 Map of the low pressure system on April 24, that produced the tornado outbreak | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | April 23–25, 1908 |
| Tornado outbreak | |
| Tornadoes | ≥ 31 confirmed |
| Maximum rating | F5 tornado |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | ≥ 324 fatalities, ≥ 1,720 injuries |
| Damage | [nb 1] |
| Areas affected | Midwestern andSouthern United States |
On April 23–25, 1908, a destructivetornado outbreak affected portions of the Midwestern and Southern United States, including theGreat Plains. The outbreak produced at least 31 tornadoes in 13 states, with a total of at least 324 tornado-related deaths. Of these deaths, most were caused by three long-tracked,violent tornadoes—each rated F4 on the Fujita scale and considered to be atornado family—that occurred on April 24. Most of the deaths were in rural areas,often consisted ofAfrican Americans, and consequently may have been undercounted. One of the tornadoes killed 143 people along its path, 73 of them in theU.S. state ofMississippi, making the tornado the third deadliest inMississippi history, following the1936 Tupelo F5, with 216 deaths, and the1840 Natchez tornado, with 317 deaths.[1][2][3][nb 2][nb 3][nb 4]
| FU | F0 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ? | ? | ? | 22 | 3 | 5 | 1 | ≥ 31 |
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | W ofValley Springs, SD to E ofBenclare, SD toMN | Minnehaha (SD),Rock (MN) | SD,MN | 18:30–? | 5 miles (8.0 km) | Unknown | Possible tornado family struck three farmsteads, destroying stables, tearing roofs off homes, and killing a racehorse.[14] |
| F2 | Oak Grove, TX toOK | Red River (TX),Bowie (TX),McCurtain (OK) | TX,OK | 22:15–? | 15 miles (24 km) | 250 yards (230 m) | Tornado destroyed 10 homes, a school, and a store. Only scatteredconcrete blocks remained at the school. Tornado crossed into Oklahoma before dissipating. Seven people were injured.[14] |
| F2 | W ofForeman to S ofDeQueen | Little River,Sevier | AR | 22:30–? | 11 miles (18 km) | Unknown | 3 deaths — Tornado destroyed a home, killing a family of three. Leaves and twigs rained from the sky in DeQueen.[15] |
| F2 | W ofInwood | Lyon | IA | 22:30–? | 10 miles (16 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | Tornado killed more than 100 head of livestock, including 81 hogs and several sheep. Tornado damaged or destroyed several barns and a school as well. One person was injured.[15] |
| F2 | Clifton toCayote | Bosque | TX | 23:30–? | 10 miles (16 km) | Unknown | Tornado damaged or destroyed two homes and several other structures. Tornado tossed water 500 ft (150 m) high as it crossed theBosque River. Trees along the river were thrown1⁄2 mi (0.80 km) away. 10 people were injured.[15] |
| F5 | SW ofPender to S ofThurston | Cuming,Thurston | NE | 00:00–? | 15 miles (24 km) | 400 yards (370 m) | 3 deaths — Tornado devastated several farms, one of which it obliterated, including a well-constructed multi-story farmhouse. Shingles and a picture from one of the farms rained from the sky in the town ofGoodwin, 35 mi (56 km) away. 10 people were injured.[15] |
| F4 | Deport to W ofFulbright | Lamar,Red River | TX | 00:00–? | 10 miles (16 km) | 300 yards (270 m) | 1 death — Tornado destroyed thebusiness district, 25 homes, a pair of churches, and acottonseed oil mill in Deport. Debris from homes were found 2 mi (3.2 km) away. Six people were injured and losses totaled $125,000.[15][16] |
| F3 | S ofRice | Navarro | TX | 00:30–? | 7 miles (11 km) | 150 yards (140 m) | 3+ deaths —1⁄2-mile-wide (0.80 km) tornado struck a farm, destroying the manager's house, 14tenant houses, and all barns on the property. Several other farmhouses were damaged or destroyed along the path. Six people were injured. Tornado may have continued into Wood County and caused four additional fatalities.[15] |
| F2 | SE ofDaingerfield | Morris | TX | 03:00–? | 10 miles (16 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | Tornado destroyed or damaged 17 homes, including four farmhouses. Five people were injured.[15] |
| F2 | Hector | Pope | AR | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 3 deaths — Tornado damaged or destroyed the entire town, injuring 20 people.[15] |
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | Southern Walls | DeSoto | MS | 08:30–? | 7 miles (11 km) | Unknown | Tornado destroyed a store, a depot, and three homes. A station agent was injured and losses totaled $1,500.[15][17] |
| F2 | Mason | Fayette,Tipton | TN | 09:00–? | 3 miles (4.8 km) | Unknown | Tornado destroyed three churches and a few homes.[18] |
| F2 | Buntyn | Shelby | TN | 09:00–? | 5 miles (8.0 km) | 400 yards (370 m) | Tornado destroyed or unroofed 12 homes. 15 people were injured.[18] |
