| Tornadoes of 2023 | |
| Timespan: | January 2 – December 19 |
| Max Ef: | EF4 |
| Max Location: | Rolling Fork, Mississippi |
| Max Date: | March 24 |
| Max Location2: | Keota, Iowa |
| Max Date2: | March 31 |
| Max Location3: | Didsbury, Alberta |
| Max Date3: | July 1 |
| Total Fatalities World: | 116 |
| Year: | 2023 |
This is a list of notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2023. Strong, destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Bangladesh and East India, but can occur almost anywhere. Tornadoes develop occasionally in southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer, and at other times of the year across Europe, Asia, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. They are often accompanied by other forms of severe weather, including thunderstorms, strong winds, and large hail. Worldwide, 116 tornado-related deaths were confirmed83 in the United States, 12 in China, nine in Indonesia, eight in Myanmar, three in Turkey, and one in Saudi Arabia.
January had the third-highest number of tornado watches and confirmed tornadoes of any January on record in the United States.[1] The first two months of the year had the fourth-highest number of confirmed tornadoes for the first 59 days of any year on record.[2] The year was deadlier than average, with a number of fatal tornadoes. By April 5, 63 tornado-related deaths were recorded in the United States; this was almost three times higher than 2022's total of 23 fatalities, approaching the annual average of roughly 70 deaths.[3] Below-average tornadic activity occurred in May, but active weather patterns spawned damaging tornado outbreaks throughout the summer and 12 more people died. Damaging tornadoes also affected parts of Canada during that time, including the country's first violent tornado since 2018. Tornadic activity decreased dramatically in September, and was almost non-existent during much of the autumn. Most Atlantic tropical cyclones missed the United States during the peak of hurricane season, with few early-season frontal systems; an intense outbreak in December produced 18 tornadoes, causing seven fatalities.
Several European organizations, including the European Severe Storms Laboratory and Deutscher Wetterdienst, began publishing and using the new International Fujita scale in August 2023.[4] The first major tornado outbreak using the scale occurred three months later, when Storm Ciarán affected much of Europe.
| Bodyclass: | vevent |
| Fatal United States tornadoes in 2023 | |
| Titleclass: | summary |
| Align: | center |
| Float: | center |
| Relief: | yes |
| Width: | 300 |
See main article: List of United States tornadoes from January to February 2023, List of United States tornadoes in March 2023, List of United States tornadoes from April to May 2023, List of United States tornadoes in June 2023, List of United States tornadoes from July to August 2023 and List of United States tornadoes from September to December 2023. There were 1,423 reported tornadoes[5] and 1,378 confirmed tornadoes in the United States in 2023.
In early January, a three-day severe-weather outbreak brought damaging winds, large hail, and a number of tornadoes to the southern United States and impacted the Midwest to a lesser extent. On January 2, the Storm Prediction Center issued an enhanced-risk advisory for Arkansas and parts of surrounding states, with a risk for tornadoes. An EF1 tornado damaged homes and the high school in Jessieville, Arkansas, injuring two people.[6] [7] [8] A large 1.1adj=midNaNadj=mid EF2 tornado caused severe damage near Jonesboro, Louisiana, snapping large trees, significantly damaging several residences, and injuring three people. Another strong EF2 tornado knocked down metal-truss electrical-transmission towers near Haile and destroyed an outbuilding. A third large, long-tracked EF2 tornado damaged or destroyed houses, vehicles, and a mobile home in Montrose, Arkansas, and snapped or uprooted many trees and power poles along its path.[9] Another enhanced-risk advisory was issued the following day farther east in the Gulf Coast region, with an enhanced risk for tornadoes in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. An EF2 tornado downed many large trees, tore most of the roof off a house, caused roof damage to other homes, and destroyed boathouses and outbuildings at the Jordan Lake Reservoir near Deatsville, Alabama. Several tornadoes touched down as far north as Illinois, including two EF0 and EF1 tornadoes that damaged outbuildings and farm equipment near Maroa. Another pair of EF1 and EF0 tornadoes briefly touched down in Decatur, with the EF1 tornado damaging a vacant bowling alley and the EF0 tornado causing minor damage at Richland Community College. Tornadoes continued touching down into the morning of January 4, including a high-end EF1 tornado that damaged several homes, flipped cars, and severely injured a person on the east side of Montgomery, Alabama. An EF1 tornado struck the small community of Roosterville, Georgia, destroying a barn and a mobile home. An EF1 tornado also struck Sandersville; homes and a warehouse were damaged and many trees were downed, some of which landed on structures. A semi-truck was overturned in Sandersville, injuring the driver.[10] Additional weak tornadoes touched down across parts of the Carolinas later that day before the outbreak ended.
Widespread flooding also occurred as a result of the storm system, with 8.55inches of rain in DeWitt, Arkansas, and 4.99inches in Greenville, Kentucky. Cane Creek State Park recorded 7.3inches of rain, its largest 24-hour total on record.[11] Daily rainfall records were also set in Memphis, Tennessee, and Jackson, Mississippi, with Amtrak's northbound City of New Orleans delayed due to flooding and debris on the tracks between the cities.[12] [13] [14] [15] Further north, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport imposed a ground stop due to snow and ice[16] in the region's fourth-largest January snowstorm.[17] One fatality occurred due to the snowstorm as the result of a car crash in Clearwater Township, Minnesota.[18] Fifty-eight tornadoes were confirmed.
See main article: Tornado outbreak of January 12, 2023. A significant tornado outbreak impacted the southeastern United States, with several strong and long-tracked tornadoes touching down and causing a number of fatalities. The SPC issued an enhanced risk of severe weather on January 12, including a 10-percent risk area for tornadoes. Multiple supercell thunderstorms formed in the threat area later that day, and significant tornadoes began touching down. The small towns of Emelle, Eutaw, and Movico, Alabama, were impacted by EF2 tornadoes, with extensive damage. A large, high-end EF2 tornado caused severe structural damage in Selma, Alabama. Many homes and businesses sustained major damage in Selma, and a daycare with 70 children and workers was destroyed; only one minor injury occurred inside, however, one of two reported injuries from the tornado. The storm that produced the Selma tornado later produced a long-tracked EF3 tornado that prompted tornado emergencies for Autauga, Elmore, Chilton, Coosa, and northern Tallapoosa counties.[19] The tornado caused seven fatalities in the Old Kingston community of Autauga County as it obliterated mobile homes, tossed vehicles and caused massive timber damage.[20] Strong tornadoes which were spawned by the Selma supercell also impacted parts of Georgia, including an EF2 tornado that inflicted major damage to homes and industrial buildings in southern LaGrange. A large EF3 tornado struck western Griffin and Experiment, severely damaging (or destroying) homes and businesses and flipping cars. This tornado was accompanied by three other tornadoes at the beginning of its track near Griffin, including a high-end EF2 tornado that considerably damaged homes and trees. Another high-end EF2 tornado also caused significant damage in Jenkinsburg and near Jackson Lake, resulting in one fatality (when a tree fell on a car) and an indirect fatality the following day when a falling tree limb knocked a transportation worker who was working to restore power out of his bucket truck.[21] A high-end EF1 tornado touched down near the Atlanta suburb of Mableton, damaging an industrial business and downing many trees (some of which fell on homes). Other weak tornadoes were confirmed in parts of Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and the Carolinas. The outbreak produced 42 tornadoes, killed eight people and injured at least 53 others.[22]
See also: 2023 Pasadena–Deer Park tornado. The Storm Prediction Center issued an enhanced risk for much of the Gulf Coast region on January 24, including a 10-percent risk area for tornadoes. A small (but significant) tornado outbreak impacted the southern United States throughout the day, primarily from southeast Texas to southern Louisiana. Multiple strong tornadoes were confirmed which included a large and destructive low-end EF3 tornado that moved through the southeastern sections of the Houston metropolitan area, impacting the suburbs of Pasadena and Deer Park.[23] This prompted the issuance of a tornado emergency, the first ever issued by the National Weather Service forecast office in Houston.[24] [25] The intense, rain-wrapped tornado inflicted major structural damage to many homes, apartment buildings, churches and businesses, and downed many trees and power lines. Cars were thrown and mangled, a metal building was destroyed, a senior center sustained major damage, and metal-truss electrical-transmission towers were blown to the ground. There were no fatalities as a result of the EF3 Houston metro tornado, although a few minor injuries were reported. The tornado caused $6.6 million in damage.[26] [27] The storm also produced two EF0 tornadoes which caused minor damage in the Houston suburbs of Sienna and Pearland before spawning the EF3 tornado. Elsewhere, a brief EF2 tornado unroofed a house and destroyed a barn near Nome. Three people were injured by another EF2 tornado that touched down near Orangefield before striking the outskirts of Orange, causing major damage to mobile homes, houses, and outbuildings before crossing into Louisiana and inflicting more severe damage to a number of structures north of Vinton. Several metal buildings were also damaged, and many large trees were snapped or uprooted by this tornado. In Louisiana, another EF2 tornado struck the small community of Gaytine, where houses had their roofs torn off, a mobile home was destroyed, a metal building was heavily damaged, and a fifth-wheel RV trailer was flipped. In Ventress, three people were injured by an EF1 tornado that destroyed a few mobile homes.[28] Three weak tornadoes touched down in Florida on January 25 before the outbreak ended, and a total of 15 tornadoes were confirmed. The storms also produced flash flooding, and a one-day rainfall record of 4.05inches was set in Houston.[29] Flash flooding temporarily closed SH 99.[30]
