The Super Bowl Storm of 1975: Tornadoes, Blizzards, and the Steelers’ First Title
While their beloved Vikings were battling the Pittsburgh Steelers for the NFL championship, Minnesotans (and much of the rest of the country) were battling a crippling storm!
Quick Reference
- Storm name: The Great Storm of 1975, also known as the Super Bowl Blizzard, the Storm of the Century (in Minnesota), and the Tornado Outbreak of January 1975.
- Dates: January 9 through January 12, 1975.
- Reach: Pacific Northwest, Rockies, Plains, Midwest, and Southeast.
- Tornadoes: 45 confirmed across 10 states. 39 on January 10 alone, a single-day January record.
- Snowfall: A foot or more in Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota. Drifts up to 20 feet.
- Wind: Gusts to 90 mph in the Upper Midwest.
- Toll: 12 tornado deaths, 58 blizzard deaths, 100,000+ farm animals lost. $63 million in damage.
- Game day: Pittsburgh Steelers beat Minnesota Vikings 16-6 in Super Bowl IX at Tulane Stadium.
On January 12, 1975, while the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers were battling it out for the NFL championship at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, much of the rest of the country was waging an altogether different battle.
A crippling storm that created blizzard conditions in some areas and deadly tornadoes in others brought much of America to its knees during the weekend of Super Bowl IX. The intense storm system, known alternately as the Great Storm of 1975, the Super Bowl Blizzard, the Storm of the Century (in Minnesota), and the Tornado Outbreak of January 1975, ravaged much of the Central and Southeast United States between January 9 and January 12.
Tornado Outbreak
Over the course of four days, the storm produced 45 tornadoes in the Southeast and dumped as much as two feet of snow in parts of the Midwest. The storm was, and remains, both one of the worst Midwestern blizzards in recorded history, as well as one of the largest tornado outbreaks during the month of January.
The storm system originated over the Pacific Ocean on January 8, slamming into the Pacific Northwest with damaging gale-force winds. A day later, it crossed the Rocky Mountains and collided with both arctic air from Canada and warm tropical air from the Gulf of Mexico. This combination of forces resulted in record low barometric pressure readings in the Midwest. Coupled with unseasonably warm daytime temperatures in the Southeastern United States, this low-pressure system resulted in 42 tornadoes from the evening of January 9 through the following morning in Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, and Mississippi. At least seven tornadoes touched down in Louisiana, where the Super Bowl would be played just a couple of days later. January 10 broke the record for the most tornadoes on one day in January, with a total of 39 confirmed twisters.
Hardest Hit
Mississippi and Alabama were the hardest hit by this outbreak. While Alabama had the most twisters of any state, with 13, Mississippi took the brunt of the largest and deadliest tornado of the outbreak. An F4 tornado pummeled four counties just after 8 a.m. on the 10th, killing nine people and injuring more than 200.
After a day of quiet on the 11th, more tornadoes touched down in Georgia and Florida on Super Bowl Sunday, killing one person and injuring many others. In all, the tornado outbreak claimed 12 lives.
Meanwhile, in the Midwest…
At the same time, a powerful snowstorm gripped much of the Midwest, from Oklahoma to the Canadian border, dumping a foot or more of snow on Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota. The storm also brought wind gusts of up to 90 mph in some areas, drastically reducing visibility, creating life-threatening wind chills, and producing snowdrifts up to 20 feet high.
The blizzard is considered to this day to be one of the worst the Upper Midwest has ever experienced. It resulted in 58 human deaths, plus the loss of more than 100,000 farm animals.
Collectively, the storm system resulted in more than $63 million in property damage: $43 million from the tornadoes and another $20 million from the snow.
Despite all of the devastation throughout the nation, Super Bowl IX went on as planned. The Steelers won, 16-6. For more on storms of this scale and pattern, see our historic blizzards archive and our Storm of the Century retrospective.
Why a January Tornado-and-Blizzard Storm
- Pacific origin. The system formed over the Pacific Ocean on January 8 and walked east across the continent.
- Rocky Mountain handoff. Crossing the Rockies on January 9 wrung the moisture out of one side of the storm and re-energized the other.
- Three-air-mass collision. Arctic air from Canada, warm Gulf air from the south, and the Pacific moisture aloft all met over the central United States.
- Two faces. The storm produced blizzard wind and snow on the cold side and tornado wind and rain on the warm side, sometimes within 200 miles of each other.
Storm Numbers at a Glance
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Tornadoes confirmed | 45 across 10 states |
| Tornadoes January 10 | 39 (single-day January record) |
| Tornado states | OK, AL, FL, LA, AR, TX, IN, IL, NC, MS |
| Strongest tornado | F4, Mississippi, January 10 morning |
| Snow in Upper Midwest | 1+ foot in NE, SD, MN; up to 2 feet in spots |
| Snow drifts | Up to 20 feet |
| Peak wind | 90 mph gusts |
| Tornado deaths | 12 |
| Blizzard deaths | 58 |
| Farm animal losses | 100,000+ |
| Total damage | $63 million ($43M tornado + $20M snow) |
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Super Bowl Storm of 1975?
January 9 through January 12, 1975, with peak impact on January 10 across the Southeast and the Upper Midwest. Super Bowl IX was played on January 12 in New Orleans.
How could a storm produce both blizzards and tornadoes?
The storm system pulled arctic air from Canada down its cold side and warm humid Gulf air up its warm side. The contrast was sharp enough to fire blizzards in the Upper Midwest and an outbreak of tornadoes across the Deep South at the same time.
How many tornadoes did the 1975 storm produce?
45 confirmed tornadoes across 10 states. 39 of them touched down on January 10 alone, which is still a single-day record for the month of January.
What state was hit hardest by the tornadoes?
Alabama had the most twisters at 13. Mississippi took the deadliest, an F4 that hit four counties on the morning of January 10, killing nine and injuring more than 200.
How bad was the Midwest blizzard?
A foot or more of snow fell across Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota, with drifts up to 20 feet. Wind gusts hit 90 mph. The storm killed 58 people and over 100,000 farm animals. Minnesotans still call it the Storm of the Century locally.
Did Super Bowl IX go ahead?
Yes. Despite seven tornadoes touching down in Louisiana the same week, Super Bowl IX was played as scheduled on January 12 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Minnesota Vikings 16-6.
Could a storm like this happen again?
Yes. The pattern that produced 1975, a deep Midwestern low pulling Gulf moisture into a tornado outbreak while feeding a Plains blizzard on the back side, recurs every few winters. Modern long-range forecasting and warning lead time mean far fewer surprise hits today than in 1975.
Tell Us
Were you in Mississippi, Minnesota, or anywhere in between during the Super Bowl Storm of 1975? Drop a comment with your memory and your county. We collect them for the Almanac archive.
Jaime McLeod
Jaime McLeod is a longtime journalist who has written for a wide variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including MTV.com. She enjoys the outdoors, growing and eating organic food, and is interested in all aspects of natural wellness.
- Jaime McLeod
- Jaime McLeod
- Jaime McLeod
- Jaime McLeod
I was in Minnesota then. The wind was so strong it was forcing snow through the window frame in my bathroom. Much more than 9 mph.
I believe your on the mark myself or close to it. I read colder & more snow this year. Definately been colder here in Wisconsin.