October 1997 North American storm complex
 Snowfall totals map of Eastern Nebraska | |
| Type | Extratropical cyclone, Blizzard, Derecho, Tornado outbreak, Windstorm |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 23, 1997 |
| Dissipated | October 31, 1997 |
| Lowest pressure | 993 mb (29.32 inHg) |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 84 confirmed |
| Max rating1 | F3 tornado |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 13.2 inches Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Casualties | fatalities:13 (snow); 0 (tornado); injuries: unknown |
| Areas affected | Eastern two-thirds of North America and adjacent waters |
|
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale Part of the 1997 North American winter storms | |
The October 1997 North American storm complex was a blizzard and tornado outbreak that affected the Northwest, Rockies, much of the Midwest and Deep south. 84 tornadoes were confirmed as the system moved eastward across the eastern half of the United States, including four that were rated as F3 on the Fujita scale.
The storms resulted in 13 deaths (five in Colorado, two each in Nebraska and Illinois, and one each in Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Kansas), and caused power outages and school closings lasting up to a week in affected areas. The event was famously billed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as being a "two-hundred year storm". The wind caused much damage, downing trees and power poles.