The Storm Prediction Center issued an enhanced-risk advisory for parts of the southeastern United States and the Ohio Valley on February 16, including a 10-percent risk area for tornadoes in parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. Severe thunderstorms developed later that day which produced damaging winds, large hail and several tornadoes, two of which were strong. An EF2 tornado near Pindall, Arkansas, destroyed barns, pushed a house off its foundation, snapped trees, and injured two people.[31] Another EF2 tornado injured one person, snapped many trees, and knocked over several metal-truss electrical-transmission towers near Ripley, Mississippi, before weakening and striking the north edge of town, where several homes and businesses had minor damage. An EF1 tornado near Wesson, Mississippi, rolled and destroyed a mobile home and damaged two other residences. An EF1 tornado near Ramer, Tennessee, inflicted heavy roof damage on a home and destroyed two garages, and another EF1 tornado near Lewisburg damaged homes, destroyed barns and outbuildings, and downed trees. An EF1 tornado caused considerable damage as it moved through southern LaGrange, Georgia on February 17, near where a damaging EF2 tornado had struck the previous month. Many trees were snapped or uprooted in LaGrange, and homes and businesses sustained roof and window damage. A total of 13 tornadoes were confirmed. In addition to tornadoes, straight-line winds from the system led to a falling tree on the Northwestern University campus injuring four people.[32] Flooding caused by the storms killed two people: one in Kentucky and one in West Virginia.[33] Flooding closed I-65 near Cullman, Alabama.[34]
See main article: February 2023 North American storm complex. A large storm system produced a wide range of significant weather events, ranging from heavy snow to tornadoes, across a large area of the United States on February 26. The Storm Prediction Center assessed a moderate risk for west-central Oklahoma, with a 45-percent risk area for damaging winds. The outlook included a 10-percent risk area for tornadoes. An enhanced risk also extended from the Texas panhandle to southwestern Missouri. Aided by strong wind shear, a squall line of severe thunderstorms with damaging straight-line winds and multiple embedded tornadoes formed and moved through the risk area later that night. A high-end EF2 tornado destroyed manufactured homes, tossed vehicles, and killed one person as it moved through the outskirts of Cheyenne, Oklahoma, injuring three people.[35] The line of storms produced five tornadoes that impacted areas in and around the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, two of which were strong. They included a high-end EF2 tornado that struck southeastern Norman, severely damaging homes and businesses, destroying self-storage units, overturning cars, and injuring 12 people. Another high-end EF2 tornado significantly damaged homes and other structures near Shawnee. Damaging straight-line winds of 70– were widely reported, with locally higher gusts which included 114mph in Memphis, Texas.[36] [37] Tornadic activity continued the next day in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio as the system pushed east. Several weak tornadoes occurred, including a high-end EF1 tornado that touched down in Jacksonburg, Ohio, before it passed near Middletown, considerably damaging several homes, barns, and trees. Thirty tornadoes were confirmed, with one tornado-related fatality; Oklahoma's 12 tornadoes set a February state record. Twelve non-tornado-related fatalities occurred as a result of the storm system.[38]
See main article: Early-March 2023 North American storm complex. A storm system brought widespread severe weather, including multiple tornadoes, across a large portion of the eastern United States in early March. The Storm Prediction Center outlined an enhanced risk across areas of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee on March 1, including a 10-percent-risk area for tornadoes.[39] A low-end EF1 tornado caused minor damage to a Shottsville, Alabama, church before downing trees and damaging the roof of a house along its path. A stronger, short-lived, high-end EF1 tornado touched down in a subdivision near Hazel Green, Alabama, severely damaging several homes and overturning a vehicle. On March 2, the SPC issued a moderate-risk advisory for the following day for parts of Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. A 15-percent-risk tornado advisory was in place across the Ark-La-Tex region, with the possibility of strong tornadoes; this was downgraded to a 10-percent risk due to uncertainty about convective modes that day. A 45-percent risk of wind damage was also in place in the same general area. A high-end EF2 tornado demolished two chicken houses and a mobile home, snapped many trees and power poles, partially unroofed a house, and injured five people near Kirby, Arkansas.[40] Several other weak tornadoes touched down throughout the threat area, including an EF1 tornado that damaged a number of homes and several businesses as it moved through southeastern Shreveport, Louisiana; two people were injured. A high-end EF1 tornado damaged multiple buildings in Pickton, Texas. The storm system moved into the Ohio Valley on March 3, where an EF2 tornado in the small community or Fremont, Kentucky, destroyed outbuildings, heavily damaged a church, and tore the roofs off several homes. In Vanderburgh County, Indiana, an EF1 tornado unroofed a church and damaged many homes and trees in Saint Joseph. Another EF1 tornado tracked from Duff to northwest Jasper, downing many trees, damaging or destroying several barns, and damaging residential roofs and siding. In Highland County, Ohio, an EF1 tornado severely damaged homes and outbuildings in and around Pricetown, downed numerous trees and tree limbs, and tore much of the roof off a church along its path. Farther south, two EF1 tornadoes in Alabama caused minor to moderate damage in and around Section and Rosalie. An EF1 tornado downed many trees in and around Gray Court, South Carolina, some of which fell on houses. In addition to the tornadoes, the severe thunderstorms included damaging straight-line winds and flooding. Thirty-three tornadoes were confirmed, and at least 13 non-tornado-related deaths occurred as a result of the storm system.[41] [42]
See also: 2022–2023 California floods. On the morning of March 22, a high-end EF1 tornado struck the Los Angeles suburb of Montebello and caused considerable damage. The tornado moved through an industrial area, where multiple warehouses had large sections of their roofs torn off. One warehouse roof almost totally collapsed, and its HVAC unit was ripped off. Signs were damaged or destroyed, windows were shattered, and a number of vehicles were damaged by flying debris. A power pole and trees were downed, a semi-trailer was tipped over, and debris was scattered throughout the area. One person was injured. It was the strongest tornado to hit Greater Los Angeles since 1983.[43] [44] [45] The storm set a daily Los Angeles rain record of 1.01inches.[46]
See main article: Tornado outbreak of March 24–27, 2023 and 2023 Rolling Fork–Silver City tornado. A four-day severe weather and tornado outbreak began on March 24 in the southeastern United States. It began in the morning, with two EF1 tornadoes causing injuries in Texas before more significant tornadoes impacted Mississippi that night. One long-tracked, violent high-end EF4 tornado with wind speeds up to 195 mph (314 km/h) prompted a tornado emergency for Rolling Fork and Silver City; both communities had major damage, with widespread catastrophic damage throughout much of Rolling Fork and 17 deaths. Another intense tornado from the same storm prompted a tornado emergency as it struck Winona, and three people were killed by th EF3 tornado. Another destructive EF3 tornado from the same storm caused major damage near or in Egypt, New Wren, and Amory, with two fatalities. More tornadoes touched down in Alabama and Tennessee later that night and into the early morning of March 25, including an EF2 tornado that caused damage in Fayetteville, Tennessee, and another EF2 tornado that killed one person in Hartselle, Alabama, early on March 25.[47] [48] [49] From March 26 into March 27, the slow-moving storm system stalled. More severe weather occurred over the next two days with several additional tornadoes, including an EF3 tornado north of West Point, Georgia, on March 26 which severely damaged trees and houses and injured five people. Thirty-three tornadoes were confirmed in the outbreak, which killed 23 people and injured many others.
