April 3, 1974 Tornado Outbreak

Overall Maps/Statistics From the April 3, 1974 Tornado Outbreak

CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE A ZOOMED IN MAP OF TRACKS THAT AFFECTED THE HUNTSVILLE CWA

Overall this tornado outbreak, affected 13 states, mainly the Tennessee Valley north into Ohio Valley from April 3-4 in 1974. A total of 147 tornadoes affected these areas.  Sixty Three of them were rated F3 to F5 in strength.  Another 84 F0 to F2 tornadoes were reported as well. In Alabama, over 1,100 buildings, 200 mobile homes, and numerous motor vehicles were destroyed or heavily damaged. The breakdown of tornado by Fscale is listed below:

• Alabama - 10 Tornadoes, 3 F5's, 1 F4, 2 F3's, and 3 F2's, 1 F1 -  causing 77 deaths and 927 injuries.
• Georgia - 6 Tornadoes, 3 F4's, 3 F2's,  totaling miles in path length, causing 21 deaths and 168 injuries.
• Tennessee - 36 Tornadoes, 1 F5, 4 F4's , 8 F3's, 8 F2's, 10 F1's, 5F0's and causing 56 deaths and 825 injuries.
• Mississippi -  1 Tornado - 1 F3 (no official deaths - but Fujita's records possibly 2 deaths and 8 injuries)

        This torndo outbreak seriously impacted 7 other states including:

• North Carolina - 7 Tornadoes - 1 F4, 3F2'S, 2 F1's, 1 F0        
• Kentucky - 28 Tornadoes -  2 F5's, 9 F4's, 8 EF3's,  6 F2's, 3 F1's      
• Illinois - 13 Tornadoes - 4 F3's, 1 F2, 4 F1's, 3 F0's                  
• Indiana - 19 Tornadoes - 2 F5's, 6 F4's,4 F3's, 3 F2's, 4 F1's                   
• Ohio - 15 Tornadoes - 2 F5's, 1 F4, 2 F3's, 5 F2's, 5 F1's                          
• West Virginia - 6 Tornadoes - 2 F3's, 3 F2's, 3 F1's, 1 F0               
• Virgina - 7 Tornadoes - 1 F3, 2 F2's, 2 F1's, 2 F0's
• Michigan - 5 Tornadoes - 4 F2's, 1 F3
• New York - 1 Tornado - 1 F1                    

**  The longest track in Alabama:  Pickens County, AL to Cullman County, AL F4 tornado.The width of this tornado was also 1500 feet.

**  The longest track in Tennessee:  Limestone County, AL to Coffee County, TN F5 tornado. The width of this tornado was 1500 feet.