NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information
Significant SPC Storm Reports
Only 58 preliminary tornadoes occurred during the month of August, well shy of the 3-year average of 85. Also below the 3-year average are deaths, as none occurred for the third straight month. The 3-year average of tornado related fatalities is 91 and the year-to-date total is only 21.
On August 19, nearly half of the months tornado totals occurred in a six state region that included Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, and Ohio. Dozens of people were injured across the area, but no one was killed. The most powerful of the tornadoes was an EF-2 in Chesterton, Indiana. The small town southeast of Chicago witnessed a four mile long tornado that, at its peak, contained winds of 120 mph and a width of 60 yards.