Tornadoes of 1988
Encyclopedia
This page documents the tornado
es and tornado outbreak
s of 1988, primarily in the United States
. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es and tornado outbreak
Tornado outbreak
While there is no single agreed upon definition, generally at least 6-10 tornadoes produced by the same synoptic scale weather system is considered a tornado outbreak. The tornadoes usually occur within the same day, or continue into the early morning hours of the succeeding day, and within the...
s of 1988, primarily in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes.
Synopsis
The Tornado "Season" of 1988 was one of the least active on record. March and April saw unusually low activity, as did June. There were some notable outbreaks later in the year, including the Raleigh tornado which was probably the most publicized tornado event of the year.Events
Confirmed tornado total for the entire year 1988 in the United States.January
There were 17 tornadoes confirmed in the US in January. Three separate tornadoes, rated F2/F3, killed five people in Tennessee on January 19. Another F4 tornado on the 19th struck Mississippi, but resulted in no fatalities.April
There were 58 tornadoes confirmed in the US in April. An F3 tornado killed four people in Madison County, Florida on April 19.May 8
The outbreak on May 8 saw 57 tornadoes mainly in Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin (two rated as high as F3). There were no reported fatalities.November
There were 121 tornadoes confirmed in the US in November. One F2 tornado killed five people in Arkansas on November 15.November 28
The 1988 F4 Raleigh tornado killed four people and was part of a series of moderate outbreaks that month.December
There were 20 tornadoes confirmed in the US in December. On December 24, an F4 tornado killed one person in Tennessee.External links
- U.S. tornadoes in 1988 - Tornado History Project
- Tornado deaths monthly