2,188
Recorded events
1,098
Counties affected
52
Direct deaths
$179.4M
Property damage
The 1961 severe weather season produced 2,188 recorded events across 1,098 U.S. counties, with 52 direct deaths. It ranks #64 among all years in the archive by event count.
Through the year
1961 severe weather by month
By hazard type
What hit the U.S. in 1961
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | 772 | 52 | $179.4M |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 719 | 0 | $0 |
| Hail | 697 | 0 | $0 |
Deadliest days
The deadliest events of 1961
| Date | Event | County | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 1961 | Tornado F4 | Le Flore County, Oklahoma | 16 | 58 |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Tornado F4 | Galveston County, Texas | 8 | 200 |
| Sep 12, 1961 | Tornado F3 | Jackson Parish, Louisiana | 5 | 37 |
| May 7, 1961 | Tornado F3 | Marion County, Arkansas | 3 | 9 |
| Apr 25, 1961 | Tornado F2 | Clinton County, Ohio | 2 | 4 |
| Mar 28, 1961 | Tornado F3 | Nacogdoches County, Texas | 2 | 4 |
| May 7, 1961 | Tornado F2 | White County, Arkansas | 2 | 6 |
| Sep 24, 1961 | Tornado F1 | Jersey County, Illinois | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 22, 1961 | Tornado F3 | Nacogdoches County, Texas | 1 | 10 |
| May 6, 1961 | Tornado F2 | Pope County, Arkansas | 1 | 4 |
Violent tornadoes
EF4 and EF5 tornadoes of 1961
| Date | Scale | Touchdown county | Deaths | Path |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-05-05 | EF4 | Le Flore County, Oklahoma | 16 | 26.4 mi |
| 1961-09-12 | EF4 | 8 | 1.0 mi | |
| 1961-04-25 | EF4 | Shelby County, Indiana | 0 | 63.1 mi |
| 1961-05-30 | EF4 | Custer County, Nebraska | 0 | 48.1 mi |
| 1961-05-07 | EF4 | Leavenworth County, Kansas | 0 | 26.2 mi |
| 1961-06-29 | EF4 | Dawson County, Montana | 0 | 15.9 mi |
| 1961-09-01 | EF4 | Butler County, Iowa | 0 | 26.6 mi |