Finishing our list of the deadliest individual tornadoes in Alabama history:
5. January 22, 1904 (36 deaths) - Hale and Tuscaloosa Counties. This is the earliest season tornado in our list, reminding us that deadly twisters do not necessarily occur in our peak tornado seasons of the Spring and Fall. The unseasonable F4 tornado leveled the northern part of Moundville a little after midnight, killing 36 people and injuring 63. The tornado reportedly glowed with a phosphorescent glow. The northern part of the town was destroyed and only one building was left standing. Bodies were blown as far as one half mile. An engineer on a northbound Great Southern train saw the destruction right after it occurred, and backed his train 12 miles in reverse to the town of Akron, where he sent a telegram for help.
4. March 21, 1932 (37 deaths) - This F4 tornado touched down around 4 p.m. near Ralph in Tuscaloosa County. It moved northeast, crossing the northwestern section of the city of Tuscaloosa. It then crossed the Black Warrior River and fell with a hellish fury on the main downtown area of Northport. A total of 37 people died along this tornado’s 20 mile path.
3. March 21, 1932 (41 deaths) - The town of Sylacauga was hardest hit by a large F4 tornado that cut a 25 mile path across the county during the early evening hours. Twenty nine people died at Sylacauga.
2. April 20, 1920 (44 deaths) - This tornado touched down in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi at about 8 o’clock in the morning. It killed 44 people in Mississippi before it entered Marion County. Starkville, Cedar Bluff and Aberdeen were hard hit. In Marion County, the F4 tornado struck south of Bexar, killing nine people. Eleven more people lost their lives across Marion County. Franklin County was not spared, as the buzz saw killed nineteen more people. It passed into Colbert County and dissipated over Lawrence County.
1. March 21, 1932 (49 deaths) - The deadliest tornado ever recorded in Alabama was part of the deadliest outbreak in the state’s history. This tornado occurred around 4:30 p.m., as a twister touched down in Perry County. At least 21 people died in the County. The F4 killer tornado moved across Bibb County and into Chilton County. At least 21 people were killed at Jemison and Union Grove. Two devastating tornadoes cut parallel paths across Chilton County less than one hour apart.
5. January 22, 1904 (36 deaths) - Hale and Tuscaloosa Counties. This is the earliest season tornado in our list, reminding us that deadly twisters do not necessarily occur in our peak tornado seasons of the Spring and Fall. The unseasonable F4 tornado leveled the northern part of Moundville a little after midnight, killing 36 people and injuring 63. The tornado reportedly glowed with a phosphorescent glow. The northern part of the town was destroyed and only one building was left standing. Bodies were blown as far as one half mile. An engineer on a northbound Great Southern train saw the destruction right after it occurred, and backed his train 12 miles in reverse to the town of Akron, where he sent a telegram for help.
4. March 21, 1932 (37 deaths) - This F4 tornado touched down around 4 p.m. near Ralph in Tuscaloosa County. It moved northeast, crossing the northwestern section of the city of Tuscaloosa. It then crossed the Black Warrior River and fell with a hellish fury on the main downtown area of Northport. A total of 37 people died along this tornado’s 20 mile path.
3. March 21, 1932 (41 deaths) - The town of Sylacauga was hardest hit by a large F4 tornado that cut a 25 mile path across the county during the early evening hours. Twenty nine people died at Sylacauga.
2. April 20, 1920 (44 deaths) - This tornado touched down in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi at about 8 o’clock in the morning. It killed 44 people in Mississippi before it entered Marion County. Starkville, Cedar Bluff and Aberdeen were hard hit. In Marion County, the F4 tornado struck south of Bexar, killing nine people. Eleven more people lost their lives across Marion County. Franklin County was not spared, as the buzz saw killed nineteen more people. It passed into Colbert County and dissipated over Lawrence County.
1. March 21, 1932 (49 deaths) - The deadliest tornado ever recorded in Alabama was part of the deadliest outbreak in the state’s history. This tornado occurred around 4:30 p.m., as a twister touched down in Perry County. At least 21 people died in the County. The F4 killer tornado moved across Bibb County and into Chilton County. At least 21 people were killed at Jemison and Union Grove. Two devastating tornadoes cut parallel paths across Chilton County less than one hour apart.