See main article: Tornado outbreak of March 31 – April 1, 2023, List of tornadoes in the tornado outbreak of March 31 – April 1, 2023 and 2023 Wynne-Parkin tornado. A very large, historic, deadly tornado outbreak impacted large portions of the midwestern, southern, and eastern United States. A tornado-driven high risk was issued for two areas in the Mississippi Valley on the morning of March 31, the first high-risk issuance since March 25, 2021. The first high risk area covered southeastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, and far northeastern Missouri, while the second included eastern Arkansas, southwestern Tennessee, and northern Mississippi. That afternoon in the area around the southern high-risk area, a long-tracked high-end EF3 wedge tornado passed through the Little Rock, Arkansas metro area, prompting a tornado emergency as it significantly damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, apartments, businesses, and other structures, caused an indirect fatality, and injured 54 people. Several other large, long-tracked tornadoes touched down that afternoon and evening, including an EF3 tornado that killed four people in Wynne, Arkansas, and another EF3 tornado that killed a person in Covington, Tennessee, both of which were prompted tornado emergencies. Further to the north in the northern high-risk area, an intense, high-end EF3 tornado later caused severe damage near Martinsburg, Iowa, and the same storm produced a violent, low-end EF4 tornado that destroyed multiple homes near Keota. The Iowa towns of Coralville, Hills, Mediapolis, and Charlotte, as well as Sherman and Geneseo, Illinois were significantly damaged by EF2 tornadoes. An EF1 tornado that struck Belvidere collapsed the roof of the Apollo Theatre, which was hosting a sold-out concert; one person was killed, and over 40 were injured.[50] Between the two high-risk areas in the much larger moderate risk, another tornado-emergency-prompting, destructive EF3 tornado killed six people in Robinson, Illinois, and Sullivan, Indiana. The same cell continued northeastward, producing another EF3 tornado that destroyed homes, overturned cars and farm machinery, and killed two people near Spencer. It later spawned yet another EF3 tornado which struck Whiteland, destroying a warehouse and many homes.[51] That night, another destructive, long-tracked EF3 tornado killed nine people in McNairy County, Tennessee, impacting the outskirts of Bethel Springs and Adamsville. Very early the next morning on April 1, a high-end EF3 tornado north of Hazel Green, Alabama, destroyed homes and killed one person.[52] [53] [54] More severe weather occurred later that day along the eastern Great Lakes and East Coast, producing widespread damaging winds, isolated hail, and tornadoes; this included a destructive EF3 tornado that killed one person in Sussex County, Delaware. The tornado was the largest ever recorded in Delaware as well as the second killer tornado and the second tornado rated F3 or EF3 in the state since records began to be kept in 1950.[6] [55] [56] Seven tornadoes also touched down in New Jersey, three of which were EF2.[57] In all, 146 tornadoes, killed 26 people (one more person indirectly), and injured at least 218 others; six non-tornadic deaths also occurred during the outbreak.[58]
Another severe weather and tornado outbreak affected the Midwest, the Mississippi Valley, and the Great Lakes in early April. A moderate-risk forecast was issued by the SPC for parts of Illinois and Iowa on April 4, with another moderate-risk forecast for parts of Arkansas and Missouri. A 15-percent risk area for tornadoes was in place for both moderate-risk areas. Multiple tornadoes touched down during the afternoon and evening, including two EF1 tornadoes that touched down in the Quad Cities metro area, downed trees and damaged residential roofs in Rock Island and Moline, Illinois. Near Pleasantville, Iowa, a narrow, high-end EF1 tornado which damaged homes and outbuildings was caught on video by many storm chasers. The outbreak's most intense tornado was a large, high-end EF3 which destroyed homes and injured four people near Lewistown, Illinois, before causing significant damage in Bryant. Tanner Charles and Chris Riske' vehicles were rolled by the tornado, although they and the three other storm chasers in Charles' vehicle were not injured.[59] [60] A brief EF2 tornado ripped the roof off a gas station in Colona, and another EF2 tornado destroyed outbuildings and uplifted the roof of a house near Geneseo. A high-end EF1 tornado damaged homes, garages, and trees in Table Grove. A high-end EF2 tornado struck Grassy and Glen Allen, Missouri during the early-morning hours of April 5, causing severe damage; multiple homes had their roofs torn off, and the exterior walls of several failed. Outbuildings and mobile homes were also destroyed by the tornado, with five people killed in one of the mobile homes.[61] [62] [63] This was the deadliest tornado in Missouri since the 2011 Joplin tornado.[64]
Weak tornadoes continued to touch down across parts of the Ohio Valley later that day, including three EF1s that caused considerable damage in the Louisville metro area. One reached high-end EF1 strength, and unroofed an apartment building in the Pleasure Ridge Park neighborhood. The other two tornadoes damaged warehouses and businesses in the suburb of Watterson Park, one of which damaged the Yum! Brands headquarters. A non-tornadic fatality occurred in Louisville when a man walking his dog was killed by a falling tree.[65] Farther east, an EF0 tornado caused minor damage in Pleasantville, Ohio. The Cincinnati Reds-Chicago Cubs baseball game was postponed by the storms,[66] and Chicago O'Hare International Airport had a ground stop.[67] Anticipated severe weather in the Eastern United States on April 6 resulted in the New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, and Philadelphia Phillies postponing their home opening games.[68] [69] [70] Five tornado-related fatalities and 27 tornadoes were confirmed, in addition to the non-tornadic fatality. The National Centers for Environmental Information reported that the storm system caused $2.2 billion (2023 USD) in damage.[71]
A linear complex of severe thunderstorms with embedded circulations developed in Missouri and moved eastward through the St. Louis metro area on April 15, producing multiple tornadoes. A strong EF2 tornado destroyed an outbuilding near Vichy, Missouri, heavily damaged metal airplane hangars at Rolla National Airport, and injured five people. An EF1 tornado moved through the St. Louis suburbs of Fenton and Sunset Hills, damaging homes, warehouses, and trees. The towns of Hillsboro, Festus, and Pevely were also hit by EF1 tornadoes, with minor-to-moderate damage. Another EF1 tornado struck Belleville, Illinois, where homes, apartment buildings, and businesses had roofing blown off and large trees snapped or uprooted; some fell on structures. Farther south, an isolated EF1 tornado damaged trees and homes near Ringgold, Louisiana. Fourteen tornadoes were confirmed, and numerous reports of damaging straight-line winds were received.[72] The National Centers for Environmental Information documented that this storm system caused $1.1 billion (2023 USD) in damage.[71] The line of storms forced the Kansas City Royals to postpone their baseball game against the Atlanta Braves.[73]
On April 19, a tornado outbreak impacted areas in the southern Great Plains. In Oklahoma, 18 tornadoes touched down and moved erratically near the southern and eastern outskirts of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Several were strong, and most were produced by a large, slow-moving supercell that moved east-northeast.[74] [75] A large, high-end EF3 tornado struck Cole, heavily damaging (or destroying) homes, mobile homes, and other structures and killing one person. An indirect fatality from the tornado was also confirmed.[76] [77] [78] [79] [80] [81] The supercell produced multiple weak tornadoes and two large, high-end EF2 tornadoes that caused significant damage near Etowah,[82] before merging with another tornadic supercell to its west. This cluster of storms spawned a large, broad mesocyclone with several circulations rotating around each other due to the Fujiwhara effect.[82] [83] These circulations produced multiple erratically moving strong tornadoes after sunset. They included EF3 and EF2 tornadoes south and north of Pink, respectively, and a large, high-end EF2 tornado that struck Shawnee; numerous homes and other buildings were severely damaged or destroyed, including buildings at Oklahoma Baptist University and Shawnee High School. A news-gathering Bell 206 B3 JetRanger helicopter operated by Tulsa television station KOTV was damaged at the Shawnee Regional Airport, along with several hangars.[84] [85] [86] [87]
