View source for 1925 tri-state tornado outbreak

{{Short description|1925 tornado outbreak in the U.S. states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana}}
{{About||the tornado that struck Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee in 2021|2021 Tri-State tornado|the F5 tornado that tracked over 219 miles that was part of this outbreak|1925 Tri-State tornado}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox weather event
| image = Tri-State Tornado JCHS15.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = A city block damaged by the Tri-State tornado in [[Murphysboro, Illinois]].
| formed = March 17, 1925; 100 years ago
| dissipated = March 19, 1925; 100 years ago
}}
{{Infobox weather event/Tornado outbreak
| tornadoes = ≥12
| fujita-scale = F5
| duration = 7 hours
| winds = >{{convert|300|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| hail = {{convert|4 + 1/2|in|cm|abbr=on|lk=on}} at [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]], [[Kentucky]]{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}
}}
{{Infobox weather event/Effects
| damages = Over $17 million (1925 USD); at least $1.4 billion (1997 [[United States dollar|USD]])<br>${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1400000000|1997|r=-4}}}} ({{CURRENTYEAR}} USD)<ref name="Brooks2">{{cite journal |last=Brooks |first=Harold E. |author-link=Harold E. Brooks |author2=C. A. Doswell |title=Normalized Damage from Major Tornadoes in the United States: 1890–1999 |journal=Weather Forecast |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=168–176 |date=February 2001 |doi=10.1175/1520-0434(2001)016<0168:NDFMTI>2.0.CO;2 |bibcode=2001WtFor..16..168B |url=https://zenodo.org/record/1234647 |doi-access=free}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|name=Losses|All losses are in 1925 [[United States dollar|USD]] unless otherwise noted.}}
| fatalities = At least 751, likely higher
| injuries = > 2,298
| affected = [[Midwestern United States|Midwestern]] and [[southeastern United States]]
}}
{{Infobox weather event/Footer
| part = the '''[[Tornadoes of 1925]]'''
}}
On March&nbsp;18, 1925, one of the deadliest [[tornado outbreak]]s in recorded history generated at least 12 [[Glossary of tornado terms#S|significant]] tornadoes and spanned a large portion of the [[Midwestern United States|midwestern]] and [[Southern United States|southern]] United States. In all, at least 751 people died, including men, women, and children. 2,298 were injured,<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 24, 2022 |title=Tri-State Tornado |url=https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/2e302a7bf53a46aca05e7312592fd537 |access-date=November 2, 2024 |website=ArcGIS StoryMaps |language=en}}</ref> making the outbreak the deadliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history. The outbreak generated several destructive tornadoes in [[Missouri]], [[Illinois]], and [[Indiana]] on the same day, as well as significant tornadoes in [[Alabama]] and [[Kansas]]. In addition to confirmed tornadoes, there were undoubtedly others with lesser impacts, the occurrences of which have been lost to history.{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}

The outbreak included [[1925 Tri-State tornado|the Tri-State Tornado]], the deadliest disaster in Illinois, the deadliest tornado in U.S. history, and the [[List of tornadoes causing 100 or more deaths|second-deadliest]] registered in world history.<ref>{{cite web |title=The deadliest disaster to ever happen in each state |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/the-deadliest-disaster-to-ever-happen-in-each-state/ss-AA15iVyW?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=b852eb5146d44c5497c7b7a63e1e26f8&ei=70#image=14 |website=MSN |access-date=25 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Gibson |first=Christine |title=Our 10 Greatest Natural Disasters |journal=American Heritage |volume=57 |issue=4 |date=Aug–Sep 2006 |url=http://www.americanheritage.com/content/our-10-greatest-natural-disasters?page=show}}</ref><ref>[http://www.tornadofacts.net/tri-state-tornado-facts.php Tri-State Tornado] - History, Facts and Information</ref> The {{convert|219|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} track left by the tornado, as it crossed from southeastern Missouri, through southern Illinois, and then into southwestern Indiana, is also the longest ever recorded.{{sfn|Johns|Burgess|Doswell III|Gilmore|2013}} Modern meteorological re-analysis has suggested that the extremely long path length and lifespan reported in historical accounts are perhaps more plausibly attributed to multiple independent tornadoes belonging to a [[tornado family]], rather than a single, continuous tornado.{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}} Although not officially rated by [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]], the Tri-State Tornado is recognized by most experts (such as [[Thomas P. Grazulis|Tom Grazulis]]{{sfn|Grazulis|2001b|p=17}} and [[Ted Fujita]]{{sfn|Fujita|1973|pp=56–83}}) as an F5 tornado, the maximum damage rating issued on the [[Fujita scale]].{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}{{refn|group=nb|name=Outbreak|An [[tornado outbreak|outbreak]] is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An [[tornado outbreak sequence|outbreak sequence]], prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one [[Fujita scale#Rating classifications|significant]] (F2 or stronger) tornado.<ref name=OutbreakClimo>{{cite conference |url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/schneider/otbrkseq.pdf |title=Tornado Outbreak Day Sequences: Historic Events and Climatology (1875–2003) |last1=Schneider |first1=Russell S. |last2=Brooks |first2=Harold E. |last3=Schaefer |first3=Joseph T. |author-link2=Harold E. Brooks |year=2004 |publisher=[[American Meteorological Society]] |location=Hyannis, Massachusetts |conference=22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms |conference-url=https://ams.confex.com/ams/11aram22sls/techprogram/programexpanded_230.htm |access-date=September 17, 2019}}</ref>}}{{refn|group=nb|name=Fujita|The [[Fujita scale]] was devised under the aegis of scientist [[Ted Fujita|T. Theodore Fujita]] in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=141}}{{sfn|Grazulis|2001a|p=[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/131 131]}} While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the [[Enhanced Fujita scale]] in the U.S. since February&nbsp;1, 2007,<ref name="EFscale">{{cite web |last1=Edwards |first1=Roger |title=Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage |url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/ef-scale.html |website=The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC) |publisher=Storm Prediction Center |access-date=February 25, 2016 |date=March 5, 2015}}</ref> Canada used the old scale until April&nbsp;1, 2013;<ref name="FscaleCanada">{{cite web |title=Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale) |url=https://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=41E875DA-1 |website=Environment and Climate Change Canada |access-date=February 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220706/http://www.ec.gc.ca/meteo-weather/default.asp?lang=En&n=41E875DA-1 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |date=June 6, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the [[TORRO scale]].<ref name="TORROscale">{{cite web |title=The International Tornado Intensity Scale |url=http://www.torro.org.uk/tscale.php |website=Tornado and Storm Research Organisation |access-date=February 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305120332/http://www.torro.org.uk/tscale.php |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |year=2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>}}{{refn|group=nb|name=Count|Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information.{{sfn|Grazulis|2001a|pp=[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/251 251]–[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/254 4]}} Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.<ref name="TornadoClimaFAQ">{{cite web |last1=Edwards |first1=Roger |title=The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC) |url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/#Climatology |website=Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes |publisher=[[Storm Prediction Center]] |access-date=February 25, 2016 |date=March 5, 2015}}</ref> Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced [[NEXRAD]] was first installed and the [[National Weather Service]] began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.{{sfn|Cook|Schaefer|2008|p=3135}}}}

