The tornado outbreak of April 1–2, 1974, affected much of the eastern and central United States. Four fatalities and more than seventy injuries were confirmed in this outbreak. Damaging, deadly tornadoes struck Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama—including the Nashville and Huntsville metropolitan areas. In the latter areas, tornadoes produced F3 damage on the Fujita scale and impacted areas that would later sustain damage on April 3. Large hail and severe thunderstorm winds also impacted a broad area.

Background

The outbreak began when a powerful area of low pressure formed across the Great Plains on April 1 and moved into Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. As it did, a surge of very moist warm air intensified the storm. As a result, a series of tornado outbreaks occurred. The outbreak produced 23 confirmed tornadoes, three of which caused at least one fatality. The outbreak ended approximately 30 hours before the Super Outbreak of 1974 began. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a total of 11 severe weather watches on April 1 alone. These watches, along with the damage and deaths that followed, prompted alertness among the general public that may have reduced casualties and losses during the larger outbreak of April 3 to April 4. According to the NWS, the severe weather on April 1 spurred appropriate protective measures a few days later, and consequently "many lives were saved."

Confirmed tornadoes

Non-tornadic effects

Peak wind gusts reached 69 mi/h in the strongest thunderstorms, over Daviess County, Kentucky. The largest hailstones peaked at 3 in in circumference, as measured in Washington County, Mississippi.