This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1962, primarily (but not entirely) in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although tornadoes events can take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
There were 12 tornadoes confirmed in the US in January.[citation needed]
January 5–6
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The first two tornadoes of the year struck Crestview, Florida at F2 intensity with the first one killing one, injuring 30, and kicking off an outbreak of 11 tornadoes across the Southeast.[3][4][5][6] Later, another F2 tornado hit Destin, Florida.[7] The next day, an F1 tornado injured one in Plum Branch, South Carolina.[8] Overall, the outbreak killed one and injured 31.[6]
February
There were 25 tornadoes confirmed in the US in February.[citation needed]
February 11 (Denmark)
A high-end F3 tornado caused severe damage to the town of Holstebro and nearby areas. The tornado reached 500 meters wide (546.8 yards), and traveled 13 kilometers. ESWD mentions that it may have reached F4 intensity.[9] More than 100 buildings were damaged, some severely damaged. 500 trees were uprooted or snapped on a plantation & debris was carried 13 km.[10][11] Homes were badly damaged, or destroyed with roof loss or partial collapse. A well built brick apartment had its roof torn off and third floor half demolished, while other apartments in construction were severely damaged.[12]
February 16 - 17 (Denmark)
Three tornadoes touched down in Denmark between February 16 & 17. On February 16, an F2 tornado struck Bedsted [da], destroying the roof of a farmhouse and causing cracks in another. On February 17, an F1 tornado struck Store Damme, damaging a thatched roof while another unrated tornado took a 7 km path from Høve to Ellinge Lyng [da], damaging 7 homes.[13]
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February 19
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Two weak tornadoes touched down in California. First, an F0 tornado caused damage in Irvine.[14] This was followed by an F1 tornado that occurred west of Hockett Peak.[15] There were no casualties from either tornado.
March
There were 37 tornadoes confirmed in the US in March.[citation needed]
A destructive outbreak of 11 tornadoes hit the Southeast with 10 of them occurring on March 31. A large, catastrophic, 1⁄4 mi (0.40 km) wide F3 tornado carved a 6.9 mi (11.1 km) path of devastation through the northwest side of Milton, Florida with little to no warning. Several neighborhood were wrecked with at least 130 homes being destroyed while many others were damaged. With 17 deaths, this was deadliest tornado ever recorded in Florida until 1998 as well as the deadliest of the year. There were 100 injuries as well.[19][21][22][23] Overall, the outbreak killed 17 and injured 105.
April
There were 41 tornadoes confirmed in the US in April.[citation needed]
An outbreak of 17 tornadoes hit the Midwest and the Southeast. On April 26, a large F3 tornado damaged areas north of Sayre, Oklahoma.[26] Another F3 tornado hit Sheppard Air Force Base north of Wichita Falls, Texas, injuring 13.[27] The next morning, an F2 tornado caused heavy damage in Woodchuck, Louisiana.[28] On April 28, a massive mile-wide, long-tracked F2 tornado struck rural areas in Mississippi, including the town of Prichard, killing one, injuring six, and ending the outbreak.[29] Overall, the outbreak killed one and injured 19.
There were 200 tornadoes confirmed in the US in May.[citation needed] May 14 started an extremely active period of tornadoes with at least one confirmed everyday until June 25.
May 7–8
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An outbreak sequence of 10 tornadoes hit the Great Plains, Midwest, and Virginia.[35] The first strong tornado of the outbreak caused F2 damage in Collins, Iowa.[36] Later, another F2 tornado struck Winslow, Nebraska, injuring five.[37] An F3 tornado then occurred north of Davenport, Iowa.[38] The next day, a rare F2 tornado struck Lapwai, Idaho, only the second of 10 official F2 tornadoes to hit the state.[39][40] The final tornado of the outbreak then occurred as a fatal F2 tornado killed one and injured two northwest of Amber Lake, Virginia.[41] In the end, the outbreak killed one and injured seven.[35]
There were 171 tornadoes confirmed in the US in June.[citation needed]
June 7
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A rare F1 tornado touched down in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, causing extensive damage.[85] This was followed by a small outbreak of nine tornadoes in Texas and Kansas. Three tornadoes, two rated F2 and the other rated F0, caused damage in and around Silverton, Texas.[86][87][88] Another F2 tornado hit the northwest side of Rotan, Texas.[89] One final F2 tornado occurred east of McAllaster, Kansas.[90] None of the tornadoes caused casualties.
