The tornado outbreak of June 8, 1953

12 tornadoesMichigan, Nebraska and Ohio

12 tornadoes touched down across 3 states between 4:00 PM and 9:30 PM CST, 7 of them rated F3 or stronger, and 142 people were killed. The 6th-deadliest tornado day since 1950.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · June 8, 1953

How the day unfolded

Every tornado recorded that day, at its logged touchdown time and along its path, with the counties it crossed.

About this replay

Central time—Historical replay — logged touchdown times

Tornadoes—of 12 that day

Strongest so far—

Killed—in tornadoes so far

The day’s milestones

Tornado pathsWider and brighter with the rating; F3 and stronger glow

On the groundEach grows from its logged touchdown time

Counties crossedLit as a tornado reaches them, brighter for F3 or stronger

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database (touchdown times, ratings, start and end points) and Storm Events Database (segment paths and times for the notable tornadoes that have record pages). SPC logs the touchdown time only; other paths are drawn at a typical forward speed of 35 mph. Times are Central Standard Time.

The day in numbers

Tornadoes: 12; on Monday, June 8, 1953
F3 or stronger: 7; 4 rated F4 or F5
Killed: 142; 6th-deadliest tornado day since 1950
Injured: 1,293; Along all the paths
Path miles: 215; All the paths end to end
First and last: 4:00 PM to 9:30 PM; Touchdowns, Central Standard Time

Hour by hour

Tornadoes touching down in each hour, Central Standard Time.

Every tornado

In order of touchdown. 4 have a record page, linked from the rating.

Tornadoes of June 8, 1953

4:00 PM	F1	Deuel County NE	0.1	83	0	0
4:00 PM	F0	Deuel County NE	0.1	10	0	0
4:00 PM	F0	Deuel County NE	0.1	10	0	0
5:15 PM	F4	Monroe County MI	5.4	200	4	18
6:00 PM	F4	Lorain County, Cuyahoga County and 4 more OH	118.0	100	17	379
6:30 PM	F3	Washtenaw County MI	11.3	70	1	5
6:30 PM	F3	Livingston County, Oakland County MI	9.1	200	0	11
6:40 PM	F2	Iosco County MI	16.6	833	4	13
7:08 PM	F3	Alcona County MI	1.8	100	0	0
7:30 PM	F5	Genesee County, Lapeer County MI	18.9	833	116	844
9:00 PM	F0	Huron County MI	0.1	10	0	0
9:30 PM	F4	Lapeer County, St. Clair County MI	33.8	833	0	23

By state

Tornadoes by state, June 8, 1953

Michigan	8	6	125
Nebraska	3	0	0
Ohio	1	1	17

Tornadoes in 1953 · On this date in other years · The biggest outbreak days

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. A day is SPC’s calendar date in Central Standard Time; an outbreak day here has 40 or more tornadoes, or 6 or more rated F3/EF3 or stronger.