From April 5–8, 1954, a tornado outbreak sequence affected portions of the Central and Southern United States, primarily the Upper Midwest. The U.S. states of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin were hardest hit by tornadoes. The first day of the severe weather event featured three intense (F3 or stronger) tornadoes along the Missouri–Iowa border, including a long-tracked F4 that obliterated rural farmsteads. The deadliest tornado of the sequence, retroactively rated F3, struck Illinois a few days later, killing one person and injuring 13 others. Other strong tornadoes hit Kansas, Indiana, Michigan, and Georgia during the sequence. In all, the event resulted in 22 injuries.[note 2][2]
Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRADDoppler weather radar in 1990–1991.[3][note 3] 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments.[7][note 4] Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.
Color/symbol key
Color / symbol
Description
†
Data from Grazulis 1990/1993/2001b
¶
Data from a local National Weather Service office
※
Data from the 1954 Climatological Data National Summary publication
‡
Data from the NCEI database
♯
Maximum width of tornado
±
Tornado was rated below F2 intensity by Grazulis but a specific rating is unavailable.
This intense tornado badly damaged five farmsteads and caused less severe damage to 13 others. One or more farmhouses were wrecked, and a boxcar was lofted through the air. Timbers also pierced the walls of homes. An injury occurred.[20][21][22]
This was probably a family of "twin" tornadoes that damaged farmsteads at "near-F4" intensity. A pickup truck in Missouri was tossed 300 yd (900 ft), and four homes were torn apart in that state. Three additional homes were wrecked in Iowa. A few injuries occurred, both in Missouri.[20][23][24][22]
A pair of spacious barns were blown to pieces, their debris strewn "for miles". 20 farmsteads received some manner of wind-related damage, and livestock in the path was killed.[20][28][22]
This tornado damaged a pair of houses and a few barns, along with the roof of a store. A few porches were ripped off, one of which was stripped of most roofing.[32][33]
This intense tornado leveled several barns and destroyed a farmhouse. It also damaged seven other farmhouses and destroyed or damaged 50 outbuildings. Four people were injured.[20][36][33]
This tornado collapsed a 60-by-40-foot (20 by 13 yd) barn, crushing to death five cattle beneath. It also uplifted a 140-foot-long (47 yd) section of roofing and tore a 400-pound (180 kg) concrete covering off a silo. Strong winds in Mount Calvary also downed a few television transmission towers and shattered windows.[37][33]
This tornado crossed downtown Oconomowoc, splintering trees and television antennae. It damaged 13 businesses in town, smashed plate glass, and tore off roofing.[38][33]
1 death – This intense tornado struck 30 farms, destroying many structures. It also damaged or destroyed 38 homes, as well as most of Indian Oaks. Empty storage tanks were carried more than 1 mi (1.6 km). 13 people were injured. The NCEI incorrectly begin this event west of Cabery.[39][41][33]
This tornado formed alongside six funnel clouds. It destroyed a garage and a fire station, moving the former's roof 100 yd (300 ft). It also wrecked windows, a pair of barns, a few fire engines, and two automobiles. A few people were injured.[39][48][44]
^All losses are in 1954 USD unless otherwise noted.
^An outbreak is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An outbreak sequence, prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one significant (F2 or stronger) tornado.[1]
^Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information.[4] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[5] Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced NEXRAD was first installed and the National Weather Service began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.[6]
^The Fujita scale was devised under the aegis of scientist T. Theodore Fujita in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated.[8][9] Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service.[10] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[11] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[12] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[13]
^ abcdAll dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CST/CDT for consistency.
^ abcdAll starting coordinates are based on the NCEI database and may not reflect contemporary analyses
^ abcdThe listed width values are primarily the average/mean width of the tornadoes, with those having known maximum widths denoted by ♯. From 1952 to 1994, reports largely list mean width whereas contemporary years list maximum width.[14] Values provided by Grazulis are the average width, with estimates being rounded down (i.e. 0.5 mi (0.80 km) is rounded down from 880 yards to 800 yards.[15][16]
^Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage". The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC). Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
— (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN1-879362-03-1.
