The tornado outbreak of March 1, 1997

56 tornadoesArkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and 2 more states

56 tornadoes touched down across 5 states between 12:47 AM and 11:25 PM CST, 18 of them rated F3 or stronger, and 27 people were killed.

Watch the day unfold

Tornado outbreak · March 1, 1997

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 56 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: 56; 58th of 12,998 tornado days since 1950
F3 or stronger: 18; 7 rated F4 or F5
Killed: 27; 37th-deadliest tornado day since 1950
Injured: 464; Along all the paths
Path miles: 425; All the paths end to end
First and last: 12:47 AM to 11:25 PM; Touchdowns, Central Standard Time

Hour by hour

Tornadoes touching down in each hour, Central Standard Time.

Every tornado

In order of touchdown. 7 have a record page, linked from the rating.

Tornadoes of March 1, 1997

12:47 AM	F1	Calhoun County MS	10.0	400	0	0
1:00 AM	F1	Pontotoc County MS	15.0	400	1	4
1:25 AM	F2	Lewis County TN	3.9	440	0	0
1:32 AM	F2	Wayne County, Lawrence County and 1 more TN	7.8	440	0	2
2:35 AM	F3	Calhoun County MS	5.0	400	0	1
2:45 AM	F3	Lafayette County MS	5.0	400	0	0
3:00 AM	F3	Pontotoc County MS	10.0	400	0	0
3:15 AM	F3	Union County MS	30.0	400	0	16
4:26 AM	F0	Warren County KY	0.5	50	0	0
4:36 AM	F2	Monroe County KY	4.0	500	0	0
5:45 AM	F2	McNairy County TN	5.0	200	0	0
11:59 AM	F0	Washington County KY	5.0	50	0	0
1:50 PM	F1	Powell County KY	6.0	70	0	0
1:55 PM	F3	Hempstead County, Nevada County AR	18.0	880	0	2
2:10 PM	F1	Baxter County AR	5.0	200	0	0
2:15 PM	F0	Menifee County KY	0.1	20	0	0
2:20 PM	F4	Clark County AR	27.0	1,053	6	100
2:37 PM	F1	Lonoke County AR	3.0	50	0	0
2:39 PM	F3	White County AR	13.0	100	0	5
2:47 PM	F4	Hot Spring County AR	24.0	527	0	11
2:55 PM	F1	Yell County AR	1.0	50	0	0
3:05 PM	F1	Yell County AR	1.0	50	0	0
3:23 PM	F2	White County AR	4.0	150	0	14
3:25 PM	F4	Saline County AR	14.0	1,407	10	40
3:25 PM	F2	Jackson County AR	8.5	1,053	2	30
3:30 PM	F1	Pope County AR	7.5	200	0	1
3:31 PM	F2	Independence County AR	7.5	880	0	0
3:35 PM	F2	Saline County AR	2.0	350	0	0
3:38 PM	F2	Conway County AR	8.0	880	0	1
3:41 PM	F4	Pulaski County AR	11.0	1,407	5	180
3:42 PM	F2	Jackson County AR	23.0	880	1	30
3:47 PM	F2	Pulaski County AR	5.0	350	0	0
3:48 PM	F2	Van Buren County AR	2.0	880	0	0
4:02 PM	F2	Crockett County TN	5.0	100	0	0
4:02 PM	F2	Lonoke County AR	2.3	100	0	3
4:07 PM	F2	Gibson County TN	15.0	100	0	0
4:12 PM	F1	Van Buren County AR	2.5	100	0	0
4:19 PM	F3	Craighead County AR	5.0	200	0	2
4:22 PM	F0	Stone County AR	0.5	20	0	0
4:40 PM	F2	Carroll County TN	10.0	100	0	0
4:40 PM	F3	Lawrence County AR	5.0	200	0	2
4:45 PM	F3	Greene County AR	15.0	200	1	5
4:50 PM	F1	Stone County AR	0.5	20	0	0
4:52 PM	F0	Independence County AR	4.0	23	0	0
4:54 PM	F2	Woodruff County AR	12.0	880	0	0
5:11 PM	F1	Jackson County AR	3.0	50	0	0
5:15 PM	F1	Sharp County AR	1.0	40	0	0
5:25 PM	F3	Cross County AR	3.0	200	0	0
5:40 PM	F3	Poinsett County AR	1.0	200	0	0
6:01 PM	F0	McLean County KY	0.3	50	0	0
6:20 PM	F4	Mississippi County AR	20.0	200	0	0
7:00 PM	F4	Dyer County TN	15.0	200	1	15
7:30 PM	F4	Gibson County TN	10.0	200	0	0
10:00 PM	F1	Hart County KY	0.5	50	0	0
10:30 PM	F1	Bell County TX	2.5	73	0	0
11:25 PM	F0	Metcalfe County KY	0.1	50	0	0

By state

Tornadoes by state, March 1, 1997

Arkansas	33	12	25
Tennessee	8	2	1
Kentucky	8	0	0
Mississippi	6	4	1
Texas	1	0	0

Tornadoes in 1997 · 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.