This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1961, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.

Events

United States yearly total

January There was 1 tornado confirmed in the US in January.

February There were 31 tornadoes confirmed in the US in February.

February 17–18

Seven tornadoes struck Kansas, Oklahoma, Ohio, including some strong tornadoes that struck the Oklahoma City metro. On February 17, a large F3 tornado tore through Spencer, Jones, Northeastern Oklahoma City, and Luther, Oklahoma, injuring seven. Another large, long-tracked F3 tornado then ripped through Stratford, northwestern Oil Center, southeastern Konawa, Wewoka, northwestern Weleetka, and northwestern Henryetta, injuring 11 on its path. This was followed by an F2 tornado that moved over the Shawnee Reservoir, injuring one. In Kansas, a large, wide F2 tornado caused considerable damage in Crestline and Lawton. The outbreak ended the next day after an isolated, but large wide tornado blew through Tiffin, Ohio. In all, a total of 18 people were injured.

February 20–22

A small outbreak of nine tornadoes hit the Southeast. On February 20, the first tornado of the outbreak struck Bassfield, Mississippi at F2 strength, injuring eight. Another F2 tornado then hit northern Lucas, Sanatorium, and eastern Zion Hill, injuring four. That night, a destructive F1 tornado injured four in Providence, Alabama. Early the next morning, a short-lived, but strong F2 tornado ripped through Angie, Louisiana, injuring nine. The final strong tornado of the outbreak occurred during the early morning hours of February 22, when a very destructive F2 tornado plowed through Alberta Heights and Woodmont, Alabama on the east side of Tuscaloosa. Overall, the tornadoes injured 23.

February 24−25

Another destructive outbreak of 14 tornadoes hit the Southeast. On February 24, a strong F2 tornado moved through Hurtsboro, Hatchechubbee, Seale and Flournoys, Alabama, obliterating homes, blowing down trees, and injuring four. A damaging F1 tornado moved through Jackson, South Carolina, injuring five. Another F1 tornado caused heavy damage in New Ellenton, South Carolina, two people were injured. The final tornado occurred the next day as an F2 twister heavily damaged Oak Hill, West Virginia. In the end, the outbreak injured 11.

March There were 124 tornadoes confirmed in the US in March.

March 4–8

A destructive outbreak sequence of 44 tornadoes struck the Great Plains, Midwest, Mississippi Valley, and Southeast. It started on March 4 when a long-tracked F1 tornado that struck Arrowsmith, Gibson City, southern Loda, and Southern Wellington, Illinois, injuring one on its path. An F2 tornado moved through the South Side of Chicago, causing an estimated $7 million (1961 USD, $ adjusted) of damage. The next day, an F2 tornado ripped directly through Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, injuring one.

The early-morning of March 6 proved to be very active and destructive, starting with multiple intense, long-tracked tornadoes in Illinois. A long-tracked F1 tornado moved through Jerseyville, Fidelity, Sunrise Hills, southern Witt, northern Herrick, southern Sigel, southern Roslyn, and Dees, injuring one on its path. A second long-tracked tornado then touched down northwest of McBride, Missouri and became an F2 tornado as it crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois, striking Chester, Wine Hill, southern Willisville, Denmark, northern St. Johns, southern Sunfield, Sesser, southern Ina, southern Dahlgren, Belle Prairie City, Aden, southern Browns and southwestern Bellmont on its path. Another F2 tornado then hit southern Raleigh and Eldorado, injuring two. The first F3 tornado of the outbreak then touched down southeast of Effingham and moved southeast through the south sides of Dieterich and Wheeler, as well as southwestern Newton, injuring three. Later, a long-tracked F2 tornado moved through Tuscola, West Ridge, Villa Grove, Fairland, Longview, southern Allerton, Sidell, and southern Indianola, injuring two.

Activity then shifted into Indiana. A brief but strong F2 tornado injured two in Thorntown. A fatal F3 tornado then killed one and injured three in Kokomo. Later, an F2 tornado injured three in Austin.

March 7–8 featured more destructive tornado activity. On March 7, a large F1 tornado moved through Bolivar County, Mississippi, including the town of Alligator, injuring 10. Later, an F3 tornado passed through Bluff and Kansas, Alabama, injuring one. Another F3 tornado then tore through northern Fairview, Hulaco, and Union Grove, Alabama, injuring eight. The final strong tornado of the outbreak then occurred early the next morning when a large, F2 tornado passed through Burning Bush, southern Boynton, and Ringgold, Georgia.

Overall, the outbreak sequence killed two and injured 152.

March 12–13

Another outbreak of 25 tornadoes hit the Midwest as well as the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys. The first major tornado of the outbreak caused 14 injuries while doing F2 damage in Carroll County, Arkansas on March 12. Later, an even more disastrous F2 tornado passed by eastern Altus, southern Hunt, and Harmony, killing one and injuring 16. An F3 tornado then hit eastern Wrightsville and Chenault Island.

Tornado activity then ramped up with six tornadoes touching down at the same time with three of them causing casualties. A destructive F2 tornado moved through Boone County, injuring four. Meanwhile, an F1 tornado injured four in Shell Knob, Missouri. The worst of the bunch was a large, long-tracked, F2 tornado that passed through Gold Creek, southern Beryl, Vilonia, and northwestern El Paso in Arkansas, injuring 12.

