| Tornado outbreak of December 23–25, 2015 | |
| Active: | – |
| Tornadoes: | 38 |
| Fujitascale: | EF4 |
| Tornado Duration: | 2 days, 14 hours, 32 minutes |
| Highest Winds: | 170mph (Holly Springs, Mississippi EF4 tornado) on December 23 90- near Black Gnat, Kentucky on December 23 |
| Hail: | 2.75inches –
|
| Total Fatalities: | 13 fatalities (+5 non-tornadic), 77 injuries |
| Damages: | $1 billion (2015 USD)[1] |
| Enhanced: | yes |
On December 23, 2015, an outbreak of supercell thunderstorms produced tornadoes across northern Mississippi and middle Tennessee, resulting in 13 tornado-related deaths and numerous injuries. Other tornadoes occurred as far north as Indiana and Michigan. Scattered tornado activity continued over the next two days before the outbreak ended. This was the first of two deadly tornado outbreaks to impact the southern United States during December 2015 with the other occurring just a day after this one ended.
On at December 23, 2015, the Storm Prediction Center discussed the probabilities for severe weather to materialize in the Mississippi Valley, encompassing regions in northern Louisiana, eastern Arkansas, northwestern Mississippi, western Tennessee, the Missouri Bootheel, and extreme southwestern Kentucky. A cold front ejecting from the Texas Panhandle and a warm front coming from the lower Ohio River valley, intersected by a stationary front placed over western Kansas, led to the creation of a triple point over northwestern Missouri. This set up the environment for an atmosphere conductive to severe weather. As the evening progressed, further certainty arose for the possibility for an outbreak, as Convective Available Potential Energy values of around 1,000–2,000 J/kg and effective wind shear were present for the aforementioned areas of the upper Mississippi Valley. Daylight heating in these areas gave way for effective buoyancy in the area, further improving the conditions for supercells and to develop. Given the favorable parameters, the SPC, alongside its Convective outlook, introduced a 15% hatched area for tornadoes, indicating the probability for a few strong tornadoes to occur, as discrete supercell thunderstorms were expected to develop in the area.[2] As such, the SPC issued a PDS tornado watch, the first of multiple tornado watches that day, for northern Louisiana, western Arkansas, northwestern Mississippi, and western Tennessee, highlighting the elevated threat for strong tornadoes in the area.[3] At 2000 UTC, the SPC introduced an increased area for the concern of strong tornadoes, extending the existent area to reach central Tennessee, northwestern Alabama, and central portions of Kentucky.[4]
The first tornadoes of the day occurred in the Midwest, where an EF1 tornado that touched down in Greenwood, Indiana, where several homes sustained damage. Another tornado caused damage to homes in the Indianapolis suburb of Noblesville. In Illinois, a tornado destroyed multiple outbuildings and downed trees near the town of Sciota.[5] The outbreak also spawned the only known tornado to touch down in Michigan during the month of December, an EF1 tornado that struck the Detroit suburb of Canton, causing considerable damage to vehicles, an industrial park, and a gas station.[6]
In the area with the greatest risk for tornadoes, multiple supercells developed by noon, soon becoming tornadic. A strong EF2 tornado occurred near Marianna, Arkansas, completely destroying mobile homes, tearing roofs off of frame homes, and damaging cabins in the area. A large EF3 tornado eventually touched down south of Clarksdale, Mississippi, killing two people and severely damaging or destroying about 15 homes in that area. The tornado continued to the northeast, later snapping trees and destroying homes near Marks and Como before dissipating. The same parent supercell produced another tornado further east of Como, a violent EF4 tornado that devastated 6 counties on Mississippi and Tennessee along a 75.09miles mile long path, killing 9 people.[7] [8] [9] Another destructive EF3 tornado struck the small community of Lutts, Tennessee after dark, destroying multiple homes and a church, and completely leveling the town's post office. Significant tornado activity continued through parts of Mississippi and Tennessee overnight, including an EF2 tornado that killed an elderly couple in their small, unanchored home near Linden, Tennessee. In total, the outbreak produced a total of 13 tornado-related deaths and numerous injuries.[10] Additional scattered tornado activity occurred on the 24th and 25th, including a high-end EF2 tornado that caused heavy damage in the southwestern part of Birmingham, Alabama on Christmas Day.[11]
| Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF0 | SSW of Moncks Corner | Berkeley | SC | 0827–0828 | 0.2abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A brief tornado tossed roofing material, impaled a piece of wood into the side of a building, and destroyed a 200sqfoot shed; the shed's roof was tossed 300feet. A telephone pole was blown over, multiple 150lb carts were tossed away from the site of the shed, and a convergent damage signature was visible in vegetation farther along the path as well.[12] | ||
| EF1 | ESE of Bee Branch | Van Buren | AR | 35.4345°N -92.3409°W | 1420–1421 | 0.18abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A brief, weak tornado destroyed a home east of Bee Branch.[13] | |
