Greensboro, North Carolina tornado

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The Greensboro, North Carolina tornado of 1936 was one of many destructive, F4 or F5 tornadoes spawned by an unusually strong storm outbreak that swept the Southeastern U.S. during the first week of April, 1936.

On the evening of April 2, 1936, the Greensboro tornado left a long swath of F4 (see Fujita scale) damage across the southwest and south side of Greensboro, passing through the south side of downtown. The storm began its path near High Point Road at Elam Street and continued east along Lee Street to east of Bennett College. This tornado was responsible for 14 deaths, and 144 injuries, and stands as the second deadliest tornado in the history of North Carolina.

The tornado was part of a massive outbreak of killer tornadoes. The previous day, Tignall, GA had been struck by an F4 tornado, and earlier on the same day, an F4 tornado had also caused destruction in Cordele, GA. Later in the week, devastating tornadoes would strike Waynesboro, TN, Tupelo, MS and Gainesville, GA.