The Complete History of Tornadoes in South Africa

Images Courtesy: NOAA Photo Libraryand Matt MrTornado

Information Below of all Recorded South African Tornadoes
Original Information Compiled & Supplied by Zac Muller (Meteorologist S.A.C. and EF4 Tornado Survivor)
of TornadoWatchSA
Information Kept Updated by AfriWX & Storm Report SA

Tornadoes in South Africa are not strange occurrences, they have been experienced for over a century since Weather recordings first began. Tornadoes and Flooding are 2 of the worst causes of natural disasters in the country.

Infographics - The Different Types of Tornadoes | What is a Supercell?
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South African Tornadoes 1905 - 2020 (present)

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F? (F scale Unknown) - F0 - F1 - F2 - F3 - F4 - F5 - P (Possible Tornado) - WS (Water Spout) - LS (Land Spout) - FC (Funnel Cloud) - DD (Dust Devil) - GN (Gustnado)
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Was there ever a tornado in South Africa?

Tornadoes are natural disasters that are not a daily occurrence in South Africa. As you can see from our extensive database of recorded tornadoes above, South Africa is no stranger to tornadoes. Seeing that tornadoes are not an everyday event and considering the unpredictable nature of weather, here is everything you need to know about tornadoes and what to do when one makes an appearance.

About 65 per cent of South African tornadoes are classified as light damage (F0 or F1). Tornadoes can occur anywhere where a severe thunderstorm has formed.

What is a tornado?

According to the South African Weather Service, a tornado, from the Latin word tornare (to turn), is a violently rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm, between the earth’s surface and a cloud.

“Tornadoes are among the most violent and destructive of all weather phenomena, but despite the significant amount of research into the origin and prediction thereof, the phenomenon is still not fully understood or predictable,” states the weather service.

Field research on tornadoes is particularly difficult due to their short lifespan, the small area affected by them and the low probability of re-occurrence at a particular point.

How does a tornado form?

A tornado emerges from what is called a supercell or rotational thunderstorm.

This is basically a ‘normal’ thunderstorm, which consists of warm moisture near the surface and relatively cold, dry air above, with increased wind strength which changes direction and is rotational in nature.

It is apparently still unclear why some thunderstorms create tornadoes and other don’t which makes them very difficult to predict.

What are the dangers of a tornado?

Tornadoes can be life-threatening and severe damage can be done to property from violently whirling wind and debris hurled through the air.

Wind speeds in tornadoes can exceed 200km/h, according to Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (Tema).

The long-term dangers include the possibility of buildings collapsing, falling trees and power lines, as well as broken sewers and water pipes.

Fields or buildings may sustain severe damage, but even if the tornado is not in your immediate vicinity, flying debris can also cause damage or death.

What to do during a tornado?

• If at home, go to a basement or cellar, away from windows.

If neither is available, find shelter under a piece of sturdy furniture such as a work bench or heavy table and hold on to it.

• If at work or school, go to the basement or inside hallway at the lowest level.

Avoid rooms such as auditoriums, gymnasiums, cafeterias or large hallways.

• If outdoors, get inside a building if possible.

If unable to get indoors, lie in a ditch or low-lying area.

Remember: If you are in a ditch or low-lying area, be alert for flash floods that may accompany tornadoes.

• If in a vehicle, never try to outrun a tornado.

Get out of the vehicle immediately and take shelter in a nearby building.

• Use your arms to protect your head and neck.

South Africa's Whirlwind History of Tornadoes since 1905

South Africa has a whirlwind history of tornadoes, some which have created massive destruction over the decades.

Tornadoes are violent rotating columns of air that extend from a thunderstorm and are much smaller in diameter, typically less than a few hundred metres, but some are larger than 1 km. Tornadoes can last from several seconds to more than an hour, and they usually occur over land. If a tornado occurs over water, is called a water spout.

According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), tornadoes can occur basically anywhere where a thunderstorm is possible. Most of them have been observed in Gauteng, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, along the escarpment, a line from Pietermaritzburg to Ladysmith and the northern region of the Eastern Cape.

Most tornadoes occur in mid-summer from November to January, although many tornadoes have occurred in the spring months of September to October and in the late summer and autumn month February through May.

Most tornado events in the country occur in the late afternoon or early evening when thunderstorms normally start to develop

The country’s deadliest tornado occurred in Mount Ayliff in the Eastern Cape on January 18, 1999 and was classified as F4.

The tornado ravaged areas around Mount Ayliff and Tabankulu, leaving mass destruction. It's estimated around 95% of residents in the area were left homeless, 25 people were killed and about 500 people were injured.

The largest tornado ever recorded was in Welkom in the Free State on March 20, 1990. Up to 4000 homes were destroyed, estimated at more than R230-million worth of damage.

Harrismith had a very severe tornado which struck on November 15, 1998 travelling some 9 kilometres and destroying 750 homes, 3 airplane hangers and injuring 15 people.

The Roodepoort tornado of November 26, 1948 travelled about 64 kilometres, caused an estimated six fatalities and 100 injuries. 700 homes were destroyed resulting in approximately R150-million in damages.