| EF1 | ESE of Van Buren | Carter | MO | 1543–1551 | 6abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | An old abandoned school house was nearly destroyed in the small community of Chilton, and a few homes received siding and shingle damage. The metal roofing of an old saw mill was damaged, and hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted as well.[14] | ||
| EF1 | W of Mill Spring | Wayne | MO | 1556–1559 | 2.95abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Several trees were snapped or uprooted and large tree branches were broken.[15] | ||
| EF1 | NE of Patterson | Wayne | MO | 1608–1612 | 3.04abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A couple dozen tree trunks were snapped and large tree branches were broken or snapped.[16] | ||
| EF0 | E of Ava | Jackson | IL | 1715–1721 | 6abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Many trees were snapped or uprooted.[17] | ||
| EF1 | E of Pinckneyville to Southern Tamaroa | Perry | IL | 1723–1729 | 5.03abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, several barns sustained severe structural damage, and several homes experienced varying degrees of roof damage.[18] | ||
| EF1 | WSW of Albion | Wayne, Edwards | IL | 1830–1836 | 4.28abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A few trees were uprooted, while several were snapped. A home sustained partial shingle loss, and a barn also had its roof damaged.[19] [20] | ||
| EF1 | NW of Carmi | White | IL | 1832–1835 | 1.58abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Trees were uprooted or snapped near Burrell Woods Campground.[21] | ||
| EF1 | Greenwood | Johnson | IN | 2042–2043 | 0.3abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 40abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Three homes sustained structural damage and several trees were uprooted.[22] | ||
| EF3 | NE of Shelby to E of Como | Bolivar, Coahoma, Quitman, Panola | MS | 34.0026°N -90.7126°W | 2054–2157 | 61.57abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 800abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 2 deaths – Power poles were bent at EF0 strength near Shelby before the tornado reached EF3 strength near Clarksdale, where trees were debarked and small frame homes and mobile homes were completely destroyed. Airplanes and metal buildings were destroyed at a small airport in this area as well. EF1 tree damage occurred near Marks and Sledge before the tornado regained high-end EF3 strength between Como and Sardis, where a brick home was completely leveled, and another had its exterior walls collapse before the tornado dissipated east of Como as the Holly Springs EF4 tornado developed just to the east. A total of 28 people were injured.[23] [24] [25] [26] | |
| EF1 | Noblesville | Hamilton | IN | 2055–2057 | 0.7abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 140abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A mobile home was flipped over and destroyed, and a trampoline was blown onto a mailbox.[27] | ||
| EF2 | S of Marianna | Lee | AR | 34.694°N -90.7741°W | 2057–2102 | 4.65abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | The tornado flattened grain bins, removed the roof from a brick house, destroyed a mobile home, and damaged cabins.[28] | |
| EF1 | WNW of Williamstown | Decatur, Rush | IN | 2113–2115 | 0.78abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | One barn was destroyed, another barn had roof panels torn off, and tree limbs were snapped.[29] [30] | ||
| EF0 | S of Pueblo | Spencer | IN | 2139–2142 | 2.05abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Tree limbs were broken and small trees were snapped.[31] | ||
| EF0 | E of Fountain City to Bethel | Wayne | IN | 2157–2205 | 3.25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 30abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Multiple outbuildings were destroyed and barns were damaged. The tornado struck the town of Bethel before dissipating, where a church sustained roof damage and had its chimney collapsed.[32] | ||
| EF4 | NNE of Sardis, MS to NE of Selmer, TN | Tate (MS), Marshall (MS), Benton (MS), Tippah (MS), Hardeman (TN), McNairy (TN) | MS, TN | 34.5955°N -89.7055°W | 2210–2325 | 75.09abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 1300abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 9 deaths – See section on this tornado – 36 people were injured.[33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] | |
| EF0 | E of Arcanum | Darke | OH | 2212–2215 | 0.03abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 20abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A brief tornado lifted the roof off a large metal building.[39] | ||
| EF1 | SW of Sciota to S of Roseville | McDonough, Warren | IL | 40.5391°N -90.7834°W | 2215–2230 | 10.7abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Outbuildings were destroyed, and a few trees were snapped.[40] [41] | |
| EF0 | WSW of Reynolds to E of Andalusia | Mercer, Rock Island | IL | 41.3153°N -90.7731°W | 2233–2246 | 10.62abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Several trees and tree branches were snapped off.[42] [43] | |
| EF1 | Hiawatha | Linn | IA | 42.0507°N -91.7219°W | 2234–2238 | 2.25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Approximately twelve homes sustained roof and siding damage, and trees were snapped or uprooted.[44] | |
