3,215
Recorded events
1,425
Counties affected
131
Direct deaths
$210.1M
Property damage
The 1968 severe weather season produced 3,215 recorded events across 1,425 U.S. counties, with 131 direct deaths. It ranks #56 among all years in the archive by event count.
Through the year
1968 severe weather by month
By hazard type
What hit the U.S. in 1968
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 1,460 | 0 | $0 |
| Hail | 1,040 | 0 | $0 |
| Tornado | 715 | 131 | $210.1M |
Deadliest days
The deadliest events of 1968
| Date | Event | County | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 1968 | Tornado F4 | Craighead County, Arkansas | 34 | 350 |
| Apr 19, 1968 | Tornado F4 | Sebastian County, Arkansas | 14 | 270 |
| May 15, 1968 | Tornado F5 | Floyd County, Iowa | 13 | 450 |
| Jun 14, 1968 | Tornado F5 | Lyon County, Minnesota | 9 | 150 |
| May 16, 1968 | Tornado F4 | Independence County, Arkansas | 7 | 24 |
| Apr 23, 1968 | Tornado F5 | Scioto County, Ohio | 7 | 75 |
| May 15, 1968 | Tornado F5 | Fayette County, Iowa | 5 | 156 |
| Apr 4, 1968 | Tornado F4 | Lincoln County, Arkansas | 5 | 16 |
| Apr 23, 1968 | Tornado F4 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | 4 | 350 |
| May 15, 1968 | Tornado F1 | De Witt County, Illinois | 4 | 50 |
Violent tornadoes
EF4 and EF5 tornadoes of 1968
| Date | Scale | Touchdown county | Deaths | Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-05-15 | EF5 | Franklin County, Iowa | 13 | 62.1 mi |
| 1968-06-13 | EF5 | Murray County, Minnesota | 9 | 9.1 mi |
| 1968-04-23 | EF5 | Scioto County, Ohio | 7 | 34.0 mi |
| 1968-05-15 | EF5 | Fayette County, Iowa | 5 | 13.1 mi |
| 1968-05-15 | EF4 | Jackson County, Arkansas | 35 | 20.9 mi |
| 1968-04-19 | EF4 | Sebastian County, Arkansas | 14 | 2.0 mi |
| 1968-05-15 | EF4 | Independence County, Arkansas | 7 | 0.3 mi |
| 1968-04-23 | EF4 | Pendleton County, Kentucky | 6 | 78.7 mi |
| 1968-04-03 | EF4 | Lincoln County, Arkansas | 5 | 33.7 mi |
| 1968-04-03 | EF4 | Calloway County, Kentucky | 2 | 50.6 mi |