==Background==
[[File:Tri-State Tornado trackmap (PAH).jpg|thumb|left|Track of the Tri-State tornado]]
During a six-year review study of the Tri-State tornado published in 2013, new [[Surface weather analysis|surface]] and upper air data was obtained and [[meteorological reanalysis]] was utilized, adding significantly to knowledge of the [[Synoptic meteorology|synoptic]] and even [[Mesoscale meteorology|mesoscale]] background of the event. The late winter to early spring of 1925 was warmer and drier than normal over much of the central United States. There apparently was persistent [[Ridge (meteorology)|ridging]] in the western U.S. with a [[Trough (meteorology)|troughing]] pattern over the central U.S.{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}

The [[extratropical cyclone]] that set the synoptic stage for the outbreak was centered over northwestern [[Montana]] at 7:00&nbsp;a.m. [[Central Time Zone|CST]] (13:00&nbsp;[[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]) on March&nbsp;17. Meanwhile, a diffuse area of surface [[low-pressure area|low pressure]] was centered near [[Denver]], [[Colorado]], in association with a [[Trough (meteorology)#Lee trough|lee trough]]. [[Occluded front]]s extended from [[Hudson Bay]] southwestward into the northern Plains states and into the lee trough. The synoptic cyclone moved south-southeastward across the mountain states to eastern Colorado. A [[warm front]] stretched along the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]], separating warm, moist air from cool, showery weather with areas of fog that extended from [[Texas]] to the Carolinas. A well-mixed early-season continental tropical (cT) [[air mass]] existed over West Texas and northern [[New Mexico]]. To the east of this hot, dry air, buoyant maritime tropical (mT) air was [[Advection|advecting]] from the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. Simultaneously, a mid- to upper-level [[Shortwave (meteorology)|shortwave trough]] likely approached the northwest coast of the U.S. and moved rapidly through the persistent ridge then digging southeastward across the [[Great Basin]] and central [[Rocky Mountains]] and emerging in [[Eastern Plains|the Plains]] over Colorado. This initiated a "[[Colorado low]]" [[cyclogenesis]].{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}

