On March 16–17, 1942, a deadly late-winter tornado outbreak struck a large area of the Central and Southern United States. The tornado outbreak killed 149 people and injured at least 1,312. At least five states reported violent tornadoes, from Illinois and Indiana south to Mississippi, beginning with an F4 tornado in the morning in Illinois. Intense activity spread south to the Gulf Coast and north to the Michigan–Indiana border as the day went on. Seven violent tornadoes were reported, one of which was a powerful F5 in Illinois. The outbreak also produced eighteen tornadoes that caused at least one death, one of the highest such totals for a single outbreak. Daily statistics Confirmed tornadoes March 16 event March 17 event See also List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks List of tornado-related deaths at schools Notes References F5 tornadoes Tornadoes in Illinois Tornadoes in Indiana Tornadoes in Kentucky Tornadoes in Mississippi Tornadoes in Tennessee Tornadoes in Alabama 03,15 Tornado outbreak,03,15 Tornado outbreak