Tornado outbreak sequence of June 1966
A photograph of the F5 Topeka, Kansas tornado. | |
| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | June 3–12 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 57 |
| Max. rating1 | F5 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | ~11 days |
| Fatalities | 18 fatalities, 543 injuries |
| Damage | $250 million (1966 USD) $2,423 million (2024 USD) |
| Areas affected | Southern and Midwestern United States, Great Plains |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 1966 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado | |
The tornado outbreak sequence of June 1966 was a series of large and devastating tornado outbreaks which occurred between June 2 and June 12, 1966. The nearly two week event of severe weather was mainly concentrated in the Midwestern (Great Plains) region of the United States, but was widely spread out to areas as far south as Texas and Florida, and as far east as New York.
The most powerful and destructive tornado of this event occurred on the early evening of Wednesday, June 8, when Topeka, Kansas was struck by an F5 rated tornado. It started on the southwest side of town, moving northeast, passing through several subdivisions and over a local landmark named Burnett's Mound. 57 tornadoes were confirmed during the 11-day span, which left 18 people dead and 543 injured (17 of the 18 deaths and 450 of the injuries were attributed to the Topeka tornado).