What 1974 tornado outbreak produced 148 confirmed tornadoes across North America?

The 1974 Super Outbreak produced the 148 confirmed tornadoes traditionally cited across North America. It unfolded on April 3–4, 1974, across 13 U.S. states and Ontario, making it one of the most destructive and scientifically important tornado outbreaks ever recorded.

The outbreak began as a powerful spring storm system generated a series of long-lived supercells. Tornadoes struck from the Midwest into the Deep South, and several storms produced multiple violent tornadoes. The event included the devastating Xenia, Ohio, tornado and deadly F5 tornadoes in Alabama, Kentucky, and Indiana.

Counts can vary slightly because historical surveys and databases have been revised. Older summaries commonly give 148 confirmed tornadoes, while modern compilations often list 149 after adding or reclassifying an event. That counting difference does not change the quiz answer. The 1974 Super Outbreak is also often compared with the 2011 Super Outbreak, which later surpassed it in total tornado count and became the largest U.S. outbreak by that measure.