A supercell produced a series of eight tornadoes in Chase County, Kansas, near Strong City, including an EF0 tornado that overturned a semi-truck near Elmdale and injured one person. Two EF2 tornadoes near Strong City severely damaged outbuildings, silos, power poles and trees, and an EF0 tornado caused minor tree damage in northern Strong City. An EF1 tornado caused minor-to-moderate damage as it moved through Cottonwood Falls, and an EF0 tornado injured a person in a vehicle near Saffordville. Three EFU (unknown-intensity) tornadoes were confirmed in Iowa.[88] Another round of severe weather occurred the next day from southern Wisconsin to South Texas, including three weak tornadoes in Illinois and Texas and hail in Illinois up to 3inches wide.[89] [90] Federal disaster assistance was requested in Oklahoma after the tornado outbreak, and 32 tornadoes were confirmed. There was one direct tornado-related fatality, along with an indirect fatality and 188 injuries.[91] [92] The outbreak caused $1.9 billion in damage.[71]
In late April, a slow-moving weather system produced scattered tornadoes in the southern and eastern United States over a four-day period. On April 27, the Storm Prediction Center issued a slight-risk severe-weather forecast for the Gulf Coast, including a five-percent risk of tornadoes. A strong EF2 tornado struck the small town of Hosford, Florida, downing many trees and severely damaging several homes. A high-end EF1 tornado caused damage in Lynn Haven, and several other weak tornadoes touched down in other parts of Florida and Georgia. On April 28, an EF0 tornado caused minor damage in Boynton Beach; a brief EF0 tornado also caused minor damage near Elkin, North Carolina, and an EF1 tornado downed many trees and injured two people at Fort Hood (now Fort Cavazos) in Texas. The SPC issued a slight-risk severe-weather forecast for most of Florida and southeast Georgia the following day, including a five-percent-risk area for tornadoes. An MCS off the Florida coast produced damaging straight-line winds and heavy rain throughout the day. In Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, a high-end EF2 tornado partially unroofed an apartment building, largely destroyed a manufactured home, heavily damaged a dry-cleaning business, and downed many trees and large metal light poles. Along US 1, the tornado was caught on video as it flipped and tossed cars. During the early morning of April 30, a high-end EF1 tornado destroyed a metal storage building in rural Charlotte County, Florida. That afternoon, clusters of severe storms affected South Carolina, eastern North Carolina and the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. One embedded supercell made its way into north Virginia Beach, Virginia and produced an intense EF3 tornado that touched down in the city's residential areas, snapping (or uprooting) trees, overturning vehicles, and causing significant structural damage. Multiple large, well-built homes had their roofs torn off, and their top-floor exterior walls collapsed. The tornado then struck Fort Story, with less structural damage before it moved out into the Atlantic Ocean. Numerous videos and photographs taken by Virginia Beach residents depicted a "stovepipe" tornado with an audible roar. In addition to tornadoes, flash flooding affected the East Coast on April 30.[93] Twelve tornadoes were confirmed.
A line of severe storms pushed through southern Louisiana early on May 6, producing damaging winds. One low-end EF1 tornado near Morse damaged several homes, destroyed outbuildings, and injured one person.[94] Later that day, a severe-weather outbreak impacted the central United States. Multiple tornadoes touched down in Minnesota and South Dakota; all were weak and remained over open country, however, causing no damage. A supercell thunderstorm produced multiple tornadoes in Missouri, including one high-end EF0 tornado that damaged the roofs of several homes and a church in Trenton and a high-end EF2 tornado north of Linneus that damaged or destroyed several homes and outbuildings. An EF1 tornado struck the Indiana University Southeast campus in New Albany, Indiana, the next morning, downing trees, damaging apartment buildings, and injuring two people. An EF0 tornado caused minor damage to homes and trees in Georgetown.[95] An EF1 tornado moved through western Louisville, Kentucky, and its suburb of Shively, snapping many trees and downing large limbs. In Shelbyville, a brief EF0 tornado damaged a gas station and a Stanley Black & Decker plant. In Iowa, an EF1 tornado damaged large outbuildings, trees, and a batting cage in West Liberty. A Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert in Nashville was delayed for a number of hours due to severe storms in the area.[96] In all, 24 tornadoes were confirmed, and damage from the outbreak totaled $1.1 billion.[71]
Between May 10 and May 13, a tornado outbreak affected the Great Plains. Multiple weak tornadoes touched down in Colorado on May 10, including an EF1 tornado that unroofed a cabin near Woodrow. Two EFU tornadoes that caused no damage were confirmed in Arkansas and Kansas. On May 11, the SPC issued an enhanced-risk forecast for the central Great Plains and a slight risk for part of the Gulf Coast; numerous weak tornadoes touched down in both areas.[97] An EF1 tornado downed trees and damaged buildings in Shreveport, Louisiana, and a high-end EF1 multiple-vortex tornado caused considerable damage to school buildings, outbuildings, homes, and power poles in Weskan, Kansas. In Oklahoma, a high-end EF1 tornado heavily damaged homes and destroyed outbuildings near Cole before it weakened and caused minor tree and roof-shingle damage in southern Goldsby. Another EF1 tornado struck Noble, where a donut shop had its roof blown off and other businesses had severe roof damage. Denver had its eighth-wettest day on record, and hail forced a ground stop at Denver International Airport.[98] Amtrak's northbound Heartland Flyer was delayed for almost three hours that day due to severe-weather warnings north of the Purcell, Oklahoma station.[99] [100]
Another enhanced-risk forecast was issued on May 12 for Nebraska, where most of the outbreak's strongest tornadoes occurred. They included two large EF2 tornadoes that passed near Uehling and Lyons, destroying numerous barns, garages, grain bins, and farm buildings and damaging several homes; the tornadoes snapped many power poles, downed numerous trees, and damaged farming equipment. The Lyons tornado caused two injuries. A low-end EF2 tornado near North Bend damaged (or destroyed) grain bins and outbuildings, flipped irrigation pivot sprinklers, and shifted a house slightly off its foundation. A narrow EF2 tornado caused severe tree damage near Chambers, including some debarking.[101] A high-end EF1 tornado hit southeast Anselmo, where a shed was flipped, many trees were snapped, and tree branches were driven into building exteriors. A large, multiple-vortex wedge tornado near Greeley and Spalding flipped and bent irrigation pivots, blew out the windows of two vehicles, scoured gravel off a dirt road, and damaged trees and power poles. It was rated high-end EF1, although storm chaser and meteorologist Reed Timmer recorded a 163mph wind gust as it passed over his SRV Dominator storm-research vehicle (indicating the potential for high-end EF3 damage). Other tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma and Kansas, including a low-end EF2 tornado near Hamlin, Kansas, that snapped trees, destroyed an outbuilding, heavily damaged a trailer, and damaged a house. A high-end EF1 tornado struck Laguna Heights, Texas, early on the morning of May 13, where numerous poorly-built mobile homes were heavily damaged or destroyed and a man inside one of them was killed. Businesses and industrial buildings in Laguna Heights also sustained major damage, and 11 people were injured.[102] [103] More tornadoes touched down later that afternoon across Iowa, with others in Illinois, Oklahoma, and New Mexico; all were weak, causing little or no damage.[104] [105] Basements and roads were flooded in Laurens and Knoxville, Iowa, as rainfall neared 7inches in parts of the state.[106] [107] The threat of tornadoes across Iowa prompted Donald Trump to cancel outdoor rallies.[108] In all, 94 tornadoes were confirmed, along with one tornado-related fatality, and $2.4 billion in damage.[71]
