Tornado outbreak of March 21–22, 1952

On March 21–22, 1952, a severe tornado outbreak generated eight violent tornadoes across the Southern United States, causing 209 fatalities—50 of which occurred in a single tornado in Arkansas. In addition, this tornado outbreak is the deadliest on record to ever affect the state of Tennessee, with 66 of the fatalities associated with this outbreak occurring in the state; this surpasses the 60 fatalities from a tornado outbreak in 1909, and in terms of fatalities is well ahead of both the 1974 Super Outbreak and the Super Tuesday tornado outbreak, each of which generated 45 and 31 fatalities, respectively. The severe weather event also resulted in the fourth-largest number of tornado fatalities within a 24-hour period since 1950. To date this was considered the most destructive tornado outbreak in Arkansas on record.

Background
A large low pressure system raced across the Northern Pacific before reaching the coast of the Southern Alaska Panhandle on March 17. A new low formed from the original one and moved quickly southeastward through Canada and the Great Plains before turning eastward over Northern Oklahoma during the afternoon of March 19. It subsequently moved into Southwestern Missouri near Joplin and shot northeastward as another low that had formed in Nevada on March 19 surged into the region on March 21 and made a gradual northeastward turn through North Texas, Southeastern Oklahoma, and Northwestern Arkansas before turning northward on March 22 after it entered Illinois. Favorable conditions in the atmosphere led to a massive area of strong and severe thunderstorms that produced damaging winds, large hail, heavy rain, flooding, lightning, and tornadoes.

Confirmed tornadoes
Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRAD Doppler weather radar in 1990–1991. 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments. Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.

Non-tornadic effects
The weather system associated with the outbreak also produced several inches of snow across the central and northern Great Plains and the upper Midwest. Blizzard conditions affected Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. A significant blizzard affected the Great Plains. In Kansas, 15 in of snow were recorded. On March 22, Charles City, Iowa, documented 11.6 in, which was the town's greatest 24-hour snowfall record at the time. Minnesota reported 17 in, while Bergland, Michigan, reported 2 ft of snowfall. Heavy snow and strong winds disrupted highways and road traffic. Flash floods also affected Sumner and Clay counties, Tennessee.