November 1989 tornado outbreak
Tornado damage in Huntsville, Alabama caused by an F4 tornado. | |
| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Formed | November 15, 1989 |
| Duration | 26 hours |
| Dissipated | November 16, 1989 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 40 |
| Max. rating1 | F4 tornado |
| Fatalities | 30 fatalities, 523 injuries |
| Damage | $160 million (2005 USD) |
| Areas affected | Southern and Eastern United States |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 1989 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
A destructive tornado outbreak struck a wide swath of the Southern and Eastern United States as well as Canada on November 15 and 16, 1989. It produced at least 40 tornadoes and caused 30 deaths as a result of two deadly tornadoes. The most devastating event was the Huntsville, Alabama F4 tornado, which killed 21 on the afternoon of November 15. Nine more fatalities occurred at a single elementary school by an F1 tornado on November 16 in Newburgh, New York, although further survey revealed that this might have been a downburst instead. This outbreak also produced the most tornadoes in a single day in New Jersey, later tied on April 1, 2023. Several other significant tornadoes were reported across 15 states.