Is This a Record Setting Year?

No year in recorded history even approaches 2004 when it comes to the number of tornadoes spawned by tropical cyclones (TC). It will be several months before the final numbers are officially recorded. Both Hurricanes Frances and Ivan will each be credited with between 60 and 100 tornadoes. It was Ivan that may have set a record for the number of killer tornadoes. If deaths are any indication, this kind of TC-spawned tornado activity seems like a once-in-a-century event, if that.

The Deadliest Hurricane-Spawned Tornadoes

Ivan may have spawned 5 killer tornadoes. Prior to Hurricane Ivan, only once in known tornado history has a TC produced as many as four killer tornadoes. That was on July 6 ,1891, when a tornado killed 11 people at the Louisiana State Penitentiary (see below), two died in homes near Gloster, MS, one died at a logging camp in Lincoln, County, MS, and one died in a frail home in Madison County, MS. The hurricane went ashore near Houston, TX, then turned northeast and east, crossing northwest Mississippi. It may have been a prolific tornado producer, but only the tornadoes that caused a death were written up.
The last time a hurricane produced three killer tornadoes was in Carla on September 10-12, 1961. Eight died at Galveston,TX (see below), five died at Hodge, LA, and one died at Kaplan, LA.
The last time a hurricane produced two killer tornadoes was on September 3, 1979. Hurricane David spawned two killer tornadoes, with one death each--one in a home crushed by a tree in Fairfax County, VA and one in a trailer in Chester County, PA.
Four of the Ivan deaths were at Blountstown, Florida, where, for the 12th time in recorded history, a TC-spawned tornado killed four or more people.

In chronological order:
• September 15-16, 2004 at Blountstown,FL (Hurricane Ivan) ... 4 died in two mobile homes (F2 ?)
• June 22, 1972 near Okeechobee, FL (Hurricane Agnes) ... 6 people died in lightly-built homes (F?) This event is not officially recorded as a tornado.
• September 20, 1967 at Palacio, TX ) (Hurricane Beulah) ... 4 died in small homes (F3)
• October 3, 1964 at Larose, LA (Hurricane Hilda) ... 22 died as more than 20 homes were destroyed (F4)
• September 12, 1961 at Galveston, TX (Hurricane Carla) ... 8 died as 200 buildings were destroyed, most of which were evacuated prior to the hurricane. (F4)
• September 10, 1961 at Hodge, LA (Hurricane Carla) ... 5 died as about 20 homes were destroyed. (F3)
• September 30, 1959 at Ivy, VA (Hurricane Gracie) ...10 died in a frail apple picker's bunkhouse..one died under the collapsed chimney of a nearby home. (F3 damage to other homes) July 24, 1934 at Morales, TX (unnamed hurricane) ... 5 died...one in the open and four in one of four farm houses that were leveled (F3)
• July 6, 1891 at 8 miles S of Baton Rouge, LA (unnamed hurricane) ... 10 of the 11 died in the commissary building of the state penitentiary, where the upper floors were being used as a pants factory. (F2)
• September 10, 1882 at Quincy, FL (unnamed hurricane) ... at least 5 died in frail tenant homes that were swept away. (F2)
• September 30, 1814 at Beaufort County, SC (unnamed hurricane) 23 drowned as the tornado (in its waterspout stage) hit a schooner in Port Royal Sound.
• September 10, 1811 at Charleston, SC (unnamed hurricane) 11 died as homes were destroyed in downtown Charleston.

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