Between April 23–30, 1961, a tornado outbreak sequence struck the Midwest, Ohio, and Mississippi Valleys, and the Eastern United States. Large hailstorms accompanied the tornadoes as well and numerous other weather events also occurred. Three people were killed, 38 others were injured and losses totaled $26.810 million (1961 USD). Two additional fatalities also occurred due to flooding and lightning.

Meteorological synopsis A series of at least two or three disturbances moved over the US over the timespan of nine days, starting with a strong weather system that came out of the Rocky Mountains on April 22. On April 23, multiple cells impacted the Midwest, with several strong, long-tracked tornadoes being reported, producing several casualties. On April 24, multiple clusters of severe thunderstorms formed over Oklahoma as well as South-Central and Southeastern Kansas. These storms produced multiple reports of wind and hail damage, power outages, funnel clouds, and a tornado. The storms congealed into a squall line that produced additional severe weather and tornadoes along with flash flooding through Missouri into West Virginia overnight into April 25. Following the squall line, a massive cluster of severe and tornadic thunderstorms with torrential downpours formed over Indiana and Tennessee and trekked eastward, producing massive amounts of damage and numerous casualties. General thunderstorms produced scattered activity during April 26-29 before another outbreak surged through the Great Plains on April 30, the final day of the sequence.

Confirmed tornadoes

April 23 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, April 23, 1961F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartTime (UTC)Path length widthSummary F1Holden to S of CenterviewJohnsonMO08:20–08:30Tornado spotted and tracked by law enforcement throughout its duration. Light poles were blown down and a boat was tossed out of a lake. Losses totaled $2,500. F2SE of Leon to Allerton to Moulton to S of BloomfieldDecatur, Wayne, Appanoose, DavisIA14:25–?Major damage occurred along the path of this large, long-tracked, strong tornado. The tornado reportedly had twin funnels in Allerton before passing north of Harvard, Seymour. It then moved south of Jerome and north Numa as it moved along the Cooper Creek. It then struck Martinstown and Streppyville before passing south of Centerville, moving through rural town of Thirty in the process. The tornado then passed north of Sedan and through Moulton before briefly becoming a waterspout, sucking a pond dry southwest of Bloomfield. It dissipated shortly afterwards. Two people were injured and losses totaled $5 million. The tornado moved at up to . F3Southern Marshalltown to Vinton to Center Point to MonticelloMarshall, Tama, Benton, Linn, JonesIA16:15–?1 death – See section on that tornado – 12 people were injured and damages were estimated at $5 million. F1S of StrasburgCassMO20:00–?Tornado damaged several farm buildings causing $2,500 in damage. Witnesses heard loud roaring noises like a freight train before the storm struck. F3Lorenzo, IL to Peotone, IL to Belshaw, IN to Roselawn, INWill (IL), Lake (IN), Newton (IN) IL, IN21:45–?See section on this tornado – Four people were injured and losses totaled $2.75 million. F1UnionScurry TX22:00–?Weak, but large tornado blew down 26 power poles west of Snyder, causing $2,500 in damage. F2WNW of WelonJackson OK22:15–?A brief, narrow, but strong tornado damaged multiple buildings on a farmstead, causing $25,000 in damage.

April 24 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, April 24, 1961F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartTime (UTC)Path length widthSummary F1PrescottLinn KS00:40–00:45This weak, but damaging tornado hit the town of Prescott. Trees, several small buildings, and the roof of a high school were damaged and of power lines were blown down. Heavy damage also occurred to crops northeast of town. Losses totaled $25,000. F0SE of McCordOsage OK01:15–?Brief, weak tornado touched down in open country for less than a minute, causing no damage, although hail up to in diameter did cause damage in nearby areas. F3Kinderhook to Winchester to S of WaverlyPike, Scott, MorganIL01:30–03:00This long-tracked, strong tornado started in Kinderhook, where it lifted and destroyed a barn before moving eastward at around . It passed through Barry, Bloomfield, before reaching its peak intensity in Winchester. Numerous buildings in the town were damaged or destroyed and three people were injured. The tornado then moved back over mostly open terrain before dissipating due south of Waverly. Losses totaled $750,000. The storm also produced heavy lightning, which set fire to a barn in Waverly, and large hail.