There were 78 tornadoes confirmed in the US in July.[93]
August
There were 51 tornadoes confirmed in the US in August.[citation needed]
August 5–6
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A small, but destructive outbreak of 10 tornadoes struck the Eastern Dakotas and Northeastern Kansas. Eight of the tornadoes occurred in Kansas, including a large, violent 667 yd (610 m) wide F4 tornado that caused the only casualties during the event when it moved directly through Holton and Birmingham, Kansas on August 6, injuring three. An F3 tornado also caused major damage on the southwest side of Baldwin City, Kansas later that day.[94]
August 20
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Three F2 tornadoes touched down in Maine, Texas, and Ohio. The first one moved in an unusual westward motion, damaging Hutchins Corner southwest of Wellington, Maine.[95] The second one impacted the southeast side of Mathis, Texas.[96] The final one was the most catastrophic of the three: it struck Brook Park, Ohio in the southwestern suburbs of Cleveland, causing major damage, killing four, and injuring 20.[97]
August 28
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Two weak tornadoes touched down in Louisiana. However, the second one, which was rated F1, caused major damage in Cameron, killing two and injuring 30.[98]
September
There were 24 tornadoes confirmed in the US in September.[citation needed]
September 15–16
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A localized, but devastating series of three tornadoes impacted South Dakota and Minnesota. First, an F1 tornado caused considerable damage north of Parmelee during the afternoon of September 15.[99] Early the next morning, a violent F4 tornado ripped through Southeastern Rochester, Minnesota, injuring 34.[100] The final tornado occurred shortly thereafter when an F2 tornado damaged parts of Pleasant Grove, Minnesota.[101]
September 28
A tornado hit Seattle, Washington with windspeeds estimated at 100 mph. It damaged the home of Bill Gates, who was six years old at the time.[102]
October
There were 11 tornadoes confirmed in the US in October.[103]
October 27 (Spain)
A strong F1 tornado in Isla del Moral killed a person across a 6.9 km long path.[104]
November
There were 5 tornadoes confirmed in the US in November.[citation needed]
^1/1-6/29/1962 U.S. Tornadoes. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 28 October 2021.6/30-12/31/1962 U.S. Tornadoes. National Centers for Environmental Information (Report). National Weather Service. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
^Jan BjerreLauridsen; Kristoffer W. Hamborg; Mikael Dynnes Holmbo (11 February 2012). "Da landets værste skypumpe ramte Holstebro". Dagbladet Holstebro Struer (in Danish). Retrieved 7 April 2023.
^US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Weaver Tornado 3/21/1962". www.weather.gov. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
^"California F2". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
^"Florida F3". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020."Florida Event Report: F3 Tornado". National Weather Service. National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
^"Nebraska-South Dakota F3". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
^Nebraska Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Center for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
^South Dakota Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Center for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
^"South Dakota F3". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
^South Dakota Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
^South Dakota Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
^"Nebraska F3". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
^Nebraska Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
^Nebraska Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
^Nebraska Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
^Nebraska Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 18 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
^"South Dakota F3". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
^South Dakota Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 16 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
^"Connecticut F3". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 27 September 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
^Connecticut Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Center for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
^Connecticut Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Center for Environmental Information. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
^"News". web.tapr.org. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
^"Oklahoma F4". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
^"Oklahoma Event Report: F4 Tornado". National Weather Service. National Center for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
^"Texas F3". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
^Texas Event Report: F3 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Center for Environmental Information. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
^"Oklahoma F4". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
^Oklahoma Event Report: F4 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
^"Texas F4". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
^Texas Event Report: F4 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
^"Texas F1". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
^Texas Event Report: F1 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
^"Texas F2". Tornado History Project. Storm Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
^Texas Event Report: F2 Tornado. National Weather Service (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
^"All Tornado Summaries". National Weather Service. National Center for Environmental Information. Retrieved 18 August 2020.