The 10 Most Devastating Tornados in U.S. History

Joplin, Missouri (May 22, 2011)

Spring of 2011 was a deadly time for tornadoes, including one “mammoth” sized one that caused complete devastation in Joplin, Missouri. “Even when correcting past U.S. tornadoes for inflation, the Joplin tornado became the costliest single tornado in U.S. history ($2.8 billion),” notes The Weather Channel.

161 fatalities (Deadliest single U.S. tornado since 1947)

Total damage estimate:  $2.8 billion

7,500 residential dwellings damaged affecting more than 17,000 people

Forbes index (100-point scale):  61.4

Matthew Williams