April 25 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, April 25, 1961F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartTime (UTC)Path length widthSummary F2JasperJasperMO06:30–?Strong tornado moved through Jasper, causing most of its damage east of town. Buildings on eight farms were damaged and several large metal grain bins and stock tanks were blown several hundred yards. A tree in diameter was uprooted and flung into a house before landing in its yard. One person was injured and damage was estimated at $25,000. F2Everton areaDadeMO07:00–?Strong tornado may have come from the same storm that hit Jasper. Buildings on several farms were obliterated and a grain bin full of oats was blown a away. Damage was estimated at $25,000. F1Wheeling areaOhioWV17:00–?A pilot reported a tornado embedded within an eastward-advancing squall line. No damage was found. F4N of Candleglo Village, IN to Waterloo, IN to Boston, IN to Eaton, OHShelby (IN), Rush (IN)), Fayette (IN), Union, Wayne (IN), Preble (OH)IN, OH20:27–21:56See section on this tornado – Seven people were injured and losses totaled $12.5 million. F2Blanchester to Midland to Martinsville to N of LeesburgClinton, HighlandOH22:00–?2 deaths – A narrow, skipping but strong tornado traveled along and north of SR 28, impacting the towns of Blanchester, Midland, Jonesboro and Martinsville before passing north of New Vienna, Highland, and Leesburg. Two people were killed in separate barns that collapsed west of Jonesboro, including one where cattle was killed as well. Although this may have been a tornado family, damage away in Laurelville and Sugar Grove may have also been associated with this tornado. Four people were injured and there was $500,000 in damage. F2E of Palmyra to SE of ClarksvilleMontgomeryTN00:15–00:30Strong tornado began near Tarsus and Palmyra and moved east-northeast, causing minor damage to homes in Hackberry and Hematite as it passed north of Antioch. It passed through Hilltop and Round Pond, unroofing a gas station before reaching its peak intensity north of Salem. An old farm house was significantly damaged and several small buildings and tobacco barn were destroyed with debris from the barn being thrown into another residence, which was also damaged. It then crossed the Cumberland River, damaging two more homes and destroying another barn before dissipating. Two people had minor injuries and damage was estimated at $25,000. One source list the tornado as being wide.

April 26 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, April 26, 1961F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartTime (UTC)Path length widthSummary F1SW of EllingtonTollandCT16:15–?Brief tornado destroyed the metal roofs of two concrete silos, causing $2,500 in damage. The associated storm may have traveled to Middleboro, Massachusetts, where a "freak" storm caused major wind and possible tornado damage.

April 27 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Monday, April 27, 1961F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartTime (UTC)Path length widthSummary F2W of Spring HillPikeAL15:00–?Brief, but strong tornado demolished one home and damaged three others at Center Ridge. Two people were injured and losses totaled $25,000. F2E of LodwickMarionTX21:00–?A steel marina on the south side of Lake O' The Pines was obliterated by this narrow, but strong tornado. Steel was "twisted like straw" and some of it was thrown into two boats, damaging both of them. The south section of the floating dock was flipped onto the north section as well. Damage was estimated $250,000. The tornado was only down for 30 seconds.

April 28 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Tuesday, April 28, 1961F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartTime (UTC)Path length widthSummary F3Rogers ManorNew Castle CountyDE21:45–21:46This brief, but intense tornado north of New Castle obliterated a -thick wall of a warehouse, which also had multiple large doors ripped off and thrown as much as two blocks away. Six homes suffered roof damage as well and losses totaled $25,000. A funnel cloud was observed with this tornado along with a roaring noise akin to diesel engine of a freight train. This was the only F3/EF3 tornado in the state of Delaware until an EF3 tornado struck Sussex County on April 1, 2023.

April 29 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, April 29, 1961F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartTime (UTC)Path length widthSummary F2Western Corpus Christi to S of TradewindsNueces, San PatricioTX18:45–19:45Small, but strong tornado unroofed a house and damaged a fruit stand and numerous signs. Losses totaled $25,000.

April 30 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, April 30, 1961F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStartTime (UTC)Path length widthSummary F0NE of LeedeyDeweyOK20:00–?This was the first of three brief tornadoes to occur in the same general area at the same time with no damage being reported. F0NNW of WebbDeweyOK20:00–?This was the second of three brief tornadoes to occur in the same general area at the same time with no damage being reported. F0SSW of TalogaDeweyOK20:00–?This was the third of three brief tornadoes to occur in the same general area at the same time with no damage being reported. F1W of Maple CityCowleyKS23:10–?One of two funnel clouds touched down, causing only minor damage with no monetary value given. F2Piedmont to Navina to N of SewardCanadian, Oklahoma, Logan OK23:30–?A tornado family first started in Piedmont, where four funnels were spotted by a tornado research plane. One of them briefly touched down and destroyed a barn in Piedmont before lifting, not touching down again until it reached Navina, damaging several farmsteads along a wide, long path. There was $25,000 in damage. hail from the storm also caused heavy to total destruction of crops as well as window and roof damage in Piedmont. F2W of HominyOsage OK23:55–?Brief, but strong tornado caused heavy damage to several homes and farmsteads in the Enterprise community. There was $25,000 in damage. F2W of El RenoCanadian OK00:00–?A fence was rolled by this brief, but strong tornado. There was no monetary damage value given. F3Northern MincoGradyOK00:45–?A home and automobile were destroyed by this narrow, but intense tornado, injuring the two occupants. Four other homesteads were damaged as well and losses totaled $25,000. Another funnel was spotted southeast of town at around 7 pm CDT, but it did not touch down. F0AuroraLawrenceMO01:30–?Brief, weak tornado touched down in Aurora, causing $30 in damage.

Marshalltown–Vinton–Center Point–Monticello, Iowa