| Timespan | January 3 — December 2 |
|---|---|
| Maximum rated tornado | F4 tornado
|
| Tornadoes in U.S. | 201[1] |
| Damage (U.S.) | $34.428 million (1950 USD) $436 million (2024 USD) |
| Fatalities (U.S.) | 70 |
| Fatalities (worldwide) | >70 |
This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1950, primarily in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally.
This was the first year where tornadoes were documented by the U.S. Weather Bureau, which would later become the National Weather Service. Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes. As a result, this would be the least active tornado season ever recorded. In subsequent years, the documentation of tornadoes became much more widespread and efficient, with the average annual tornado count being around 1,253.[2]
The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The article, therefore, documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.
- ^ "1950 Tornadoes". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Tornado Climatology | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) formerly known as National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved June 21, 2020.