Destructive tornado activity then continued into the nighttime hours. An F2 tornado hit Tipton Ford, Missouri, injuring six. Later, a fatal F2 tornado struck northeastern Elijah, Pottersville, and northwestern West Plains, killing one and injuring 11. At the same time, a massive, wide F2 tornado injured when it passed the southeast sides of Witt Springs and Marshall, Arkansas. Later, an F1 tornado caused considerable damage in southern Springfield, Missouri, injuring one. An F3 tornado injured 12 in rural Woodruff County, Arkansas.

The outbreak ended the next day after an isolated, but intense F3 tornado heavily damaged Morrison, Tennessee. Overall, the destructive outbreak killed two and injuring 84.

March 26–31

An outbreak sequence produced 47 tornadoes across the Midwest and Southeast. It started with an F2 tornado causing considerable damage in Canadian County, Oklahoma on March 26. Another F2 tornado then hit Crockett, Texas, injuring one. Later, a wide F2 tornado caused major damage and an injury in rural Greenwood County, Kansas. A destructive F3 tornado hit the southwest side of the Fort Worth suburb of Burleson, Texas. At the same time, an F2 tornado hit northwestern Burleson, injuring one.

Tornado activity became more severe heading into the evening and nighttime hours. An F3 tornado injured two in rural Titus County, Texas. A long-tracked F2 tornado tore through Bartlesville and Dewey, Oklahoma, injuring 26 on its path. Another F3 tornado then hit Lake Eufaula and Checotah, Oklahoma, injuring one. An F2 tornado then injured one in southern Como, Texas. Another person was then injured by an F3 tornado that passed through rural Franklin and Titus counties in Texas. This was followed by another F3 tornado struck in Italy and northwestern Avalon, Texas, injuring four. Another F3 tornado hit Webb City, Oklahoma before yet another F3 tornado injured nine when it briefly touched down in rural Titus County, Texas. An F2 tornado also injured six in Stuttgart, Arkansas. In all, March 26 produced 27 tornadoes.

Tornado activity over the next four days was limited, but did include multiple strong tornadoes, including the first deadly one of the outbreak. The fatal F3 tornado tore through rural Nacogdoches County, Texas on March 27, killing two and injuring four. The next day, an F2 tornado caused considerable damage in rural Wood County, Texas. March 29 saw an F2 tornado hit northern Horntown, Oklahoma, while March 30 saw a large wide F2 tornado injure one in rural Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana.

March 31 produced an outbreak of 12 tornadoes across Georgia, Alabama and Florida. A deadly F3 tornado ripped through Unadilla, Georgia, killing one and injuring 14. Another F3 tornado passed through southern Phenix City, Alabama, injuring seven before crossing the Chattahoochee River and causing F1 damage in southern Columbus and Weracoba Heights, Georgia, including Columbus State University. The final tornado to cause casualties was a large, wide F1 tornado that injured one in Folkston, Georgia.

In all, three people were killed and 80 others were injured in the outbreak sequence.

April There were 74 tornadoes confirmed in the US in April.

April 11–12

An outbreak of 14 tornadoes hit the Great Plains and Southeast. It started with an F2 tornado injuring three on the northwest side of the Dallas suburb of Richardson, Texas. Later, another F2 tornado moved through areas east of Emmett. Another F2 tornado caused considerable damage in Reese. The next day, an F2 tornado injured two in the rural Georgia counties of Coffee and Bacon. Later, an F1 tornado injured one in St. Cloud, Florida. The only tornado to cause fatalities was an F1 tornado that struck Hartsville, South Carolina, killing one. In the end, the outbreak killed one and injured six.

April 23–30

An outbreak sequence of 30 tornadoes impacted the Great Plains, Midwest, Northeast, Mississippi Valley, and Southeast. The first major tornado of the outbreak was a large, long-tracked, wide F2 tornado that injured two as it passed through Allerton, Martinstown and Streppyville, Thirty, and Moulton, Iowa, on its path. This was followed by an even larger, stronger, longer-tracked wide F3 tornado–which was most likely a tornado family–that passed through southern Marshalltown, Garrison, Vinton, Center Point, Alice, northern Central City, and Monticello, killing one and injuring 12 on its path. Later, another long-tracked F3 tornado passed through Lorenzo and Peotone, Illinois as well as Belshaw and Roselawn, Indiana, injuring four on its path. The next day, a narrow but long-tracked, strong tornado struck Kinderhook, Barry, Bloomfield, and Winchester, Illinois, injuring three on its path.

April 25 was the most violent and deadly day of the sequence. Just after midnight, a strong F2 tornado injured one in Jasper, Missouri. That afternoon, a large, long-tracked, violent wide F4 tornado plowed through Marion, Knighthood Village, Harrisburg, Huber, Waterloo, and Boston, Indiana as well as West Florence and Eaton, Ohio, injuring seven on its path. A fatal F2 tornado then struck Blanchester, Midland, Jonesboro and Martinsville, Ohio before passing north of New Vienna, Highland, and Leesburg, killing two and injuring four. Another F2 tornado then injured two southeast of Clarksville, Tennessee. Limited tornado activity occurred over the next four days with an F2 tornado injuring two in Spring Hill, Alabama on April 27, an F3 tornado causing major damage in Rogers Manor, Delaware on April 28, and an F2 tornado striking western Corpus Christi, Texas on April 29. On April 30, the final day of the sequence, an outbreak of nine tornadoes struck the Great Plains, although the only one to casualties was an intense F3 tornado, the strongest one of the day, that struck northern Minco, Oklahoma, injuring two.

Overall, the series of tornadoes killed three and injured 38.

May There were 137 tornadoes confirmed in the U.S. in May.

May 3–9