| EF1 | SW of Jackson | Madison | TN | 35.5549°N -89.0729°W | 2243–2244 | 1.21abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Several storage buildings and barns were damaged, and a home sustained roof damage.[45] | |
| EF1 | Wayne | MI | 2343–2346 | 1.96abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A tornado downed trees and tree limbs in residential areas, caused considerable damage to metal buildings and vehicles at an industrial park, and tore the metal roof off of a gas station. It is the only known tornado to have occurred in Michigan during the month of December.[46] | |||
| EF1 | NW of Luxemburg | Dubuque | IA | 2338–2340 | 1.1abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Trees and outbuildings were damaged on two farms.[47] | ||
| EF1 | W of Booneville | Prentiss | MS | 34.6622°N -88.6863°W | 0016–0020 | 3.93abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 80abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Several mobile homes were damaged or destroyed, trees were uprooted, and a house slid off of its foundation.[48] | |
| EF2 | Perry, Hickman | TN | 35.5499°N -87.8145°W | 0017–0032 | 14.92abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 500abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 2 deaths – Numerous sheds, barns, and outbuildings were destroyed, along with a small, unanchored home along U.S. Highway 412 (where the two fatalities occurred). A brick home sustained major damage in Perry County, and several other homes were damaged in Hickman County. Hundreds of trees were downed along the path.[49] [50] | ||
| EF3 | SW of Lutts to SW of Mount Pleasant | Wayne, Lawrence, Lewis, Maury | TN | 35.1353°N -87.9651°W | 0055–0152 | 48.38abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 800abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Strong tornado moved through Lutts, completely leveling the post office, destroying a church, and sweeping several unanchored homes from their foundations. The tornado moved north of Collinwood and across the intersection of U.S. Highway 64 and the Natchez Trace Parkway, where an outbuilding and the roof of a mobile home were destroyed. In Lawrence County, another unanchored house was swept from its foundation and several more homes lost roofs or sustained heavy structural damage. In Maury County, a barn was destroyed before the tornado lifted. Thousands of trees were downed along the path, and seven people were injured: four in Lutts and three in a house in Lawrence County.[51] [52] [53] [54] | |
| EF2 | N of Waterloo, AL to NNW of Cypress Inn, TN | Lauderdale (AL), Wayne (TN) | AL, TN | 34.954°N -88.0731°W | 0100–0117 | 14.87abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 400abbr=onNaNabbr=on | In Lauderdale County, large sections of roofing was removed from two houses and a church, another home sustained minor damage, a mobile home was pushed off its foundation, and many trees were downed. Moving into Wayne County, the tornado destroyed one home and downed dozens more trees before lifting. One person was injured in a house in Lauderdale County.[55] [56] | |
| EF1 | S of Butler | Pendleton | KY | 38.7167°N -84.371°W | 0111–0116 | 3.75abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 440abbr=onNaNabbr=on | An anchored mobile home was rolled over, a 15square feet dock was broken loose and pulled across a pond, a barn was destroyed, and three more barns were damaged, with one's roof being ripped off and thrown into adjacent trees. A camper was lifted 10feetto15feetft (toft) above a stand of trees before being dropped and destroyed, heavy sections of horse corral fencing were carried approximately 50yd, a house lost part of its roof, and two more homes sustained structural damage consisting of roof damage and blown in garage doors. Many trees were downed along the path, and three people were injured.[57] | |
| EF2 | ESE of Alexandria to E of Lancaster | DeKalb, Smith | TN | 36.0614°N -85.9708°W | 0414–0425 | 8.92abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 250abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Three homes and a log cabin home sustained minor roof damage, two barns were heavily damaged, and a cinder-block garage and a small shed were destroyed. Another home lost its roof, two exterior walls on the second level, two covered porches, and an adjacent carport. Many trees were downed along the path, which crossed the Smith Fork Creek seven times between Temperance Hall and Lancaster. This was the first December tornado recorded in both counties.[58] [59] | |
| EF0 | Parkersburg | Wood | WV | 39.2474°N -81.5966°W | 0425–0426 | 0.18abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 25abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A brief tornado touched down in Parkersburg, causing roof damage to several buildings. An old church had its roof completely removed.[60] | |
| Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF0 | Barbour | AL | 32.027°N -85.339°W | 0941–0948 | 3.6abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Several trees were downed along U.S. Highway 82.[61] | ||
| EF0 | Barbour | AL | 31.8829°N -85.5918°W | 1034–1040 | 3.16abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 125abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Two sheds were damaged, and numerous trees were downed.[62] | ||
| EF0 | Upson | GA | 32.8212°N -84.1342°W | 1829–1830 | 0.2abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 80abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Several trees were snapped or uprooted, and a small shed was destroyed.[63] | ||
| Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF1 | Bedford | TN | 35.495°N -86.4099°W | 1318–1319 | 0.48abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 75abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Two large sections of roofing were torn off a Rubbermaid factory, with roofing gravel being blown in all directions and several company vehicles being damaged. Six empty tractor-trailers were blown around and partially stacked, and several garage doors failed, with at least three being blown back into the building. A Calsonic building was also impacted, with two windows blown out, a glass door blown in, and a carport being damaged. Elsewhere, a large tree was blown down, tree branches were broken off, and a few metal signs were smashed to the ground.[64] | |||
| EF0 | Tuscaloosa | AL | 33.1063°N -87.3473°W | 2129–2142 | 4.98abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 185abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Approximately one dozen trees were snapped or uprooted.[65] | |||
| EF0 | SE of Pineville | Smith | MS | 32.1053°N -89.3766°W | 2151–2152 | 0.74abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 50abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A chicken house had its tin roof partially torn off, and multiple trees were downed.[66] | ||
| EF2 | Southwestern Birmingham | Jefferson | AL | 33.4433°N -86.9137°W | 2255–2259 | 0.88abbr=onNaNabbr=on | 130abbr=onNaNabbr=on | A brief but strong tornado touched down near Midfield and impacted approximately 50 homes, many of which sustained varying degrees of roof damage and 15 of which were left uninhabitable due to heavy damage. Two of these small homes were nearly flattened. Many trees were snapped or uprooted along the path as well. Two people were injured.[67] |
| Holly Springs–Ashland, Mississippi/Selmer, Tennessee | |
| Fujitascale: | EF4 |
| Total Fatalities: | 9 fatalities, 36 injuries |
| Damages: | $10.922 million |
| Enhanced: | yes |
| Highest Winds: | 170mph |
This violent and deadly wedge tornado, which originated from the same cell that produced the Como, Mississippi EF3, touched down in Tate County, Mississippi to the southwest of Holly Springs, initially only causing EF0 tree damage. The tornado rapidly intensified to EF3 strength as it entered Marshall County, obliterating several mobile homes and sweeping away multiple unanchored block foundation homes. A 12-year-old child survived being thrown 300 yards in this area when the mobile home he was in disintegrated. The tornado continued towards Holly Springs, prompting a tornado emergency and leveling a church at high-end EF3 strength. Brick homes in the area had their roofs removed and exterior walls collapsed.[11] The tornado then impacted the south edge of town, causing major damage to a motor sports park, snapping numerous hardwood trees, and destroying homes in the area. The damage that occurred at the Holly Springs Motor Sports Park was particularly severe. Two cinder block restroom facility buildings at this location were reduced to bare slabs with the plumbing fixtures ripped away and missing, and a large 30000sigfig=4NaNsigfig=4 motor home was found upside-down 100 meters away from where it originated, resting on the foundation of a small two-story office building that was completely leveled. A 25-foot section of the top half of the reinforced concrete drag strip wall was broken off with the connecting rebar sheared off, likely as a result of a vehicle being slammed into it during the tornado. A dragster and a company van were both thrown 200 meters, and a metal-framed service garage building was obliterated with anchor bolts ripped out of the foundation and a large engine winch torn from its anchors and blown off of the slab. Ground scouring and debarking of trees occurred on the property as well, and a large section of the aluminum grandstands was blown 500 yards.[68] Two people were killed in Holly Springs, and several others were injured. The tornado continued to intensify as it entered Benton County and passed to the northeast of Ashland, where it reached very high-end EF3 strength as it completely flattened several poorly anchored frame homes, scoured pavement from a road, mangled vehicles beyond recognition, and killed multiple people. An unanchored home in this area was obliterated and swept away along with much of its block foundation, leaving little trace behind. Trees in the area were debarked, a metal warehouse building was damaged, and a brick church had its roof torn off as well.[11] [69]
Continuing to the northeast, the tornado reached EF4 strength near the rural community of Canaan, where trees were debarked and a large home was completely leveled and mostly swept away, leaving much of the foundation slab bare. Two other homes in this area were heavily damaged at EF2 strength.[11] The tornado continued into Tippah County at EF3 strength as it destroyed several homes and a metal warehouse building near Walnut. The tornado maintained EF3 intensity crossed the state line into Tennessee, entering Hardeman County and passing near Middleton, damaging several homes in the area. Continuing into McNairy County, the tornado destroyed several additional homes at the south edge of Selmer before dissipating. Overall, 9 people were killed along the path and 36 others were injured.[11]