Tornadoes of 2004

This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2004. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Bangladesh, and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also develop occasionally in southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer and somewhat regularly at other times of the year across Europe, Asia, and Australia. Tornadic events are often accompanied with other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail.

Tornadoes of 2004
The F4 Roanoke tornado (July 13)
TimespanJanuary 17 - December 22, 2004
Maximum rated tornadoF4 tornado
  • 5 different locations
    on 5 different days
Tornadoes in U.S.1,817[1]
(Record highest)
Damage (U.S.)$552.3 million
Fatalities (U.S.)35[2]
Fatalities (worldwide)≥212

The United States recorded more tornadoes during this year than any other year on record, with 1,817 touching down across the country.

Synopsis

United States yearly total
Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 Total
0 1216 470 103 23 5 0 1817

January

3 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

February

9 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

March

46 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

March 4–5
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 17 10 2 0 0 0

On March 4, a large storm system produced 29 tornadoes across Texas into parts of Oklahoma. In addition to the tornadoes, heavy rain caused flooding in the Plains and an unusual derecho produced heavy damage, primarily in Texas.

March 27
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 13 3 0 1 0 0

April

125 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

April 7 (Ukraine)

A strong F2 (possibly F3) tornado struck the towns of Velikaya Kostromka and Pervoye-Maya in Ukraine on April 7, killing one person and damaging or destroying 130 homes.[3]

April 14 (Bangladesh)

A powerful tornado struck portions of North-Central Bangladesh, killing 111 and injuring nearly 1,500 others.[4]

April 20–24
See also: Tornado outbreak of April 20, 2004
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 18 10 2 1 0 0

A powerful tornado struck the town of Utica, Illinois. It was part of an outbreak of 30 tornadoes that formed in eastern Iowa, northern Illinois, and northern Indiana in a short period of time. The Utica tornado caused the only fatalities. Another tornado struck the city of Joliet, Illinois, causing US$5 million in damage to the historic district in town.

April 21 (China)

Seven people were killed by a tornado in China.[5]

May

509 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

May 9 (China)

Two people were killed by a tornado in China.[6]

May 12

A massive, slow-moving, high-end F4 tornado passed near the town of Harper, Kansas. The rating, however, is a source of controversy. At peak intensity it deeply scoured the ground, completely swept away two homes, chipping the foundation of one home in the process, and debarked nearby trees. Vehicles were pulverized into small pieces and thrown very large distances. The reason for the F4 rating was that the tornado was very slow moving, which may have added to the extent of the damage.

May 22–30
Main articles: Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2004 and 2004 Hallam tornado
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 241 115 23 8 2 0

The Hallam, Nebraska, tornado on May 22 was the widest tornado ever recorded at the time at 2.5 miles (4.0 km) in diameter. The F4 tornado caused one death and 37 injuries in the city of Hallam.

Beginning on May 29, after the Storm Prediction Center issued a high risk for severe weather, 149 tornadoes were confirmed in 32 hours, killing five people. The Memorial Day Weekend outbreak is considered to be one of the most prolific in US history in terms of the number of tornadoes.

June

268 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

June 1 (Russia)

One June 1, at least 11 tornadoes touched down in Russia, including a high-end F3 that damaged or destroyed 342 homes.[3]

June 11-12

A small tornado outbreak began across the Midwestern United States on June 11, mainly in Iowa and Wisconsin. Most of the tornadoes that occurred this day were weak, being rated F0 or F1. However, a few strong tornadoes did touch down, the most significant being an F3 tornado that caused deep ground scouring and destroyed a home near Le Roy, Minnesota.[7] The next day would bring more tornadoes, this time to Kansas. The first tornado was reported near Belle Plaine, which was rated F0. After the first tornado lifted, the same supercell produced another tornado, which would go on to impact structures near Mulvane. This tornado directly hit a house and completely removed it from its foundation. After the Mulvane tornado dissipated, another photogenic tornado touched down near Rock and was rated F0. This supercell would go on to produce several more tornadoes, all of which were rated F0. Overall, 46 tornadoes touched down during this outbreak.[8][9]

June 18 (Russia)

On June 18, another F3 tornado touched down in Russia, injuring seven people.[3]

June 23 (Germany)
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 0 3 2 1 0 0