See main article: Tornado outbreak sequence of June 14–19, 2023. Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes impacted a large portion of the South, the Midwest, and the Great Plains in mid-June. The unusual outbreak produced strong tornadoes in the Deep South, a region that rarely sees significant tornado activity late in the season except for tornadoes spawned by tropical cyclones. On June 14, the SPC issued a moderate-risk forecast for parts of the southern United States, including a 10-percent risk area for tornadoes. A number of severe-thunderstorm and tornado watches were issued from the Ark-La-Tex region to northern Florida, and numerous supercells formed later that day.[109] A large EF2 tornado moved between Blakely and Arlington, Georgia, significantly damaging trees, outbuildings, and several homes. Two EF1 tornadoes caused considerable damage in Abbeville and Eufaula, Alabama, and an EF2 tornado severely damaged an industrial building and flipped cars in Cass County, Texas.[110] There were over 300 reports of large hail and damaging winds, including wind gusts reaching 82mph and hail up to 5inches in diameter in Mississippi.[111] On June 15, the SPC issued a moderate-risk forecast for severe weather across much of Oklahoma, a small part of Texas, and Kansas. The risk forecast included 45 percent for large hail and damaging winds and 10 percent for tornadoes in the eastern Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and southwestern Oklahoma.[112] That afternoon, rounds of intense supercells formed across the region and pushed eastward. One produced a destructive, deadly EF3 tornado that tracked through Perryton, Texas, which severely damaged downtown brick buildings, destroyed many homes, vehicles, and industrial buildings, killed three people, and injured at least 100 others.[113] [114] An EF2 tornado near Loco, Oklahoma, damaged (or destroyed) several homes, destroyed outbuildings, and snapped many trees and power poles. Other tornadoes were confirmed in Oklahoma and Texas, along with significant straight-line wind and hail damage. Farther north and well outside the risk area, supercell thunderstorms unexpectedly developed along western Lake Erie and moved southeast; they spawned a dozen tornadoes in Ohio, including three that were rated EF2. One caused extensive damage in the Point Place neighborhood of Toledo, Ohio.[115] Severe weather also continued to impact the Gulf Coast and the Southeast later that night into the early morning of June 16, where many instances of damaging winds, large hail and isolated tornadoes were reported.[116] An EF2 tornado hit Pensacola Beach, Florida, heavily damaging homes and tossing boats. Flash flooding in Pensacola, Florida was caused by 9.23inches of rain in five hours and strong straight-line winds blew a tree into a house, killing one person. Flooding triggered a flash flood emergency.[117] Two weak tornadoes touched down in the Delaware Valley, and more weak tornadoes touched down in Texas, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, and Virginia. By June 16, the storms had left 664,000 customers without power along the Gulf Coast.[118]
Although more rounds of severe storms occurred on June 17, tornado activity was limited to a few weak tornadoes in Texas and Colorado. Later that night, however, a powerful mesoscale convective system (MCS) pushed through north and central Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City and Tulsa metropolitan areas had widespread wind damage, with the latter seeing wind gusts up to 100mph. The MCS produced multiple weak tornadoes near Tulsa during the early morning of June 18. The SPC issued an enhanced-risk forecast for parts of the Deep South later that morning, and strong tornadoes touched down in Arkansas and Mississippi. An EF2 tornado hit the rural community of Prairie View, Arkansas, where chicken houses, garages, and outbuildings were destroyed and many trees were snapped. Later that night, a destructive EF3 tornado near Louin, Mississippi, severely damaged (or destroyed) numerous homes and industrial buildings, flipped vehicles, flattened large swaths of trees, killed one person and injured 25 others.[119] [120] Scattered tornadoes occurred across the same region on June 19, including a high-end EF2 that caused significant damage and injured six people in Moss Point, Mississippi. Eighty-eight tornadoes were confirmed in the outbreak.[121]
See main article: Tornado outbreak sequence of June 20–26, 2023. In late June, waves of tornadic activity swept across the Great Plains, Mississippi Valley, the Southeastern and Northeastern United States, Manitoba and Ontario the day after the previous outbreak. A high-end EF3 tornado struck western Matador, Texas, the evening of June 21, causing devastating damage, four fatalities, and 15 injuries. Homes along the path of the tornado were leveled or blown away, with debris scattered across fields. Businesses were flattened, trees were debarked and snapped off, and significant ground scouring was documented. Extreme damage to vehicles occurred along the path of the tornado, with cars thrown long distances and mangled.[122] [123] [124] Thirty-seven tornadoes touched down in Colorado that day, 27 of which were spawned by one slow-moving supercell. A severe hailstorm moved through the Denver metropolitan area, with nearly 100 injuries at the Red Rocks Amphitheater before a concert.[125] Severe weather in Colorado postponed a Major League Soccer game between the Colorado Rapids and Vancouver Whitecaps.[126] A severe squall line with a record wind gust of 97mph at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston surpassing the record from Hurricane Ike.[127] On June 22, isolated weak tornadoes occurred from Colorado to North Carolina. A rain-wrapped EF1 tornado moved through the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, causing widespread tree and roof damage. An outbreak of strong tornadoes occurred on June 23, with tornadoes reported in Wyoming and Colorado which included an EF3 tornado that destroyed a farmstead and debarked trees near Granada, Colorado. An EF2 tornado struck the North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Campbell County, Wyoming, injuring eight workers. A rain-wrapped EF2 tornado near Hawk Springs caused significant damage to power poles and outbuildings and flipped a semi-truck, injuring the driver. Another EF2 tornado in Nebraska prompted the issuance of a tornado emergency as it passed near Scottsbluff and Gering, destroying a house, tossing cars, and injuring one person. More tornadoes touched down over Minnesota and Iowa on June 24, including an EF2 tornado that passed just east of Mahnomen, Minnesota. A few more strong tornadoes occurred the next day in Indiana and Kentucky which included a deadly EF2 tornado that struck Rusk, Indiana, killing one person and injuring another when it destroyed a cabin. Additional weak tornadoes occurred across a wide area on June 26 before the outbreak ended, including several tornadoes confirmed in Ontario. One hundred seventeen tornadoes were confirmed in the outbreak with five tornadic deaths, three non-tornadic deaths, and over 120 injuries.[128]
A violent (C)EF4 tornado, estimated at 620m (2,030feet) wide, struck Mountain View County, Alberta, Canada, at 1:45 p.m. MDT (19:45 UTC). Areas between Didsbury and Carstairs were hit hardest before the tornado crossed Highway 2. Three homes were destroyed, four were rendered uninhabitable, and five were damaged.[129] One person was injured by debris while sheltering in the basement of her collapsing home. Tree branches were snapped, power lines were downed, and one gas leak occurred at a destroyed home. Twenty-five cows, twenty chickens and one horse were killed,[130] with significant ground scouring near Didsbury.[131] The joint damage survey from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the Prairie and Arctic Storm Prediction Centre (PASPC), and the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) assigned a maximum rating of low-end EF4 based on the complete destruction of one well-built home, with peak wind speeds estimated at 275km/h. Near this home, a 10000adj=onNaNadj=on combine was thrown 50m (160feet) before being rolled a further 50to. This was only the third violent tornado in Alberta history, after the 1987 Edmonton tornado and the 1915 Grassy Lake tornado (also known as the Redcliff Cyclone).[129]