| F4 | N ofLamourie, LA toTillman, MS | Rapides (LA),Avoyelles (LA),Catahoula (LA),Concordia (LA),Adams (MS),Jefferson (MS),Claiborne (MS) | LA,MS | 11:00–? | 105 miles (169 km) | 700 yards (640 m) | 91 deaths —See section on this tornado |
| F2 | Northern Braxton | Simpson | MS | 15:15–? | Unknown | Unknown | Tornado destroyed several homes. 10 people were injured and losses totaled $10,000.[15][17] |
| F2 | N ofWahalak to S ofShuqualak | Kemper,Noxubee | MS | 17:45–? | 10 miles (16 km) | Unknown | 3 deaths — Tornado swept away three small homes. 10 people were injured and losses totaled at least $5,000.[15][17] |
| F4 | Weiss, LA toAmite, LA/Purvis, MS to SW ofRichton, MS | Livingston (LA),St. Helena (LA),Tangipahoa (LA),Washington (LA),Marion (MS),Lamar (MS),Forrest (MS),Perry (MS),Wayne (MS) | LA,MS | 17:45–? | 155 miles (249 km) | 3,520 yards (3,220 m) | 143 deaths —See section on this tornado |
| F4 | SW ofDora toSouthern Albertville toNorthern Sylvania | Walker,Jefferson,Blount,Marshall,DeKalb | AL | 20:40–22:15 | >105 miles (169 km) | 500 yards (460 m) | 35 deaths —See section on this tornado |
| F2 | N ofBrooklyn to S ofJanet | Forrest,Perry,Greene | MS | 20:45–? | 25 miles (40 km) | Unknown | 5+ deaths — Tornado may have caused as many as seven fatalities. 20 people were injured and losses totaled $290,500.[15][17] |
| F2 | Thomasboro toRantoul | Champaign | IL | 23:30–? | 6 miles (9.7 km) | 30 yards (27 m) | Tornado unroofed several homes.[18] |
| F4 | Bluffton, AL toCave Spring, GA | Cherokee (AL),Polk (GA),Floyd (GA) | AL,GA | 01:10–? | 16 miles (26 km) | 400 yards (370 m) | 11 deaths — Tornado leveled many small homes and damaged other structures. Bodies were found1⁄4 mi (0.40 km) away. 50 people were injured.[18] |
| F2 | Fort Deposit | Lowndes | AL | 03:00–? | 5 miles (8.0 km) | 250 yards (230 m) | 2 deaths — Tornado destroyed 50 structures. 22 people were injured and losses totaled $80,000.[18][19] |
| F3 | E ofCleveland toClimer | Bradley | TN | 03:00–? | 10 miles (16 km) | 400 yards (370 m) | 1 death — Tornado struck 20 farms and damaged or destroyed numerous structures, including five homes. Eight people were injured.[18] |
| F2 | NE ofMontgomery | Montgomery,Elmore | AL | 03:10–? | 4 miles (6.4 km) | Unknown | Tornado destroyed a small building and a barn. Losses totaled $3,000.[18][20] |
| F# | Location | County / Parish | State | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max. width | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | Southern Atlanta | Fulton | GA | 05:00–? | Unknown | 50 yards (46 m) | One home shifted on its foundation and another was torn in half.[18] |
| F3 | Pine Mountain to S ofGreenville | Harris,Meriwether | GA | 06:00–? | 15 miles (24 km) | 150 yards (140 m) | 10 deaths — Tornado destroyed 40 homes, four churches, and ahotel. 40 people were injured and losses totaled $200,000.[18] |
| F2 | N ofColumbus | Muscogee | GA | 06:30–? | 2 miles (3.2 km) | 200 yards (180 m) | 2 deaths — Tornado destroyed several homes. 12 people were injured and losses totaled $30,000.[18] |
| F2 | W ofGriffin to S ofMcDonough | Spalding,Henry | GA | 07:30–? | 15 miles (24 km) | 200 yards (180 m) | 8 deaths — Tornado struck several frail homes at a mill. 100 people were injured and losses totaled $140,000.[18] |
| F2 | Poulan | Worth | GA | 11:00–? | Unknown | 100 yards (91 m) | Tornado destroyed or damaged several homes and barns. Four people were injured.[18] |
| F2 | Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park | Walker | GA | 18:30–? | 3 miles (4.8 km) | 100 yards (91 m) | Tornado severely damaged the historic monument, then called Chickamauga National Historic Park, downing at least 100 large trees, some of which it hurled 300 yd (900 ft; 0.17 mi; 0.27 km) through the air. Tornado also destroyed three historic homes.[18] |
| F2 | Diamond | Gilmer | GA | 20:00–? | 3 miles (4.8 km) | 200 yards (180 m) | Tornado unroofed and destroyed several homes. Five people were injured.[18] |
| F4 tornado | |
|---|---|
| on theFujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | ≥ 91 fatalities, ≥ 400 injuries |
| Damage | $182,000 (1908 USD) $6.37 million (2024 USD) |
The first of two major, long-tracked, violent tornadoes first began at about 5:00 a.m.CST just north ofLamourie. Upon touching down, the tornado immediately killed three people atRichland and then four more atRuby soon after touching down. As it crossed into Avoyelles Parish, it caused 25 injuries between the communities ofEffie andCenter Point. Farther along the path, two more people were killed nearNew Era. Upon crossing into Concordia Parish, the tornado rapidly widened to 700 yd (640 m) or more and intensified, destroying numerous large plantations. At least 30 people died in Concordia Parish as many tenant homes were completely leveled. The massive tornado then crossed intoMississippi just north ofVidalia, Louisiana, andNatchez, Mississippi, devastating many more plantations, killing at least 30 more people, and injuring about 200, especially nearPine Ridge. Large antebellum mansions were destroyed, and witnesses reported that areas along theMississippi River resembled a "deserted battlefield". The tornado then struck theChurch Hill area, killing 21 people in frail tenant homes before dissipating nearTillman. At least 400 people were injured along the path, though the actual total, as in other tornadoes this day, was likely higher as most newspapers in the South failed to listBlack dead and injured, many of whom were poorsharecroppers.[15][21][22][23][24][17]