At 7:00&nbsp;a.m. CST on March&nbsp;18, the surface low-pressure area, at approximately {{convert|1003|hPa|inHg|abbr=on|lk=on}}, moved to far northeastern Oklahoma while the warm front shot north into the circulation where the front then extended eastward. A maritime Polar (mP) [[cold front]] draped southwestward across eastern Texas with a [[dry line]] forming directly to the south of the low. The open shortwave, likely somewhat negatively tilted, was continuing to approach from the northwest and an apparent [[outflow boundary]] moved just to the south of the [[warm front]] over northeastern Arkansas and northwestern Tennessee. Several weak pressure troughs were traversing the cool sector over the north-central U.S.. Surface temperatures in the warm sector near the dry line and warm front ranged from {{convert|60|–|70|F|C}}, and the [[dew point]] was {{convert|55|–|65|F|C}}, with higher values farther south and increasing over time as the deepening low-pressure area continued to pull up air from the Gulf of Mexico. https://www.weather.gov/pah/1925Tornado_wi#:~:text=In This resulted in unstable air and lower [[cloud base]]s, or low [[Lifted condensation level|LCL]] heights, which is favorable to [[tornadogenesis]]. From southeastern Kansas to Kentucky and Indiana, early morning showers and thunderstorms north of the low and warm front cooled and stabilized that air, retarding northward advancement of the front, and led to a sharp contrast in temperature from north to south. Such [[Baroclinity|baroclinic]] zones are also associated with tornadic storms. Ahead of the surface dry line, which are uncommon as far east as the Mississippi River,{{sfn|Duell|Van Den Broeke|2016}} an apparent "[[dry punch]]" of air aloft served to further increase [[Convective instability|instability]]. Concurrently, a [[capping inversion]] likely suppressed storms throughout the warm sector, leaving the Tri-State supercell undisturbed by nearby [[Atmospheric convection|convection]].{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}

By 12:00&nbsp;p.m. CST (18:00&nbsp;UTC), the deepening surface low was centered over south-central Missouri, the shortwave axis was moving easterly and oriented over eastern Oklahoma, and the dry line was rapidly advancing eastward directly south of the low as the warm front, situated due east of the low, slowly shifted northward. Morning clouds cleared by midday across much of the Tri-State tornado's eventual path. A pronounced pressure trough extended northeast of the low and signaled its future track as a prefrontal trough formed southeast of the low ahead of the dry line. A bulge in the dry line may also have been forming slightly south of the low, and southerly to southeasterly surface winds were backing and increasing with time throughout the warm sector. The Tri-State supercell formed in a highly favorable area just ahead of the triple point where the cold front, warm front, and dry line met. The supercell initiated very near the surface low and moved east-northeastward, faster than the low, such that the storm gradually deviated east of the low's track. The supercell remained near this "sweet spot" for a prolonged period as it also traveled near the highly baroclinic warm front (likely just across the cool side of the boundary) for several hours.{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}

[[File:Tri-State Tornado cyclone track map key.jpg|thumb|right|Tri-State tornado storm track and other tornadoes that day from ''[[Monthly Weather Review]]'', April 1925.<ref>[http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/wea00237.htm NOAA Photo Library]</ref> The information about the temperature, pressure, and other tornadoes may not be accurate.]]
By 2:00&nbsp;p.m. CST (20:00&nbsp;UTC), the low was centered slightly south-southwest of St. Louis, Missouri, as the Tri-State supercell neared the Mississippi River. Other storms in the warm sector, removed from the Tri-State supercell, were initiating around 3:00&nbsp;p.m. CST (21:00&nbsp;UTC). Around 4:00&nbsp;p.m. CST (22:00&nbsp;UTC), the low's [[Atmospheric pressure|central pressure]] lowered to around {{convert|998|hPa|inHg|abbr=on}}, centered over south-central Illinois, as the supercell was moving into Indiana. This pressure is not particularly low compared to many other outbreak setups, but the [[pressure gradient]] was strong, which induced strong gradient winds and significant advection in the warm sector. A very strong [[low level jet]] was also in place just above the surface as winds veered with height, resulting in low-level curvature and long [[hodograph]]s. Strong [[wind shear]] thus existed, with pronounced directional shear likely in the vicinity of the warm front, with winds at the 700 hPa height level west-southwesterly around {{convert|70|mph|abbr=on}} and winds at the 500 hPa level about {{convert|90|–|110|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. Theoretical hodographs returned estimated storm relative environmental [[Hydrodynamical helicity|helicity]] (SREH) values of 340 m<sup>2</sup> s<sup>−2</sup> in the vicinity of the Tri-State supercell track. Strong thunderstorms were now scattered throughout the warm sector and a line of severe thunderstorms was occurring near the dry line. The Tri-State supercell appeared to still be discrete and isolated, with a severe storm north of Cairo, Illinois, placed well to its south.{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}

By 6:00&nbsp;p.m. CST (00:00&nbsp;UTC), the shortwave axis was over eastern Missouri and was lifting northeast. At 7:00&nbsp;p.m. CST (01:00&nbsp;UTC), the low was placed near [[Indianapolis, Indiana]], with numerous thunderstorms east and south of the low and a [[squall line]] moving into the southeastern U.S. Cold air advection behind the strong cold front fed into the cyclone as [[snow]] and [[Ice pellets|sleet]] fell from eastern Iowa to central Michigan. At 7:00&nbsp;a.m. CST on March&nbsp;19, the low was deepening and lifting rapidly northeastward into Canada.

==Confirmed tornadoes==
These are estimated [[Tornado intensity|tornado ratings]] as tornado ratings in the United States were not official until 1950.