A severe F3 tornado hit the Saxony-Anhaltian villages of Micheln and Trebbichau. Both villages have suffered from damages.[10]

July

124 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.[11]

July 7–9 (Europe)
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 2 2 4 0 0 0

In Poland, a tornado touched down in Wiktorów and Borzęcin near Warsaw. 21 houses were damaged. One 36-old man was lifted by tornado.[12] An F2 tornado struck Jelonka and Kleszczele near Dubicze Cerkiewne, Podlaskie Voivodeship. 200 buildings were damaged. Skywarn Polska

July 13–15
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 17 4 0 1 1 0
See also: 2004 Roanoke tornado

On July 13, a large, violent F4 tornado struck Roanoke, Illinois, destroying the Pearson Manufacturing Plant and some civilian residences. Despite the extensive damage along its 9.6 mile path of destruction, well advance warning of the storm's approach led to only a few minor injuries and no fatalities. Three other F0 tornadoes were confirmed on this day as well.[11]

On July 14, a large storm system passed over the Northeastern United States. It produced several severe storms, and a few tornadoes. The worst destruction was in Campbelltown, Pennsylvania, where 272 properties were damaged or destroyed by an F3 twister that struck the town around 3:00 PM.[11]

July 18

On July 18, a small tornado outbreak struck North Dakota, The most powerful of which being a high end F4 that struck the town of Marion. Though were no fatalities or injuries, This tornado is considered to be one of the strongest tornadoes of the 2000s.[11]

August

179 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

August 11 (France)

On August 11, a waterspout moved onshore in Houat, France, damaging the harbor and village. One person was killed after being lifted by the tornado and falling on rocks while twelve others were injured.[3]

August 12
Damage from a tornado on August 12 in Harnett County, North Carolina
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 6 11 2 0 0 0
Main article: Tropical Storm Bonnie (2004)

The second storm of the 2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Tropical Storm Bonnie caused minor damage while spawning several tornadoes when it made landfall several hours before Hurricane Charley.

August 13–14
Charley Landfall
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 17 6 1 0 0 0
Main article: Hurricane Charley

Hurricane Charley caused major damage along the Florida coast and the Mid-Atlantic while spawning several tornadoes including an F2 storm.

September

297 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

September 4-8
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 72 25 5 1 0 0
Main article: Hurricane Frances tornado outbreak

Hurricane Frances produced the third highest number of tornadoes spawned by a single tropical cyclone. At the time of the outbreak, it was the second highest but was surpassed by Hurricane Ivan later that month.

September 15-18
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 48 52 18 1 0 0
Main article: Hurricane Ivan tornado outbreak

Hurricane Ivan produced the highest number of tornadoes from a single tropical cyclone on record. During the storm's 3.5 day outbreak, 120 tornadoes touched down over eight states. The outbreak killed nine people, six of which were in Florida and four were from a single tornado.

September 25-28
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 28 12 2 0 0 0
Main article: Hurricane Jeanne

Hurricane Jeanne was the final hurricane to strike the U.S. during the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It spawned several tornadoes upon and after its landfall, which caused some damage, but no deaths.

October

79 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

October 18–19
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 24 11 5 0 0 0

November

150 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

November 12–13 (Italy and Tunisia)
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 0 0 3 1 0 0

Several powerful tornadoes struck southern Sicily and northern Tunisia on November 12 and 13. The strongest was a high-end F3 multiple-vortex tornado that touched down near Scicli on November 12 which inflicted roughly €25 million (US$32.4 million) in damage. Another tornado, rated F2, began just offshore Donnalucata before moving inland. The following day, a long-tracked F2 tornado struck several towns in northern Tunisia, most notably Kelibia, El Haouaria, and Hammamet, killing 9–12 people and injuring 60–73 others.[3][13] Three homes were completely destroyed by the tornado while many others sustained varying degrees of damage. Significant agricultural damage as well as loss of livestock also resulted from the storm.[14] A third F2 touched down near Rakkada and injured 21 people.[3] In light of the damage in Tunisia, the Tunisian Red Crescent society assisted approximately 200 affected persons with recovery funds and supplies.[14]

November 22–24
Main article: Tornado outbreak of November 2004
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 61 25 15 3 0 0

In late November, a significant three-day outbreak of tornadoes took place across the Southern United States. The outbreak began on the 22nd, producing six F0 tornadoes in Louisiana and Texas, three of which occurred in the Houston area. The tornadoes caused minimal damage and no injuries.[15]

