4,265
Recorded events
1,613
Counties affected
84
Direct deaths
$946.2M
Property damage
The 1979 severe weather season produced 4,265 recorded events across 1,613 U.S. counties, with 84 direct deaths. It ranks #51 among all years in the archive by event count.
Through the year
1979 severe weather by month
By hazard type
What hit the U.S. in 1979
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 2,038 | 0 | $0 |
| Hail | 1,309 | 0 | $0 |
| Tornado | 918 | 84 | $946.2M |
Deadliest days
The deadliest events of 1979
| Date | Event | County | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 1979 | Tornado F4 | Wichita County, Texas | 42 | 1,700 |
| Apr 10, 1979 | Tornado F4 | Wilbarger County, Texas | 11 | 67 |
| Oct 30, 1979 | Tornado F3 | Carter County, Oklahoma | 3 | 2 |
| Oct 3, 1979 | Tornado F4 | Hartford County, Connecticut | 3 | 500 |
| Apr 10, 1979 | Tornado F3 | Comanche County, Oklahoma | 3 | 100 |
| Jun 29, 1979 | Tornado F4 | Calhoun County, Iowa | 3 | 26 |
| Aug 10, 1979 | Tornado F2 | Worcester County, Massachusetts | 2 | 2 |
| Jun 30, 1979 | Tornado F1 | Jackson County, Tennessee | 2 | 1 |
| Jun 28, 1979 | Tornado F3 | Kossuth County, Iowa | 2 | 34 |
| Aug 28, 1979 | Tornado F3 | Fremont County, Iowa | 2 | 14 |
Violent tornadoes
EF4 and EF5 tornadoes of 1979
| Date | Scale | Touchdown county | Deaths | Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979-04-10 | EF4 | Archer County, Texas | 42 | 46.9 mi |
| 1979-04-10 | EF4 | Wilbarger County, Texas | 11 | 39.7 mi |
| 1979-10-03 | EF4 | Hartford County, Connecticut | 3 | 11.3 mi |
| 1979-06-28 | EF4 | Pocahontas County, Iowa | 3 | 14.9 mi |
| 1979-05-02 | EF4 | Major County, Oklahoma | 1 | 20.6 mi |
| 1979-03-29 | EF4 | Nodaway County, Missouri | 0 | 18.8 mi |
| 1979-06-29 | EF4 | Will County, Illinois | 0 | 5.4 mi |