{{Tornado Chart | Total=≥12 | FU=≥3 | F0=? | F1=? | F2=2 | F3=4 | F4=2 | F5=1 }}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|+ List of confirmed tornadoes in the Tri-State tornado outbreak{{refn|group=nb|name=Date/Time|All dates are based on the local [[time zone]] where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in [[Coordinated Universal Time]] and dates are split at midnight [[Central Time Zone|CST/CDT]] for consistency.}}{{refn|group=nb|name=Width|Prior to 1994, only the average widths of tornado paths were officially listed.{{sfn|Brooks|2004|p=310}}}}
! scope="col"  style="width:3%; text-align:center;"|[[Fujita scale|F#]]
! scope="col"  style="width:7%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|Location
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|County / Parish
! scope="col"  style="width:5%; text-align:center;"|State
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Time ([[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]])
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Path length
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|{{abbr|Max.|Maximum}} width
! scope="col"  style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Damage
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat2}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F2
|[[Dearing, Kansas|Dearing]]
|[[Montgomery County, Kansas|Montgomery]]
|[[Kansas]]
|11:10–?
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|This tornado wrecked a pair of barns and a [[filling station]]. Porches were torn loose from homes as well.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=795}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|unk}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| FU
|[[Moore Township, Shannon County, Missouri|Moore]] and [[Jackson Township, Shannon County, Missouri|Jackson Townships]]
|[[Shannon County, Missouri|Shannon]]
|[[Missouri]]
|18:40–?
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|This tornado was likely a separate member of the Tri-State tornado family.{{sfn|Johns|Burgess|Doswell III|Gilmore|2013}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat5}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F5
|WNW of [[Ellington, Missouri|Ellington (MO)]] to [[Murphysboro, Illinois|Murphysboro (IL)]] to [[Oatsville, Indiana|Oatsville (IN)]]
|[[Reynolds County, Missouri|Reynolds (MO)]], [[Iron County, Missouri|Iron (MO)]], [[Madison County, Missouri|Madison (MO)]], [[Bollinger County, Missouri|Bollinger (MO)]], [[Perry County, Missouri|Perry (MO)]], [[Jackson County, Illinois|Jackson (IL)]], [[Williamson County, Illinois|Williamson (IL)]], [[Franklin County, Illinois|Franklin (IL)]], [[Hamilton County, Illinois|Hamilton (IL)]], [[White County, Illinois|White (IL)]], [[Posey County, Indiana|Posey (IN)]], [[Gibson County, Indiana|Gibson (IN)]], [[Pike County, Indiana|Pike (IN)]]
|[[Missouri]], [[Illinois]], [[Indiana]]
|18:45–22:30
|{{convert|219|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|2650|yd|m|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{nts|17,000,000|prefix=$}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|695 deaths – [[1925 Tri-State tornado|See article on this tornado]] – This is the deadliest and longest-tracked tornado in U.S. history. There were 588 fatalities in Illinois and 95 in Indiana, making this the deadliest tornado for both states.{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Atteberry |first=Todd |date=2021-04-23 |title=Searching for the scars of the Tri-State Tornado of 1925 in southern Illinois |url=https://www.gothichorrorstories.com/journal/scars-of-the-1925-tri-state-tornado/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=Witchery Art: A Gothic Cabinet of Curiosities and Mysteries |language=en-US}}</ref>{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}{{sfn|Johns|Burgess|Doswell III|Gilmore|2013}}{{sfn|Grazulis|2001a|pp=[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/194 194]–[https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz/page/198 8]}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat4}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F4
|[[Mauckport, Indiana|Mauckport (IN)]] to S of [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville (KY)]]
|[[Harrison County, Indiana|Harrison (IN)]], [[Jefferson County, Kentucky|Jefferson (KY)]]
|[[Indiana]], [[Kentucky]]
|22:15–?
|{{convert|18|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|1200|yd|m|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{nts|150,000|prefix=$}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|4 deaths – A large, violent tornado impacted 27 farmsteads in Indiana, many of which were leveled; some entire farmsteads were obliterated, particularly near [[Laconia, Indiana|Laconia]] and [[Elizabeth, Indiana]]. The tornado leveled a two-block-wide swath next to the [[Ohio River]], in what is now [[Pleasure Ridge Park, Louisville|Pleasure Ridge Park]]. A multi-story brick home was obliterated in [[Lakeland, Louisville|Lakeland]]. 60 people were injured.{{sfn|Grazulis|1984|p=A-38}}{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}<ref name="LouiClimo18Mar1925">{{cite web |title=Tornadoes of March 18, 1925 |url=https://www.weather.gov/lmk/tornado_climatology_march181925 |website=Louisville, KY [[List of National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices|Weather Forecast Office]] |publisher=[[National Weather Service]] |access-date=30 April 2021 |location=[[Louisville, Kentucky]]}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat2}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F2
|Northwestern [[Littleville, Alabama|Littleville]]
|[[Colbert County, Alabama|Colbert]]
|[[Alabama]]
|22:42–?
|{{convert|12|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|60|yd|m|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{nts|15,000|prefix=$}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|1 death – This tornado destroyed a store, a filling station, and a pair of homes. 12 people were injured.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat4}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F4+
|[[Buck Lodge, Tennessee|Buck Lodge (TN)]] to [[Westmoreland, Tennessee|Westmoreland (TN)]] to [[Beaumont, Kentucky|Beaumont (KY)]]