| F4 tornado | |
|---|---|
| on theFujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | ≥ 143 fatalities, ≥ 770 injuries |
| Damage | $1.157 million (1908 USD) $40.5 million (2024 USD) |
The second of the two long-tracked F4s was one of the deadliest tornadoes inU.S. history. An exceptionally large and intense tornado, it first began at about 11:45 a.m. CST inWeiss, just north ofDenham Springs. Two people were killed atDennis Mills near the beginning of the path. Two others were killed nearMontpelier as well. The tornado then struckAmite directly, carving a path of destruction 2 mi (3.2 km) wide through the town. Many structures were completely destroyed in Amite, and 29 people were killed. Four others were killed nearWilmer, along with nine additional fatalities occurring nearPine. The tornado crossed into Mississippi, killing two before tearing throughPurvis and devastating most of the town. Only seven of the town's 150 buildings were left standing, and 55 people were killed. Five other fatalities were documented in rural areas outside Purvis as well. Four railroad crew workers were killed farther along the path nearMcCallum, located 8 mi (13 km) to the south ofHattiesburg, as they tried to seek shelter in a boxcar. The boxcars were thrown 150 ft (46 m) and torn apart by the tornado. Several other fatalities occurred nearRichton before the tornado dissipated. At least 770 people were injured along the entire path, though the real total was likely higher, perhaps significantly so, as many minor injuries were probably ignored—an omission still common in contemporary tornado disasters. With at least 143 deaths, the Amite–Purvis tornado is officially the eighth deadliest in U.S. history, though its long path may have actually consisted of two or more tornadoes.[2][15][21][25][24][17]
| F4 tornado | |
|---|---|
| on theFujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | 35 fatalities, 188 injuries |
| Damage | > $500,000 (1908 USD) > $17.5 million (2024 USD) |
A destructive tornado first began at about 2:40 p.m.CST in southeast Walker County, Alabama, though its actual genesis may have occurred earlier. It first touched down somewhere southwest ofDora and moved northeast, whence it was seen to merge with a "black cloud," possibly another tornado which was then moving east and dissipating. Quickly intensifying and widening to about 1,000 yd (910 m), the tornado grew to F4 intensity and struck the nearby village ofBergens. According to reports, the damage swath on the west side of the tornado briefly shrank as it neared Bergens, causing nearby residents of Dora to believe that a row of hills had deflected the winds from their town. In Bergens, the tornado completely destroyed most of the homes and "leveled" the villagechurch and the store. Of the 42 homes in Bergens, only one remained undamaged, and most of them were destroyed. A nearby depot in Bergens was also destroyed and three of 10 boxcars sitting empty on the railroad were overturned; heavy boxcar parts were reportedly carried 100 ft (30 m) away. Six people in Bergens died instantly and two more later expired of their injuries; of the 16 remaining injured, at least four more died to make the final death toll 12 at Bergens.
Farther along the path, the tornado destroyed numerous homes in the village ofOld Democrat, located 4 mi (6.4 km) northeast of Dora, killing two more people there. Next, the "coal-black" funnel struckWarrior and the town ofWynnville, killing two people each at both locations. Turning to the north-northeast, the tornado then crossed into Marshall County and struckAlbertville, destroying half the town. An oil tank weighing 9 t (20,000 lb) was carried1⁄2 mi (2,600 ft; 880 yd; 800 m) at this location, and a train was overturned and destroyed. At least 15 people died in Albertville and 150 were injured. The tornado continued through heavily forested areas along the remainder of its path, possibly dissipating and reforming into a new tornado. It passed throughTen Broeck and the northern edge ofSylvania before ending, having traveled at least 105 mi (169 km) and possibly as long as 125 mi (201 km) within one hour and 35 minutes. Although the tornado killed 35 people, it only injured 188, likely due to the low population of the area impacted.[15][26][27][28][29]
