Name 5 of the most dangerous tornadoes?

Answer 1

Note that deciding how dangerous a tornado is is very subjective. That being said, some good candidates to be considered among the most dangerous include:

• The Tri-State tornado of March 18, 1925. This tornado, the deadliest in U.S. tore across sections of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, killing 695 people as it destroyed town after town. The tornado was extremely powerful, an F5, capable of causing extreme damage. It moved at an average speed of 62 mph, and sometimes as fast as 73 mph, leaving little time to take cover. Additionally, the tornado was accompanied by a low cloud bases that made it hard to recognize and was often hidden by rain. This meant that many people did not know it was coming.
• The Hackleburg, Alabama tornado of April 27, 2011. This tornado was rather similar to the Tri-State tornado. It was an extremely violent EF5 (equivalent to F5) and moved quickly. For much of its duration it was obscured from view by rain. This tornado also hit multiple towns, of which Hackleburg was the first. Even with a modern warning system in place, this tornado killed 72 people, making it the deadliest in Alabama history and the deadliest in the U.S. since 1955.
• The Waco, Texas tornado of May 11, 1953. This F5 tornado was somewhat different from the Tri-State and Hackleburg tornadoes in that it did not move particularly fast. However, it was still completely shrouded in rain so that the people of Waco had no idea it was coming. A large section of Waco was leveled and 114 people were killed.
• The Jarrell, Texas tornado of May 27, 1997. This tornado was likely one of the most violent ever recorded. Unlike the previously listed tornadoes, this one was highly visible and very slow moving. However, the section of the town that was hit hardest was completely obliterated with every house, tree, and blade of grass blown away. Of the 27 people in the neighborhood, 26 died. One other person was killed on a nearby farm.
• The Smithville, Mississippi tornado of April 27, 2011. Like the Hackleburg tornado, which was on the ground at the same time, this tornado was rated EF5 and moved very quickly. What is notable about this storm, however, is how quickly it developed, reaching EF5 intensity less than two minutes after touching down, just before entering the small town of Smithville. Multiple homes and the town church were completely obliterated. A total of 16 people died in Smithville, followed by another 7 in Shottsville, Alabama. Had this tornado hit a larger population center the death toll would certainly have been higher.
• The Udall, Kansas tornado of May 25, 1955. This F5 tornado struck the unsuspecting town of Udall at night, when many people were asleep. The entire southern end of town was swept away and 80 people were killed.