Tornado activity continued in the same general area on the 23rd. Early on, most of the touchdowns were weak, though an F2 tornado near Kountze, Texas damaged between 10 and 20 houses and killed a woman when trees crushed her mobile home.[16] Several other tornadoes occurred in Texas throughout the afternoon, and soon began touch down in Louisiana as well. An F2 struck the town of Hutton, damaging about 15 houses and injuring three people. Further north, an F3 touched down and ripped directly through the town of Olla, where major damage occurred. A high school in town sustained significant damage, along with 106 homes. Some of the homes only had interior rooms left. A pickup truck outside of town was thrown 200 feet, and in the nearby town of Standard, four homes and a store were destroyed. Overall, the tornado killed one person and injured 20 others.[17] Another F3 touched down near Fayette, Mississippi, destroying a steel-frame shed, damaging several homes, and flattening large swaths of trees.[18]

Vigorous tornado activity continued on the 24th, mainly across Mississippi and Alabama. However, an F2 tornado tore through the northwest side of Slidell, Louisiana, damaging 152 homes in a single subdivision and injuring four people. Numerous tornadoes touched down in Mississippi, with the strongest being an F3 that passed near Noxapater. The tornado downed hundreds of trees, tossed vehicles, and destroyed chicken houses. A house was completely destroyed, resulting in a fatality and two injuries.[19] In Alabama, a large F2 tracked across Autauga, Chilton, and Coosa Counties. The tornado struck the Cooper community, resulting in major structural damage.[20] Another F2 touched down and struck the Talladega Superspeedway, where two concession stands within the infield area of the race track had their roofs blown off. The Bush Garage area received building damage and the garage doors were bowed out. Debris was scattered between the garage area and Victory Lane. One digital leader board was completely destroyed and another one sustained major damage. The tornado continued east through Eastaboga, where two homes suffered major roof damage, two porches were destroyed and many trees were blown down. The tornado then struck Bynum where downed trees heavily damaged two mobile homes, with a 75-year-old woman being killed in one of them. The tornado then caused roof and structural damage in Southern Anniston before dissipating.[21] Overall, the outbreak produced 104 tornadoes and killed four people.[22]

December

26 tornadoes were confirmed in the U.S.

December 6–7
FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5
0 7 4 3 0 0 0

A small tornado outbreak took place in the Deep South on the evening of December 6 and early on the 7th.

December 22

This was the last tornado outbreak of 2004, with 16 tornadoes reported.

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See also

References
General
  • Coppola, Damon P. (2011). Introduction to International Disaster Management (2 ed.). Burlington, Massachusetts: Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-12-382174-4.
Specific
  1. "U.S. Annual Tornado Maps (1952 - 2011): 2004 Tornadoes". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  2. "Annual U.S. Killer Tornado Statistics". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  3. "European Severe Weather Database". European Severe Storm Laboratory. 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
  4. "Microsoft Word - QR169.doc" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-06. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  5. "Asian Disaster Reduction Center（ADRC）". Adrc.asia. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  6. "Asian Disaster Reduction Center（ADRC）". Adrc.asia. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  7. US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Northeast Iowa - Southeast Minnesota Tornadoes of June 11, 2004". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  8. US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "June 12th 2004 south central KS tornadoes..." www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  9. "Storm Events Database". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-17.
  10. "Tornado in Micheln am 23. Juni 2004". Naturgewalten.de. 2004-06-25. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  11. www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornado/2004/7/table
  12. "Stare Babice". Babice-stare.waw.pl. 2004-06-20. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  13. Coppola, p. 467
  14. "Tunisia: Kelibia Tornado" (PDF). International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. September 20, 2005. Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  15. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. NCDC. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  16. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. NCDC. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  17. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. NCDC. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  18. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. NCDC. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  19. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. NCDC. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  20. Westland, Jim (November 23, 2011). "Cooper-Lake Mitchell-Hanover Tornado". NWS Birmingham. NOAA. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  21. Westland, Jim (November 23, 2011). "Eastaboga-Bynum Tornado". NWS Birmingham. NOAA. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
  22. "Storm Events Database". ncdc.noaa.gov. NCDC. Retrieved January 12, 2014.
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