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The longest and widest tornadoes in the federal record

The longest path in the database is 234.7 miles, on March 22, 1953, and the widest tornado was 4,576 yards, or 2.6 miles, on May 31, 2013. Paths that old are often several tornadoes logged as one.

Longest paths

Paths from before the 1970s are often several tornadoes logged as one, so treat early entries with caution.

Longest tornado paths, miles

Longest tornado paths, miles 1953: 235 235 1969: 218 218 1966: 202 202 1971: 202 202 1965: 176 176 1970: 170 170 1973: 170 170 2021: 169 169 1975: 168 168 1953: 162 162 1992: 160 160 1953: 157 157 195319691966197119651970197320211975195319921953
Longest tornado paths
Mar 22, 1953F2Caldwell ParishLA234.7200
Apr 18, 1969F2Colquitt CountyGA217.8233
Mar 3, 1966F5Neshoba CountyMS202.5900
Feb 21, 1971F4Grenada CountyMS202.1100
May 24, 1965F1Buffalo CountyNE176.410
Apr 29, 1970F2Canadian CountyOK170.5250
Sep 25, 1973F3Dickinson CountyKS169.7100
Dec 10, 2021EF4Obion CountyTN168.52,600
Jan 12, 1975F2Bay CountyFL168.5100
May 10, 1953F4Howard CountyIA162.0100
Nov 23, 1992F3Martin CountyNC160.0100
Apr 9, 1953F3Champaign CountyIL156.7750
Jun 21, 1961F3Brown CountySD156.310
Apr 24, 2010EF4Madison ParishLA149.03,080
Oct 29, 1956F4Rock CountyNE147.7440
Jul 21, 1961F1Knox CountyIL147.410
May 13, 1968F3Ellis CountyKS140.4320
Apr 30, 1954F3Leon CountyTX139.9880
May 27, 1973F4Talladega CountyAL139.1800
Apr 4, 1966F4Okeechobee CountyFL135.8300
Jun 7, 1984F4Harrison CountyMO134.0250
Apr 27, 2011EF5Marion CountyAL132.02,200
Mar 13, 1990F4York CountyNE131.0440
Apr 17, 1970F4Gray CountyTX130.0880
Nov 21, 1992F4Leake CountyMS128.0880

Widest tornadoes

Before 1995 the database usually gave mean width; since then, maximum width.

Widest tornadoes, yards

Widest tornadoes, yards 2013: 4,576 4,576 2004: 4,400 4,400 2020: 3,960 3,960 2007: 3,872 3,872 2008: 3,520 3,520 1985: 3,330 3,330 2016: 3,221 3,221 2024: 3,200 3,200 2008: 3,170 3,170 2016: 3,100 3,100 2010: 3,080 3,080 2007: 3,000 3,000 201320042020200720081985201620242008201620102007
Widest tornadoes
May 31, 2013EF3Canadian CountyOK16.24,576
May 22, 2004F4Otoe CountyNE54.04,400
Apr 12, 2020EF4Jefferson Davis CountyMS67.43,960
May 4, 2007EF3Kiowa CountyKS23.53,872
Jun 7, 2008EF2Columbia CountyWI8.63,520
May 31, 1985F4Clearfield CountyPA69.03,330
Apr 29, 2016EF2Smith CountyTX25.93,221
May 25, 2024EF3Delaware CountyOK7.93,200
May 23, 2008EF3Clark CountyKS20.93,170
May 9, 2016EF3Bryan CountyOK13.83,100
Apr 24, 2010EF4Madison ParishLA149.03,080
May 4, 2007EF5Kiowa CountyKS25.83,000
Aug 13, 2004F1Osceola CountyFL2.03,000
May 19, 2025EF3Pittsburg CountyOK16.03,000
May 26, 2024EF2Benton CountyAR7.43,000
Apr 2, 1977F1Boone CountyKY11.63,000
May 31, 1968F2Hale CountyTX5.03,000
Aug 6, 1969F3St. Louis CountyMN18.42,933
Apr 25, 2011EF2Pulaski CountyAR51.32,900
May 20, 2019EF2Cherokee CountyOK21.02,700
Jun 20, 1968F3Davison CountySD9.92,667
May 11, 2014EF3Fillmore CountyNE19.12,640
Apr 9, 2011EF3Sac CountyIA29.42,640
Jun 15, 1990F4Hitchcock CountyNE28.02,640
Apr 14, 2012EF3Stafford CountyKS39.72,640