A squall line moved through Nebraska and Iowa in the early morning and produced a few tornadoes, including an EF2 that tore the roof off of a home south of Logan, Iowa. The SPC issued a 10-percent-chance forecast later that day for significant tornadoes in northern Illinois, including Chicago. A low-precipitation supercell produced a damaging high-end EF1 tornado that moved through the Chicago suburbs of Burr Ridge, Countryside, Hodgkins, McCook, Lyons and Stickney, snapping power lines and collapsing the roof and exterior walls of a motel.[132] [133] A particularly dangerous situation tornado warning was issued for Chicago as a result of this tornado.[134] Twin tornadoes touched down near Elgin, Illinois, one of which was rated EF1; the other was EF0.[135] [136] One hundred seventy-two flights were cancelled and over 550 flights were delayed from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.[137] The storms moved into southern Ontario and Quebec the following day, with three tornadoes confirmed by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The first two touched down one minute apart in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven; 125 homes were damaged, and one person had minor injuries.[138] The third, unrated tornado touched down near Montréal–Mirabel International Airport, and 500,000 people across southern Quebec lost power.[139]
An intense multiple-vortex tornado touched down southwest of Dortches, North Carolina, bending power poles and snapping trees. It then crossed I-95, causing widespread tree damage and shutting down parts of the highway for several hours.[140] The tornado strengthened to high-end EF2 intensity as it moved into Dortches, destroying multiple mobile homes and snapping power poles. It then reached northern Rocky Mount after traveling east-northeast, collapsing the exterior walls of a residential building. The tornado advanced into the Belmont Lake Golf Club, where it strengthened to mid-range EF3 intensity. It collapsed a metal transmission tower and caused significant damage to a Pfizer warehouse, flipping and destroying nearby semi-trailer trucks. The tornado then weakened slightly as it crossed into Edgecombe County before lifting east of Battleboro.
Its peak estimated wind speeds were 150mph, with a peak width of 600yd and a total path length of 16.5miles.[141] The tornado injured sixteen people (two of whom were hospitalized), and 38 homes were damaged. The National Weather Service office in Raleigh did not issue a tornado warning until the tornado had been down for six minutes, which was questioned by some meteorologists on social media. The NWS defended its actions, noting that the warning was issued before the tornado did its most significant damage.[142] After law enforcement reported that up to 50,000 pallets of medicine had been damaged at the Pfizer facility, Erin Fox of University of Utah Health said that this could lead to shortages of certain drugs while the company dealt with the situation.[143] FDA Commissioner Robert Califf later announced that since hospitals already had the drugs or the drugs were on their way, no significant supply impacts were expected. Pfizer said that since the tornado damaged storage areas but not production equipment, any shortages would be minor.[144] The tornado caused over $300 million (2023 USD) in damage.[145]
See main article: Tornado outbreak sequence of August 4–8, 2023. An EF2 tornado hit the town of Baring, Missouri on August 4, inflicting widespread damage to homes, trees, and other structures and injuring two people. A large, long-tracked EF2 tornado hit north of Pawnee, Illinois in Sangamon County two days later, damaging (or destroying) homes and outbuildings before dissipating near Assumption in Christian County almost an hour after touching down. On August 7, a high-end EF2 tornado hit the western suburbs of Knoxville, Tennessee. As the storm system brought hundreds of damaging-wind reports throughout the northeastern United States that day,[146] an intense, low-end EF3 tornado progressed through southern Lewis County, New York, striking the town of Lewis and causing significant damage at the Snow Ridge Ski Resort at the end of its 16miles track near Turin.[147] An EF3 tornado touched down near Yuma, Colorado, on August 8, severely damaging (or destroying) buildings in Yuma County.[148] [149] [150]
Multiple tornadoes impacted portions of southern New England on the morning of August 18. Three tornadoes touched down in Massachusetts, an EF1 tornado touched down in Connecticut, and an EF2 tornado lifted a car on I-295 near Scituate, Rhode Island.[151] It was the first F2/EF2 tornado in Rhode Island since 1986.[152] Flooding from the system shut down I-91 in Connecticut, and a nearby hotel parking lot flooded.[153] Flooding created standing water along the Grand Central Parkway and Long Island Expressway in Queens, with ground stops at LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airports.[154]
A severe weather and tornado outbreak occurred across parts of the Great Lakes and southwestern Ontario during the evening of August 24, including the Grand Rapids and Webberville, Michigan areas and Metro Detroit. An EF2 tornado near Webberville prompted a PDS tornado warning, flipping cars and trapping people in their vehicles on I-96; two people were killed, four injured, and damage was $75 million.[155] [156] [157] Roofs and buildings collapsed across Kent County due to a high-end EF1 tornado that moved through portions of the county.[158] An EF2 tornado struck Fayette County, Pennsylvania early on August 25.[159] In Ontario, two tornadoes simultaneously and moved southeast in the Windsor area.[160] The first was an EF0 tornado that moved through the west side of Windsor, downing numerous trees and branches, removing roof shingles from homes, and damaging fences.[161] To the east, an EF1 tornado collapsed barns, snapped power poles, damaged grain bins, downed trees and branches, and removed roof shingles from numerous homes as it passed east of Tecumseh and struck Elmstead before dissipating northeast of Pleasant Park.[162] Severe flooding and damaging winds also affected much of the region, and three deaths occurred after a weather-related vehicle accident. Another person was killed in Michigan when a tree fell on a home in Lansing.[163] The storms cut power to over 700,000 customers in the Great Lakes region,[164] and another 20,000 customers lost power in Ontario. Combined estimated economic losses reached $880 million.[165]
A large storm system moved through Florida, spawning several tornadoes. In the early morning hours of October 12, a waterspout offshore of Clearwater Beach moved northeast and made landfall in Dunedin, partially tearing the roof off of an apartment building and earning a low-end EF2 rating. Soon after, another strong EF2 tornado moved through Crystal River, tearing the roof off of one home and collapsing an exterior wall. Later in the morning, another low-end EF2 tornado touched down in Palm Coast, unroofing one home and flipping a car. Four other EF0 tornadoes were also confirmed during this event.
See main article: December 2023 Tennessee tornado outbreak. A severe-weather and tornado outbreak struck portions of the southern United States on December 9, especially the state of Tennessee.[166] An EF1 tornado impacted portions of Weakley County, Tennessee (including Sharon and Dresden, causing three injuries[167] before causing significant damage in parts of Rutherford and across Gibson County.[168] An EF3 tornado struck northwest Clarksville, Tennessee, and surrounding areas of Tennessee and Kentucky.[169] [170] Three people were killed, 62 were injured, and at least 20,000 people lost power.[171] A fourth victim succumbed to their injuries on December 16.[172] A strong EF2 tornado prompted a tornado emergency for Hendersonville and Gallatin, Tennessee after it struck Madison in northern Nashville, where heavy damage occurred and three people were killed.[173] The tornado also injured three people elsewhere.[174] [175] [176] [177] More tornadoes occurred the next day, including an EF1 tornado in Wake County, North Carolina, west of Garner.[166] Eighteen tornadoes touched down during the outbreak.
