Tornadoes of 1951

This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1951.

January
Two tornadoes were reported in January.

February
Ten tornadoes were reported in February.

March
Six tornadoes were reported in March.

April
30 tornadoes were reported in April.

April 30
Three tornadoes struck the Oklahoma City metro, and all were rated F2+.

May
57 tornadoes were reported in May.

May 18-19
A localized tornado outbreak produced seven tornadoes across Texas and Oklahoma. This included the first and only F5 tornado of the year, which struck near the town of Olney, Texas. Another strong tornado, rated F2, touched down near Taloga, Oklahoma the following day.

June
76 tornadoes were reported in June.

June 5-8
At least 29 tornadoes touched down between June 5-8, causing 23 injuries throughout the Great Plains. The strongest tornadoes were rated F3. The first F3 tornado touched down near Ulysses, Kansas, and tracked all the way to Liberal, Kansas. The second tornado touched down in White Deer, Texas. The other F3 tornado was near Corn, Oklahoma, which was one of the first (if not the first ) tornado to be captured on video film.

June 13
On June 13, 1951, a tornado struck Richmond, causing massive damage in its 4-mile path of destruction, including a truck crushed by a fallen tree at Belvidere and Franklin streets downtown. At least 12 people were injured.

June 19
A tornado outbreak produced a long-tracked F4 tornado that struck the following cities: Hutchinson, Rockford, Greenfield, Champlin, and Anoka, all in Minnesota, killing one person. Only five tornadoes touched down.

June 21-23
A tornado outbreak started on June 21, producing an F3 tornado in Northern Indiana. On June 22, a couple weak tornadoes touched down. Then on June 23, an F2 tornado killed one person near Hugoton, Kansas.

June 27
A tornado outbreak produced seven tornadoes. An F4 tornado touched down in WaKeeney, Kansas in the middle of the night, causing five fatalities. Another tornado occurred in Illinois, killing one person. Other strong tornadoes included an F3 tornado near Heman Illinois, and an F2 tornado near Indiana, Pennsylvania.

July
23 tornadoes were reported in July.

July 20
A very destructive tornado touched down in Minnetonka. The tornado demolished several homes, damaged or destroyed multiple buildings at the Wold-Chamberlain Airport, and destroyed 63 airplanes. The tornado was the most destructive in the state since 1874, causing $6 million (1951 USD) in damages and five fatalities.

August
27 tornadoes were reported in August.

August 20-21
A localized tornado outbreak produced abnormally strong tornadoes to New England, specifically in Connecticut. An F3 tornado struck East Hampton, Connecticut, miraculously causing no fatalities. A long-tracked F2 tornado struck Hartford, Connecticut before lifting, causing nine injuries. Other tornadoes included an F2 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, an F2 in Willington, Connecticut, and an F2 tornado near Plaistow, New Hampshire.

September
Nine tornadoes were reported in September.

September 26
Two F4 tornadoes touched down in Wisconsin, killing seven people. Another additional tornado touched down near Bitely, Michigan, killing one person.

October
Two tornadoes were reported in October.

November
Twelve tornadoes were reported in November.

November 13-16
A tornado outbreak killed one person and produced ten tornadoes. The only killer tornado was rated F3 and struck Calvert City, Kentucky. An F2 tornado injured six people in Oakland, Alabama on November 15. Other tornadoes included a long-tracked F2 in Illinois and an F2 tornado that struck Gary, Indiana.

December
Ten tornadoes were reported in December.