|[[Sumner County, Tennessee|Sumner (TN)]], [[Macon County, Tennessee|Macon (TN)]], [[Allen County, Kentucky|Allen (KY)]], [[Barren County, Kentucky|Barren (KY)]], [[Monroe County, Kentucky|Monroe (KY)]], [[Metcalfe County, Kentucky|Metcalfe (KY)]]
|[[Tennessee]], [[Kentucky]]
|23:00–?
|{{convert|60|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|400|yd|m|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|>{{nts|300,000|prefix=$}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|41 deaths – An exceptionally violent tornado family began north of [[Gallatin, Tennessee]]. Homes and churches were leveled in many communities, and several were swept away. At least 29 deaths occurred in Tennessee, eight of them in a single family, and 50 others were injured. This tornado may have reached F5 intensity at one or more points, and is considered one of the most powerful tornadoes in [[Middle Tennessee]] on record. Bodies were found dismembered hundreds of yards from homesites, and ground scouring occurred along the path. Despite crossing rugged terrain, the tornado remained as violent on hillsides as in valleys, leveling entire forests. In Kentucky, the tornado killed four people near [[Holland, Kentucky|Holland]] and eight more near Beaumont. In all, 95 injuries occurred along the entire path.{{sfn|Grazulis|1984|p=A-38}}{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}<ref name="BuckLodgeNWS">{{cite web |title=March 18, 1925 Tornado Outbreak |url=https://www.weather.gov/ohx/19250318 |website=Nashville, TN Weather Forecast Office |publisher=National Weather Service |access-date=14 April 2021 |location=[[Nashville, Tennessee]]}}</ref><ref name="LouiClimo18Mar1925" />
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat3}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F3
|Eastern [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]] to [[Pewee Valley, Kentucky|Pewee Valley]]
|[[Jefferson County, Kentucky|Jefferson]], [[Oldham County, Kentucky|Oldham]]
|[[Kentucky]]
|23:00–?
|{{convert|10|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|3+ deaths – This tornado likely developed from the same storm as the Mauckport–Louisville F4. At least 12 homes were destroyed, three of which were multi-story, including a three-story brick home. Other structures and barns were unroofed or destroyed as well. 40 people were injured. The death toll may have exceeded three.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}<ref name="LouiClimo18Mar1925" />
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat3}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F3
|Western Marion County to [[Lexington, Kentucky|Lexington]]
|[[Marion County, Kentucky|Marion]], [[Washington County, Kentucky|Washington]], [[Mercer County, Kentucky|Mercer]], [[Jessamine County, Kentucky|Jessamine]], [[Fayette County, Kentucky|Fayette]], [[Bourbon County, Kentucky|Bourbon]]
|[[Kentucky]]
|23:30–?
|{{convert|60|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|300|yd|m|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{unk}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|2 deaths – A probable tornado family passed near [[Springfield, Kentucky|Springfield]]. Many structures were destroyed in Washington County, including an entire [[African Americans|all-black]] neighborhood in [[Jimtown, Kentucky|Jimtown]]. Rural farmhouses and barns were demolished as well, including at least one large, multi-story home. Damage may have reached F4-level intensity at one or more points along the path. 40 people were injured.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}<ref name="LouiClimo18Mar1925" />
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat3}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F3
|W of [[College Grove, Tennessee|College Grove]] to [[Kirkland, Williamson County, Tennessee|Kirkland]]
|[[Williamson County, Tennessee|Williamson]], [[Rutherford County, Tennessee|Rutherford]]
|[[Tennessee]]
|23:45–?
|{{convert|20|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|200|yd|m|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{nts|30,000|prefix=$}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|1 death – A significant tornado caused major damage to homes in Kirkland, a large one of which incurred F3-level damage. 30 barns and eight small homes were destroyed or damaged as well. At some spots all vegetation was reportedly swept away. Nine people were injured.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}<ref name="BuckLodgeNWS" />
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|unk}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| FU
|[[Monroe Township, Washington County, Indiana|Monroe Township]] to [[Vernon Township, Jackson County, Indiana|Vernon Township]]
|[[Washington County, Indiana|Washington]], [[Jackson County, Indiana|Jackson]]
|[[Indiana]]
|23:46–?
|{{convert|20|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|This large tornado was likely a continuation of the Tri-State tornado family. It caused significant damage to homes and a church across rural locales, including some homes that were flattened. Several people were injured.{{sfn|Johns|Burgess|Doswell III|Gilmore|2013}}
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|cat3}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| F3
|[[Unionville, Tennessee|Unionville]] to NE of [[Fosterville, Tennessee|Fosterville]]
|[[Bedford County, Tennessee|Bedford]], [[Rutherford County, Tennessee|Rutherford]]
|[[Tennessee]]
|00:10–?
|{{convert|12|mi|km|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{convert|300|yd|m|abbr=on|sortable=on}}
|{{unk}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|4 deaths – At least 10 homes were destroyed, and 15 people were injured.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}<ref name="BuckLodgeNWS" />
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="2" style="background-color:#{{#invoke:Storm categories|color|unk}}; border-bottom: 1px solid black"| FU
|S of [[Petersburg, Indiana|Petersburg]]
|[[Pike County, Indiana|Pike]]
|[[Indiana]]
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|{{unk}}
|- class="expand-child"
| colspan="8" style=" border-bottom: 1px solid black;|This tornado was likely a separate member of the Tri-State tornado family.{{sfn|Johns|Burgess|Doswell III|Gilmore|2013}}
|}
{{clear}}

