Granite City | St. Charles, St. Louis, St. Louis City, St. Clair, Madison | EF4 | 0 fatalities, some injuries | 2011 St. Louis tornado | |
| April 10, 2013 | St. Albans | Franklin | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 10, 2013 | Bridgeton, Hazelwood, Florissant | St. Louis | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| May 31, 2013 | Harvester, Earth City, Bridgeton, Ferguson, Bellefontaine Neighbors, St. Louis | St. Charles, St. Louis, St. Louis City | EF3 | 0 fatalities, 2 injuries | Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013 | |
| May 31, 2013 | South Roxanna | Madison | EF3 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013 | |
| May 31, 2013 | Byrnes Mill, Scotsdale | Jefferson | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013 | |
| May 31, 2013 | Franklin | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of May 26–31, 2013 | ||
| April 3, 2014 | Olivette, University City | St. Louis | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| June 7, 2014 | St. Peters | St. Charles | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| June 28, 2015 | St. Charles | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 26, 2016 | WSW of New Melle | St. Charles | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| March 6, 2017 | Wentzville | St. Charles | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 3 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 6–7, 2017 | |
| April 29, 2017 | Orchard Farm | St. Charles | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak and floods of April 28 – May 1, 2017 | |
| May 21, 2019 | Augusta | Franklin, St. Charles | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2019 | |
| March 27, 2021 | St. Jacob, Highland | Madison | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak sequence of March 24–28, 2021 | |
| December 10, 2021 | Chesterfield, Maryland Heights | St. Charles, St. Louis | EF3 | 1 fatality, 2 injuries | Tornado outbreak of December 10-11, 2021 | |
| December 10, 2021 | Pontoon Beach, Edwardsville | Madison | EF3 | 6 fatalities, 1 injury | Tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021 | |
| May 19, 2022 | Franklin | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| May 19, 2022 | Franklin | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| May 19, 2022 | St. Louis | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| May 19, 2022 | Kirkwood, Glendale, Warson Woods, Ladue | St. Louis | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| May 19, 2022 | Frontenac, Creve Coeur | St. Louis | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| May 19, 2022 | St. Louis | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| May 19, 2022 | St. Clair | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 15, 2023 | Hillsboro | Jefferson | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 15, 2023 | Festus, Herculaneum | Jefferson | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 1 injuries | ||
| April 15, 2023 | Pevely | Jefferson | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 15, 2023 | Valley Park, Fenton, Sunset Hills | St. Louis | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 15, 2023 | Monroe | EFU | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 15, 2023 | Monroe | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 15, 2023 | Maeystown | Monroe, St. Clair | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 15, 2023 | Belleville | St. Clair | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 15, 2023 | Belleville, Swansea | St. Clair | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 15, 2023 | Belleville, Shiloh | St. Clair | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| May 13, 2023 | Madison | EFU | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| August 13, 2023 | Monroe | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| March 14, 2024 | Charlack | St. Louis | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 1, 2024 | Chesterfield | St. Louis | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 18, 2024 | High Ridge | St. Louis, Jefferson | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 18, 2024 | Cahokia Heights | St. Clair | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 18, 2024 | Madison | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 18, 2024 | Madison | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 18, 2024 | Madison | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 18, 2024 | Madison | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| May 7, 2024 | St. Charles | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| May 26, 2024 | Jefferson | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| May 26, 2024 | Oakville, Columbia | St. Louis, Monroe | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 18, 2024 | New Baden, Damiansville | St. Clair, Clinton | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| July 16, 2024 | Cedar Hill | Jefferson | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| November 4, 2024 | Foristell, Flint Hill | St. Charles, Lincoln | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| March 14, 2025 | Union | Franklin | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | |
| March 14, 2025 | Franklin | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | ||
| March 14, 2025 | Villa Ridge, Gray Summit, Wildwood | Franklin, St. Louis | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 1 injury | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | |
| March 14, 2025 | Clarkson Valley, Chesterfield, Maryland Heights, Bridgeton, Hazelwood, Florissant, Old Jamestown | St. Louis | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | |
| March 14, 2025 | Florissant, Old Jamestown, West Alton, Alton, Godfrey | St. Louis, St. Charles, Madison | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | |
| March 14, 2025 | Arnold, Imperial, Oakville, Mehlville | Jefferson, St. Louis | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | |
| March 14, 2025 | Valmeyer, Waterloo | Monroe, St. Clair | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | |
| March 14, 2025 | O'Fallon | St. Clair, Madison | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | |
| March 14, 2025 | Mascoutah, Trenton | St. Clair, Clinton | EF2 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025 | |
| April 20, 2025 | St. Clair | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 20, 2025 | Waterloo | Monroe | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| April 20, 2025 | Monroe | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| April 20, 2025 | St. Clair | EF0 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| May 16, 2025 | Richmond Heights, Clayton, St. Louis, Granite City, Pontoon Beach, Edwardsville | St. Louis, City of St. Louis, Madison | EF3 | 5 fatalities, 38 injuries | 2025 St. Louis tornado | |
| May 19, 2025 | Jefferson | EFU | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | |||
| June 4, 2025 | Wildwood, Chesterfield | St. Louis | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries | ||
| June 7, 2025 | Jefferson | EF1 | 0 fatalities, 0 injuries |
See also
[edit]- List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- List of tornado-related deaths at schools
- List of tornadoes striking downtown areas
- Tri-State Hailstorm of April 2001
- July 2006 derechoes
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Brooks, Harold E.; Charles A. Doswell III (February 2001). "Normalized Damage from Major Tornadoes in the United States: 1890–1999". Weather Forecast. 16 (1): 168–76. Bibcode:2001WtFor..16..168B. doi:10.1175/1520-0434(2001)016<0168:NDFMTI>2.0.CO;2.
- ^ Smith, Mike (2010). Warnings: The True Story of How Science Tamed the Weather. Austin, TX: Greenleaf. pp. 134–5. ISBN 978-1608320349.
- ^ Tornadoes in St. Louis, Mo. (1950-2011)
- ^ a b April 22 Tornadic Supercell Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area, National Weather Service, St. Louis, Missouri. April 23, 2011.
- ^ a b F4 St. Louis County Tornado, 24 January 1967, National Weather Service, St. Louis, Missouri
- ^ Violent (F4-F5) Tornadoes in the NWS St. Louis County Warning Area
- ^ "December 10th 2021 Tornado Outbreak". National Weather Service Office St. Louis. Dec 2021. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ NWS list of tornadoes in City of St. Louis
- ^ May 1896 St. Louis Tornado
- ^ A Look Back: Tornado in 1927 kills 78 in St. Louis
- ^ Bow Echo Event over the city of St. Louis, Missouri March 31st, 2007
- ^ New Years Eve Tornado Outbreak December 31 2010, National Weather Service, St. Louis, Missouri.
- ^ Severe Weather Event - Squall Line St. Louis Metropolitan Tornadoes April 10 2013
- ^ Severe Thunderstorms Produce Straight Line Wind Damage and Nine Tornadoes May 31 2013
- ^ St. Louis Area Tornado Climatology
- Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- Grazulis, Thomas P. (2001). The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0806132587.
- National Climatic Data Center: Storm Events Database and Storm Data
External links
[edit]- National Weather Service St. Louis Tornado Climatology
- "St. Louis tornado photographs". University of Missouri–St. Louis.
- Browning, Wes (2011). "Tornadoes in the St. Louis Area...A Historical Perspective" (PDF). Gateway Observer. 2 (2). St. Louis, MO: National Weather Service: 5–7. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 2, 2012. Retrieved 2011-12-27.
- Rosencrants, Troy D.; Ashley, W. S. (2015), "Spatiotemporal analysis of tornado exposure in five US metropolitan areas", Nat. Hazards, 78 (1): 121–140, Bibcode:2015NatHa..78..121R, doi:10.1007/s11069-015-1704-z, S2CID 8196684