The tornado outbreak of April 3, 1956

29 tornadoesIndiana, Illinois, Michigan and 8 more states

29 tornadoes touched down across 11 states between 12:05 AM and 8:30 PM CST, 9 of them rated F3 or stronger, and 31 people were killed.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · April 3, 1956

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 29 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: 29; on Tuesday, April 3, 1956
F3 or stronger: 9; 5 rated F4 or F5
Killed: 31; 31st-deadliest tornado day since 1950
Injured: 527; Along all the paths
Path miles: 448; All the paths end to end
First and last: 12:05 AM to 8:30 PM; Touchdowns, Central Standard Time

Hour by hour

Tornadoes touching down in each hour, Central Standard Time.

Every tornado

In order of touchdown. 5 have a record page, linked from the rating.

Tornadoes of April 3, 1956

12:05 AM	F3	Pushmataha County OK	2.0	100	0	3
12:10 AM	F4	Ottawa County, Cherokee County and 2 more OK, KS, MO	41.8	400	0	59
12:30 AM	F1	McDonald County MO	8.8	37	0	1
11:00 AM	F2	Iowa County WI	3.0	200	0	0
12:25 PM	F2	Ashley County AR	2.1	207	0	0
12:50 PM	F2	Portage County WI	18.2	100	2	2
1:00 PM	F2	Chicot County AR	1.0	20	0	0
1:45 PM	F4	Green Lake County, Waushara County and 1 more WI	11.5	440	7	50
2:30 PM	F2	Calhoun County, Lee County and 4 more MS	124.9	10	0	6
2:30 PM	F2	Lawrence County IL	3.3	10	0	0
4:00 PM	F3	Webster County, Henderson County KY	22.9	223	1	2
4:00 PM	F2	Ford County IL	2.0	50	0	0
4:08 PM	F2	De Witt County, Piatt County IL	9.5	40	0	0
4:40 PM	F5	Allegan County, Ottawa County and 2 more MI	58.8	400	17	292
4:45 PM	F4	Henderson County TN	11.6	100	3	60
5:00 PM	F1	Moultrie County, Douglas County IL	4.5	100	0	0
5:00 PM	F2	Tippecanoe County IN	0.1	10	0	0
5:30 PM	F0	Union County KY	0.1	10	0	1
5:35 PM	F4	Manistee County, Benzie County and 2 more MI	50.3	400	1	25
5:45 PM	F2	Washington County IN	0.1	10	0	12
6:15 PM	F3	Van Buren County, Allegan County and 2 more MI	60.6	200	0	12
7:04 PM	F3	Kosciusko County IN	1.5	70	0	0
7:30 PM	F2	Clay County MS	5.1	100	0	2
7:30 PM	F0	Hancock County OH	0.1	10	0	0
7:30 PM	F2	Fulton County IN	4.1	50	0	0
7:45 PM	F1	Sumner County TN	0.2	10	0	0
7:50 PM	F1	Noble County IN	0.1	77	0	0
8:05 PM	F2	LaGrange County IN	0.1	10	0	0
8:30 PM	F2	Wayne County IN	0.1	10	0	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, April 3, 1956

Indiana	7	1	0
Illinois	4	0	0
Michigan	3	3	18
Wisconsin	3	1	9
Tennessee	2	1	3
Kentucky	2	1	1
Arkansas	2	0	0
Mississippi	2	0	0
Oklahoma	2	2	0
Missouri	1	0	0
Ohio	1	0	0

Tornadoes in 1956 · 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.