===Tri-State tornado===
{{Main|1925 Tri-State tornado}}

The tornado, sometimes referred to as the Great tri-state tornado, touched down around 1.00 pm in [[Shannon County, Missouri]], moving to the northeast. The tornado immediately began to produce heavy damage to structures before directly impacting [[Annapolis, Missouri|Annapolis]], destroying ninety percent of the town and killing two people. The tornado then moved through [[Bollinger County, Missouri|Bollinger County]], where it would hit two schools and injure several children who were taking shelter. Deep ground scouring was observed as the tornado moved past [[Sedgewickville, Missouri|Sedgewickville]], and debris from the town was found almost {{convert|50|mi|abbr=on}} away. It would hit several other small communities, including [[Brazeau, Missouri|Brazeau]] and [[Frohna, Missouri|Frohna]], before crossing state lines into Southern Illinois and directly impacting [[Gorham, Illinois|Gorham]]. Over half of the town's population was killed, and the town was devastated as the tornado moved by. To the northeast, it would hit the northern portions of [[Murphysboro, Illinois|Murphysboro]], where over one hundred residents would die as the tornado barelled through the town at an estimated forward speed of {{convert|62|mph|abbr=on}}.{{NoteTag|This is not "average forward speed", but the speed the tornado moved at through the town.}}<ref name="NOAA">{{Cite web |last=US Department of Commerce |first=NOAA |title=1925 Tornado |url=https://www.weather.gov/pah/1925Tornado_tt#:~:text=Let's%20take%20a%20brief%20look,where%20one%20farmer%20was%20killed. |access-date=December 20, 2024 |website=www.weather.gov |language=EN-US}}</ref>{{sfn|Johns|Burgess|Doswell III|Gilmore|2013}}

Further east, the tornado crossed into [[Franklin County, Illinois|Franklin County]], narrowly missing the towns of [[Royalton, Illinois|Royalton]] and [[Zeigler, Illinois|Zeigler]], devastating rural areas before heading towards the large mining town of [[West Frankfort, Illinois|West Frankfort]]. The tornado struck the northwest side of town, where in a manner similar to what was seen at Murphysboro, a number of densely populated neighborhoods, businesses and mining operations fell victim to the tornado. At the Peabody Mine 18 in Caldwell, a large 80-foot coal [[tipple]] weighing several hundred tons was blown over and rolled by the tornado. The tornado proceeded to devastate additional rural areas across [[Hamilton County, Illinois|Hamilton]] and [[White County, Illinois|White]] counties, between the two counties claiming 45 lives and injuring 140, 20&nbsp;of whom later died, where it dissipated over three hours after touching down.<ref name="NOAA" />{{sfn|Johns|Burgess|Doswell III|Gilmore|2013}}

The tornado killed at least twenty farm owners in southeastern Illinois and southwestern Indiana, more than the combined total of the next four deadliest tornadoes in the history of the United States. The tornado killed a combined total of 695 people, the majority of which occurred in Illinois. Despite not being officially rated, it is widely accepted to have been equivalent to an F5 on the [[Fujita scale]], with winds up to {{convert|300|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}. There has long been uncertainty as to whether the originally recognized reports of a {{convert|219|mi|adj=on}} path over 3.5&nbsp;hours represent a single continuous tornado or multiple independently tracking tornadoes belonging to a [[tornado family]]. Because of the scarcity of verifiable meteorological data from the time of the event and the apparent absence of any record of a tornado having approached this path length and duration in the years since, doubts have been raised about the plausibility of the conclusion that a single tornado was responsible for them. To date no definitive conclusion has been reached and a complete understanding of what occurred remains unachieved.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993|p=796}}<ref name="NOAA" />{{sfn|Johns|Burgess|Doswell III|Gilmore|2013}}

