Tornadoes

Tornadoes are violent and rapidly rotating columns of air that form inside thunderstorms. They connect with the ground, via a funnel, to the cloud. Tornadoes typically last only a few minutes, but sometimes they can continue for more than an hour. They can also travel short distances (0.5 miles), but some can be 'on the ground' for upwards of 100 miles.

Since 1950, more than 1950 tornadoes have been recorded in Louisiana. There has only been one EF-5 (winds over 200 mph) tornado recorded in the state, and there has also been 9 EF-4 (166 - 200 mph) and 96 EF-3 (136 - 165 mph) rated tornadoes.

Source: www.weather.gov

Did You Know?

The strong tornado on record in Louisiana touched down near Delhi, LA (Madison Parish), and was part of the February 1971 Mississippi Delta Tornado Outbreak. However, the tornado that caused the highest number of deaths (22) in the state was an F4 tornado, reported in Lafourche Parish on October 3, 1964.