A brief, strong tornado struck Valmontone (a comune in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital) on January 17, causing significant damage and injuring two people. The tornado was spawned by an embedded "comma head" circulation, and was captured by a surveillance camera. Multiple homes, apartment buildings, and other structures had severe roof damage, and the top floor of one residence was completely destroyed. Trees, gates, and fences were knocked down, and debris was strewn across yards and roads. The European Severe Storms Laboratory rated the tornado F2 on the Fujita scale, with a path length of 2.7km (01.7miles) and a maximum width of 150m (490feet).[178] After the tornado, Valmontone declared a state of disaster.[179]
Severe thunderstorms formed in Germany on February 1, producing two tornadoes. The first was a short-lived F1 tornado which tracked for 0.2 km (0.1 mi), damaging the roofs of 14 homes in Hinte.[178] [180] The second tornado struck areas near the small villages of Getmold, Lashorst and Hedem along a 5.3 km (3.3 mi)-long path, snapping (or uprooting) large trees and severely damaging the roofs of multiple homes. A car was damaged by a falling tree near Lashorst, a carriage house had its roof torn off, and a carport was damaged at a farmstead. The most significant damage was in a pine forest, where many large trees were completely mowed down or stripped of their limbs and several tree trunks were snapped off and thrown some distance into nearby fields. Based on tree damage, the second tornado was rated F2.[178] [181] Over 85 severe-weather reports were documented in Europe that day, 69 in Germany.[178] [182]
A strong tornado was caught on video from multiple angles as it impacted areas in and around several small towns and villages in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France on March 9, causing extensive damage. The tornado first badly damaged the roof of a school in Masbaraud-Mérignat before it moved to the northeast and struck Pontarion, where multiple homes and other structures had their roofs severely damaged and one house was unroofed. Vehicles were damaged by flying debris, trees and power poles were downed, a large masonry storage building was partially destroyed, and roof tiles and other projectiles were driven into exterior residential insulation. The tornado also caused significant tree damage as it moved through wooded areas outside Pontarion, snapping and uprooting many large trees and damaging (or destroying) multiple outbuildings. Near the end of the path, 17 homes sustained minor damage in the Le Donzeil area before the tornado dissipated; it was rated F2 by the ESSL (European Severe Storms Laboratory) and the French Observatory of Tornadoes and Violent Thunderstorms (Keraunos).[183] Keraunos noted that the environment where the tornado formed was conducive for tornado development, since high instability and shear were present in France that day.[184] [185]
On April 10, several tornadoes occurred in the Mediterranean region. The most significant tornado touched down in the Ağaçören District of Aksaray Province in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. It tracked through (or near) the villages of Camili, Avşar, Kırımini and Göllü along a 22abbr=onNaNabbr=on path, with a maximum width of 200m (700feet). The tornado, which was rated F2, destroyed the roofs of homes, partially collapsed walls, and killed farm animals. Masonry outbuildings were destroyed, a tractor-trailer was overturned, and trees and power-line pylons were downed as well. The minaret of the Göllü mosque collapsed, injuring a 26-year-old man. An F1 tornado struck areas in and around Budak, where another minaret collapsed, outbuildings were destroyed on dairy farms, and homes had roof damage. A waterspout came ashore near Pizzo in southern Italy, causing no damage.[186]
Two tornadoes caused damage in Turkey on April 20. The first struck the outskirts of Pazarcık, Kahramanmaraş, where roofing was torn from buildings, cars and storage containers were flipped, and trees were downed. The tornado also struck a camp housing survivors of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, where tents were torn apart and struck by flying debris. Three people were killed at the camp, and 150 were injured. The tornado was rated F1 on the Fujita scale by the European Severe Storms Laboratory. A second F1 tornado struck the village of Tatlıçayır, Diyarbakır Province, where homes had roof damage, a frail masonry outbuilding was destroyed, trees were downed, and farm animals were injured.[186]
An F2 tornado caused damage in the Sultan Alaaddin, Akarca and Ören districts as it moved through the city of Anamur, Turkey. Homes and apartment buildings sustained damage to their roofs, windows, and balconies, and some businesses were damaged. Vehicles were flipped and tossed, and trees and power lines were downed. Around 100 large commercial greenhouses were damaged or destroyed, and 13 people were injured.[187] In Austria, an F1 tornado struck the town of Ziersdorf and damaged outbuildings and the roofs of several homes. A section of roofing from one home was torn off and thrown 50 meters, two cars were damaged by flying debris, and trees and telephone lines were damaged.[187]
A strong tornado tracked in and around Alfonsine, Emilia-Romagna, injuring 14 people. Steel power trusses were bent at the base, cars and trucks were moved, a variety of crops was severely damaged, trees were snapped or uprooted, objects were lifted for hundreds of meters, and buildings partially collapsed. The tornado was rated IF3 on the International Fujita scale by the European Severe Storms Laboratory.[188]
A rare tornado touched down in Ilirska Bistrica, Slovenia, damaging houses and felling trees. The tornado, which was rated F1/T3, was associated with an isolated supercell storm. Tornadoes are rare in Slovenia and neighboring countries, except Italy. The nearest official weather station, Koseze, reported winds some distance from the tornado's path.[189] Another tornado had occurred earlier near Jesolo, Italy.[190] The region had experienced uncommonly-severe storm systems in June and July 2023.