==Non-tornadic effects==
Strong thunderstorms were reported in a broad area that also included parts of [[Oklahoma]], [[Michigan]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[West Virginia]], and [[Ontario]]. Numerous reports of hail and [[straight-line winds]] were reported, with up to {{convert|4.5|in|cm|adj=mid|-diameter}} [[hail]] recorded (by comparison, a [[Softball#Equipment|softball]] is {{convert|3.5|–|3.8|in|cm|abbr=on}} in diameter). What began in the early afternoon as discrete [[supercell]] thunderstorms eventually consolidated into a potent [[squall line]]. By all accounts it was a widespread outbreak with severe thunderstorms occurring as far east as [[Ohio]], as far southwest as [[Louisiana]], and as far southeast as [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]].{{sfn|Maddox|Gilmore|Doswell III|Johns|2013}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Tornadoes|Weather}}
{{Commons}}
*[[List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks]]
**[[List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks]]
*List of tornado-related deaths at schools
*[[List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes]]
*[[Tornado outbreak sequence of December 18–20, 1957#Gorham–Sand Ridge–Murphysboro–Plumfield, Illinois|Tornado outbreak sequence of December 18–20, 1957]] – Produced another violent tornado that paralleled the Tri-State tornado in Illinois.
*[[Daulatpur–Saturia tornado]] – Deadliest tornado worldwide in recorded history that struck [[Manikganj District]] in [[Bangladesh]] on April 26, 1989.
*[[Tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021]] – Another deadly tornado outbreak that contained the "Quad-State supercell", which was initially believed to have dropped a single tornado that tracked over 4 states, but was later found to have not done so.
*[[Tornado outbreak of March 13–16, 2025]] – A tornado outbreak which affected many of the same areas in March 2025, just a few days shy of Tri-State's 100th anniversary.

==Notes==
<references group="note" />{{Reflist|group=nb}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
<!-- http://www.popsci.com/archive-viewer?id=oicDAAAAMBAJ&pg=29 -->

==Sources==
*{{cite book |last=Akin |first=Wallace E. |title=The Forgotten Storm: The Great Tri-state Tornado of 1925 |publisher=Lyons Press |year=2002 |location=[[Guilford, Connecticut]] |isbn=1-58574-607-X}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Brooks |first1=Harold E. |author-link1=Harold E. Brooks |title=On the Relationship of Tornado Path Length and Width to Intensity |journal=[[Weather and Forecasting]] |date=April 2004 |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=310–19 |doi=10.1175/1520-0434(2004)019<0310:OTROTP>2.0.CO;2 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2004WtFor..19..310B}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Cook |first1=A. R. |last2=Schaefer |first2=J. T. |title=The Relation of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to Winter Tornado Outbreaks |journal=[[Monthly Weather Review]] |date=August 2008 |volume=136 |issue=8 |pages=3121–3137 |doi=10.1175/2007MWR2171.1 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2008MWRv..136.3121C}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Doswell III |first1=Charles A. |author-link=Charles A. Doswell III |last2=Burgess |first2=D. W. |title=On Some Issues of United States Tornado Climatology |journal=Mon. Wea. Rev. |volume=116 |issue=2 |pages=495–501 |year=1988 |doi=10.1175/1520-0493(1988)116<0495:OSIOUS>2.0.CO;2 |bibcode=1988MWRv..116..495D |doi-access=free}}
*{{cite journal |last=Duell |first=Rebecca S. |last2=Van Den Broeke |first2=M. S. |title=Climatology, Synoptic Conditions, and Misanalyses of Mississippi River Valley Drylines |journal=Mon. Wea. Rev. |volume=144 |issue=3 |pages=927–43 |date=2016 |doi=10.1175/MWR-D-15-0108.1 |bibcode=2016MWRv..144..927D |doi-access=free}}
*{{cite book |last=Felknor |first=Peter S. |title=The Tri-State Tornado: The Story of America's Greatest Tornado Disaster |publisher=Iowa State University Press |year=1992 |location=Ames, IA |isbn=0-8138-0623-2}}
*{{cite book |last=Flora |first=Snowden D. |author-link=Snowden D. Flora |title=Tornadoes of the United States |publisher=[[University of Oklahoma Press]] |year=1953 |location=Norman, OK |isbn=978-0806102627}}
*{{cite journal |last=Fujita |first=T. Theodore |author-link=Ted Fujita |title=Tornadoes Around the World |journal=Weatherwise |volume=26 |issue=2 |year=1973 |pages=56–83 |doi=10.1080/00431672.1973.9931633}}
*{{cite tech report |last=Grazulis |first=Thomas P. |author-link=Thomas P. Grazulis |date=May 1984 |title=Violent Tornado Climatography, 1880–1982 |series=NUREG |number=CR-3670 |website=[[Office of Scientific and Technical Information|OSTI]] |institution=[[Nuclear Regulatory Commission]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.]] |osti=7099491 |osti-access=free}}
**{{cite book |last=Grazulis |first=Thomas P. |title=Significant Tornadoes 1880–1989 |date=November 1990 |publisher=The Tornado Project of Environmental Films |location=[[St. Johnsbury, Vermont]] |isbn=1-879362-02-3 |volume=2 |author-mask=1}}
**{{cite book |last1=Grazulis |first1=Thomas P. |title=Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events |date=July 1993 |publisher=The Tornado Project of Environmental Films |location=[[St. Johnsbury, Vermont]] |isbn=1-879362-03-1 |author-mask=1}}
**{{cite book |last1=Grazulis |first1=Thomas P. |title=The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm |url=https://archive.org/details/tornadonaturesul0000graz |url-access=registration |date=2001a |publisher=[[University of Oklahoma Press]] |location=[[Norman, Oklahoma|Norman]] |isbn=978-0-8061-3538-0 |author-mask=1}}
**{{Cite book |last=Grazulis |first=Thomas P. |title=F5-F6 Tornadoes |publisher=The Tornado Project of Environmental Films |year=2001b |location=St. Johnsbury, Vermont |author-mask=1}}
*{{cite book |last=Johns |first=Bob |author-link=Robert H. Johns |year=2012 |title=The 1925 Tri-State Tornado's Devastation In Franklin County, Hamilton County, And White County, Illinois |publisher=AuthorHouse |location=Bloomington, IN |isbn=978-1468560961}}
**{{cite journal |last1=Johns |first1=Robert H. |author-link=Robert H. Johns |last2=Burgess |first2=D. W. |last3=Doswell III |first3=C. A. |last4=Gilmore |first4=M. S. |last5=Hart |first5=J. A. |last6=Piltz |first6=S. F. |title=The 1925 Tri-State Tornado Damage Path and Associated Storm System |journal=e-Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology |volume=8 |issue=2 |year=2013 |pages=1–33 |doi=10.55599/ejssm.v8i2.47 |doi-access=free |display-authors=4 |author-mask=1}}
*{{cite journal |last=Maddox |first=Robert A. |author-link=Robert A. Maddox |last2=Gilmore |first2=M. S. |last3=Doswell III |first3=C. A. |author-link3=Charles A. Doswell III |last4=Johns |first4=R. H. |last5=Crisp |first5=C. A. |last6=Burgess |first6=D. W. |author-link6=Donald W. Burgess |last7=Hart |first7=J. A. |last8=Piltz |first8=S. F. |title=Meteorological Analyses of the Tri-State Tornado Event of March 1925 |journal=e-Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology |volume=8 |issue=1 |year=2013 |pages=1–27 |doi=10.55599/ejssm.v8i1.46 |doi-access=free |display-authors=4}}
*{{cite book |last=Mason |first=Angela |year=2011 |title=Death Rides the Sky: The Story of the 1925 Tri-State Tornado |publisher=Black Oak Media |location=Rockford, IL |isbn=978-1-61876-001-2}}
*{{cite book |last=Partlow |first=Geoff |title=America's Deadliest Twister: The Tri-State Tornado of 1925 |publisher=Southern Illinois University Press |date=2014 |location=Carbondale, IL |isbn=9780809333462}}

==External links==
* [http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/1925/ 1925 Tri-State Tornado] (NWS Paducah, KY)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030306210100/http://www.weather.com/newscenter/specialreports/sotc/storm7/page1.html The Weather Channel's ''Storm of the Century'' list – #7 The Tri-State Tornado]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081016135615/http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilfrankl/subjects/tornado.htm The Great Tri-State Tornado] (RootsWeb Genealogy)
* [http://www.carolyar.com/Illinois/Misc/Tornado.htm The 1925 Tornado] (Carolyar.com Genealogy)
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgCJb7ovp_M Aerial film of damage path]
* [http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.695.7454&rep=rep1&type=pdf 'The 1925 Tri-State Tornado Damage Path Analysis' By R.H. Johns & Associates]
<!-- * [http://tristatetornado.org/ The Tri-State Tornado Project] -->
<!-- * [http://www.lib.niu.edu/ipo/2001/ihy011210.html Newspaper Coverage of the Tri-State Tornado Ravage of Murphysboro] (NIU Library)
* [http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/worst_case_scenarios/4219866.html?series=31 Tri-State Tornado: Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, March 1925] (''[[Popular Mechanics]]'') -->

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
  | before = [[1924 Lorain–Sandusky tornado|Lorain–Sandusky, OH]] (1924)
  | title  = Costliest U.S. tornadoes on Record
  | years  = March 18, 1925
  | after  = [[1927 St. Louis–East St. Louis tornado|St. Louis, MO–East St. Louis, IL]] (1927)
}}
{{s-end}}

{{10 deadliest US tornadoes}}
{{10 deadliest tornadoes worldwide}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1925-03-18 Tornadoes}}
[[Category:F5, EF5 and IF5 tornadoes]]
[[Category:20th-century tornadoes]]
[[Category:1925 meteorology|Tornadoes, 03-18]]
[[Category:Tornadoes in Missouri]]
[[Category:Tornadoes in Illinois]]
[[Category:Tornadoes in Indiana]]
[[Category:Shannon County, Missouri|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Reynolds County, Missouri|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Iron County, Missouri|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Madison County, Missouri|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Bollinger County, Missouri|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Perry County, Missouri|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Jackson County, Illinois|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Williamson County, Illinois|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Franklin County, Illinois|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Hamilton County, Illinois|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:White County, Illinois|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Gibson County, Indiana|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Posey County, Indiana|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:Pike County, Indiana|Tornado, 1925-03-18]]
[[Category:1925 in Indiana|Tornado, 03-18]]
[[Category:1925 in Illinois|Tornado, 03-18]]
[[Category:1925 in Missouri|Tornado, 03-18]]
[[Category:March 1925 in the United States|Tornado, 18]]
[[Category:1925 natural disasters in the United States|Tornado, 03-18]]