On September 17, three tornadoes impacted France and the United Kingdom. A brief landspout struck Séreilhac in Région Limousin.[187] A tornado struck Mayenne, France, around the same time, damaging (or destroying) structures, trees, and concrete utility poles. The French Observatory of Tornadoes and Violent Thunderstorms (Keraunos) rated the tornado EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with estimated winds of 175km/h225km/h.[191] The European Severe Storms Laboratory rated the tornado IF2 on the International Fujita scale. In the late evening, a waterspout came ashore on West Beach before tracking through the west and north suburbs of Littlehampton and the communities of Wick and Lyminster. This tornado toppled several trees, smashing at least 20 car windows and windows of multiple houses. One person sustained minor leg injuries. On September 18, the Met Office noted that "conditions weren't unfavourable" for a small tornado.[192] [193] On September 19, a TORRO site investigator confirmed the event as a tornado. A preliminary analysis suggested that most of the damage warranted a T1 rating, with a peak of T2.[194]
A significant tornado struck the community of Grønhøj Strand in Jammerbugt Municipality, picking up a mobile home and throwing it 20 meters. Other mobile homes and caravans were overturned (or moved), and a shed was destroyed. According to the ESSL, the tornado had a track length of 1.22 km, a maximum path width of 140 meters, and a maximum intensity of IF2.[187]
Severe thunderstorms spawned at least one tornado in western Germany, which affected the towns of Nusbaum and Mülbach. Severe damage to roofs and trees was reported, and the tornado was given a preliminary IF2 rating by the ESSL.[195]
For the second time in just over a month, another tornado struck the town of Littlehampton. Several trees were snapped, fence panels were destroyed, power lines were brought down, car windows were smashed, and one house had its roof ripped off. A TORRO investigator visited the site on October 29, and confirmed the tornado. It was provisionally rated T4 on the TORRO scale, equivalent to a low-end F2 tornado.[196] The European Severe Weather Database rated the tornado IF2 on the International Fujita scale.[187]
A significant tornado touched down in Jersey, Channel Islands, from the evening of November 1 into the morning of November 2. One house had its roof ripped off and its upper-story walls destroyed.[197] [198] The tornado was rated IF3 by the European Severe Storms Laboratory on the International Fujita scale (IF-scale). TORRO released a statement on November 6 rating the tornado T6 on the TORRO scale, equivalent to a low-end F3 tornado.[199] On the morning of November 2, another tornado was confirmed in Sompting and northern Lancing in West Sussex. After surveying the damage and reports from the public, the tornado's track was mapped and TORRO rated it as T2 on the TORRO scale. An IF1 tornado struck parts of Castel Focognano in Italy later that day, damaging roofs and trees. On November 4, an intense tornado struck Lavino in Bulgaria. According to the European Severe Storms Laboratory, at least 150 structures were damaged; one person was slightly injured by the IF3 tornado. A significant tornado struck Xánthi, Greece, about a half-hour later, and a large tree branch fell on a moving bus. With a damage path of at least 1.5 km (between Geor. Kondyli street and EPS stadiums), the tornado was rated IF2.[200] An unrated tornado struck parts of Sratsimir, Bulgaria, an IF1.5 tornado struck parts of Dereköy, Turkey, and an IF1 tornado struck parts of La Pouëze, France.[200]
An IF2 tornado which significantly damaged greenhouses and trees was observed in Phalasarna.[200]
A significant tornado touched down in Leitrim, County Leitrim, Ireland. The tornado, which was filmed from multiple angles, slightly injured two people. The European Severe Storms Laboratory rated the tornado IF2 due to roof damage.[187] [201] [202]
A significant tornado passed through the German city of Cologne. Many houses were damaged, especially in the Poll area (which sustained IF2 damage).[203] [187]
A low-topped supercell thunderstorm spawned a tornado in Grochowy, Wielkopolskie, Poland. Several houses had roof damage, and high-voltage power lines were brought down. The European Severe Storms Laboratory rated the tornado IF2 due to the collapsed power-transmission line.[187] [204] [205]
A supercell thunderstorm generated by Storm Gerrit struck the town of Stalybridge[206] in Tameside, Greater Manchester.[207] The Met Office reported that the storm had a strong rotating updraft on its Doppler radar, strongly suggesting a tornado.[208] The area impacted by the tornado sustained moderate-to-severe damage. One hundred houses were damaged; windows were smashed, chimney pots toppled and roofs were torn up by high winds, with debris strewn across roads. A TORRO site investigator surveyed the area and confirmed the tornado, rating it T5 (high-end F2) on the TORRO scale.[209] The European Severe Storms Laboratory rated the tornado IF2.[187]
A large, dusty tornado caused significant damage as it touched down near the outskirts of Taif, Saudi Arabia, on March 13. Several buildings sustained major damage, including loss of roofs and exterior walls. Power poles and iron fence posts were knocked over, and cars and trucks were thrown and severely damaged. A man was killed by flying debris, and at least one person was severely injured.[210] [211]
A large cone tornado struck Fazilka in India on March 24, causing significant damage. At least 50 un-reinforced masonry homes were severely damaged or destroyed. Farming equipment was tossed, trees were snapped or uprooted, power poles were downed, and there was significant crop damage in farm fields. At least 12 people were injured.[212] [213] [214]
A tornado struck areas near the large city of Linyi in Shandong Province, with significant damage in the Tancheng County village of Lizhuangzhen. The tornado was captured on video from multiple angles, some from close range. Homes and other structures were severely damaged; some lost their roofs and exterior walls, and tractors and cars were tossed. Metal-truss transmission towers, power poles, and masonry fences were toppled, and outbuildings were destroyed. Trees were snapped, and several people were injured. Another tornado was reported in northern Shandong Province, and neither of the tornadoes was officially rated.[215] [216] [217] [218]
At about 6:10 p.m. on April 21, a strong tornado struck central Myanmar in Leiway Township near the capital city of Naypyidaw, causing major damage and killing several people in the villages of Tada Oo and Aung Myin Kone. A total of 232 homes were destroyed, and many trees and power lines were downed. A small clinic and two Buddhist monasteries were also destroyed. Eight people were killed and 128 were hospitalized.[219] [220]
On April 22, a tornado was caught on video by local residents as it struck Jalan Bani Bu Ali in Ash Sharqiyah South Governorate of eastern Oman. The tornado damaged many homes, killed farm animals, and injured a woman. The storm system that spawned the tornado also caused torrential rainfall and flash flooding. Jalan Bani Bu Ali was hit by another tornado the following day.[221] [222]
A tornado struck four villages in the Kodi District of Southwest Sumba at 2:30 pm Central Indonesian Time (6:30 am UTC). It damaged or destroyed 21 homes and killed nine people.[223] [224]
Multiple tornadoes impacted parts of Liaoning Province in northeastern China on June 1. A destructive tornado moved through parts of Fuxin and areas outside the city, severely damaging (or destroying) at least 60 homes. Multiple apartment buildings and other structures were also heavily damaged, and buildings were destroyed at a coal mine. Cars and tractors were tossed and damaged, and trees and power lines were downed along its path. Thirteen people were injured.[225] [226] A narrow, significant tornado impacted farms and rural areas outside Kaiyuan, destroying homes and outbuildings, snapping trees, and scouring crops from fields.[227] Kaiyan had been hit by a violent EF4 tornado in July 2019. A third tornado occurred in the Shenyang area, and a fourth was confirmed near Huludao. None of the tornadoes were rated.[228] [229] [230]
A large dusty tornado was captured on camera near Jalalpur Bhattian, Punjab Province at 5:20 local time. No damage was reported.[231] [232] [233] [234]
An EF2 tornado spawned by Tropical Storm Talim struck parts of the Chinese city of Danzhou.[235]
A deadly EF2 tornado struck parts of Yancheng in Jiangsu. Two hundred eighty-three residences were damaged or destroyed, two people were reported dead, and at least 15 were injured.[236] [237] [238]
Two tornadoes struck the city of Suqian, Jiangsu, killing five people and injuring four.[239] About 1,600 houses were damaged or destroyed. Another tornado struck parts of Funing, Jiangsu, also killing five and injuring four.[240] The two tornadoes in Suqian were rated EF2, and the tornado in Funing received an EF3 rating.[241] [242] A revision from CMA upgraded the first Suqian tornado rating from EF2 to EF3 due to downed transmission tower, this particular tornado was responsible for all five deaths in Suqian. In all, nine tornadoes were confirmed in this tornado outbreak.[243]
Four tornadoes struck portions of New Zealand over a three-day period. Tornadoes were reported in the Taranaki region, Tasman District, Paraparaumu, and East Auckland. They caused extensive property damage, with roofs blown off and trees downed.[244]
A long-tracked storm struck Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, causing severe damage along a path of about 112km (70miles). The storm produced at least one tornado, probably a tornado family. At least EF2 vegetation damage was documented, with the most severe damage noted in the town of Sede Nova (which was struck by a tornado).[245]
A strong tornado developed in southern Brazil, affecting the city of Cascavel in Paraná. Roofs and trees were significantly damaged, and a building was destroyed. The tornado was rated F2 by SIMEPAR.[246]
A tornado was confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology in the town of Millicent, South Australia as storms tore across the state. The tornado uprooted trees, downed power lines, and damaged homes and outbuildings.[247]
A tornado was confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology on the Gold Coast. Significant damage occurred in the Wongawallan area, where a number of houses had their roofs torn off; two also had some loss of exterior walls. Trees and concrete power poles were snapped.[248]
Throughout 2023, research studies from various government and academic institutions has taken place or was published.