The 2020 tornado season started off on an active note. January through April saw above-average tornado numbers thanks in part to several major outbreaks. However, once we moved into May, which is typically the peak of tornado season, things trended downward. Several tornado alley states saw low tornado totals. Here is a break-down of the more notable events.
March 2-3, 2020
During the afternoon/evening of March 2 into the early morning hours of March 3, an outbreak of 15 tornadoes tore across the Tennessee Valley. One tornado occurred in Missouri, two each in Kentucky and Alabama, and the other 10 were in Tennessee.
Nashville Tornado:
- Rated EF-3, max wind speed: 165 mph.
- Fatalities: 5, Injuries: 220.
- Path Length: 60.13 miles, Path Width: 1600 yards.
- Tracked from just west of the John C. Thune Airport, moved across the northern part of downtown Nashville, through the Hermitage, Mt. Juliet, and Lebanon areas, dissipated southeast of Gordonsville.
- Caused $1.504 Billion in damage, this ranks as the 6th costliest tornado in US history!
- The longest tornado in Middle Tennessee since official records began in 1950.
Cookeville Tornado:
- Rated: EF-4, max wind speed: 175 mph.
- Fatalities: 19, Injuries: 87.
- 17 large, well-built homes on Hensley Drive were leveled and swept away at EF-4 intensity.
- The deadliest tornado in Tennessee since 2008.
- The deadliest tornado in Putnam County history since records began in 1950.
The Easter Outbreak
On April 12-13, a large tornado outbreak slashed across the Gulf Coast states into the Mid-Atlantic. 140 tornadoes were confirmed. The strongest of the outbreak were rated EF-4. The tornadoes produced an estimated $3 billion in damage. There were a total of 32 fatalities.
Here is a break down of the ratings:
- 140 tornadoes
- EF-0: 31
- EF-1: 74
- EF-2: 19
- EF-3: 13
- EF-4: 3
Notable Tornadoes In The Outbreak
Walthall, MS:
- Rating: EF-4, peak wind speed: 170 mph.
- Path Length: 21.21 Miles, Path Width: 1,320 yards.
- Fatalities: 4, Injuries: at least 3.
- EF-4 rating based on a house that swept away leaving only a bare-foundation.
A few more pictures of the tornado damage in Walthall County, MS, taken Monday. This was from the initial tornado that quickly strengthened. #MSwx pic.twitter.com/8OmlsHY1zH
— David Paul (@MetDavidPaul) April 13, 2020
Bassfield-Soso-Moss, MS:
- Rating: EF-4, Peak wind speed: 190 mph.
- Path Length: 67.77 miles, Path Width: 2.25 miles.
- Fatalities: 8, Injuries: at least 95.
- Widest tornado in Mississippi history! Third widest tornado in US history, per the NOAA Database.
- EF-4 damage was reported to several homes that were totally destroyed along the tornado’s path.
- There were numerous shredded and debarked trees.
#BREAKING: Picture of the monstrous tornado that went through Bassfield & Soso, MS. #tornado #MSwx #bassfield #soso pic.twitter.com/Iwy1JOGSBj
— Antonio Maffei (@AMaffeiWX) April 12, 2020
Estill, SC:
- Rating: EF-4, peak wind speed: 175 mph.
- 24.04 Miles, Path Width: 1,300 yards.
- Fatalities: 5, Injuries: 65.
- EF-4 damage occurred to a house that was completely destroyed.
- A federal prison in Estill was heavily damaged and inmates had to be re-located to Pennsylvania.
- First EF-4 tornado in South Carolina since 1995.
Terrible #tornado damage in Estill, SC. video courtesy: Jessie Anderson-Berens @ABCNews4 #scnews pic.twitter.com/3rcEGrh307
— Anne Emerson (@AnneTEmerson) April 13, 2020
Oak Vale-Collons-Rose Hill, MS:
- Rating: EF-3, Peak Wind Speed: 150 mph.
- Path Length: 84.1 Miles, Path Width: 1.15 miles.
- Fatalities: 0, Injuries: at least 2.
- Moved through mostly rural areas which limited the human impact.
- Extensive tree damage across most of the path, many rural homes/farms damaged or destroyed.
- Longest tracked tornado of the outbreak.
LAWRENCE COUNTY DAMAGE 🌪: Alene’s grandmother’s house in Oak Vale had the entire roof ripped off. She survived with only a scratch to the knee. This was likely from the second of two long-track tornadoes in South Mississippi on Easter. 📷: Alene Smith @WJTV @NWSJacksonMS #MSwx pic.twitter.com/OlkMtG3VvO
— Jacob Lanier (@JacobLanierWx) April 13, 2020
Fort Oglethorpe, GA-Chattanooga, TN:
- Rating: EF-3, Peak Wind Speed: 145 MPH.
- Path Length: 18.37 Miles, Path Width: 1,500 yards.
- Fatalities: 2, Injuries: 18.
- EF-1 damage occurred in GA, the EF-3 damage was in TN.
- Hundreds of homes in the eastern part of Chattanooga were heavily damaged or destroyed.
Gonna throw some before-and-afters at you. Here's a neighborhood in East Chattanooga, TN (EF3 tornado) (Image: @Maxar) pic.twitter.com/u7r0Qrr6fT
— Sean Breslin (@Sean_Breslin) April 15, 2020
Seneca, SC:
- Rating: EF-3, Peak Wind Speed: 160 mph.
- Path Length: 16.71 Miles, Path Width: 1,000 yards.
- Fatalities: 1, Injuries: 5.
- The BorgWarner factory was demolished, a large letter “B” from the sign of the factory was found 18 miles away.
- Many homes were damaged or destroyed.
Major #Tornado damage being reported across the Upstate. #Oconee Co. Emergency management confirming 1 person died in #Senece overnight. This is what's left of Seneca Baptist Church. pic.twitter.com/t88mJEZHd7
— Shale Remien (@ShaleRemien) April 13, 2020
Barnwell County, SC:
- 5 EF-3 tornadoes ripped through Barnwell County.
- Severe tree damage occurred.
- Dozens of homes, businesses, and other buildings were damaged or destroyed by the tornadoes.
- 2 people were killed and at least 10 people injured in the county.
Chatsworth, GA:
- Rating: EF-2, Peak Wind Speed; 135 mph.
- Path Length: 8.88 miles, Path Width: 860 yards.
- Fatalities: 8 Injuries: 24
- Several trailer parks demolished.
- Frame homes heavily damaged.
Finished up another day in Chatsworth, GA. Will be deploying volunteers through the weekend. Interesting how precise this tornado was. pic.twitter.com/pGIFDZMZM1
— Sirens Project, Inc. (@sirensproject) April 17, 2020
The Ashby Tornado
On July 8, 2020, an extremely photogenic twister struck near Ashby/Dalton, MN. The tornado was rated EF-4. It swept away a house and debarked several trees, and scoured corn crops.
- Rating EF-4, Peak Wind Speed: 170 mph.
- Path Length: 9 miles, Path Width: 650 Yards.
- Fatalities: 1, Injuries: 2.
- Extremely photogenic tornado.
- Several close up videos showed the extremely violent motion of the tornado and the ground scouring as it occurred.
Outer circulation with corn stalks and other debris flying around me while filming the Ashby, MN tornado! Shot with my Nikon D800 and Nikkor 14-24 superwide lens all the way wide!https://t.co/976uptiPtW pic.twitter.com/4FMgT7vElE
— Scott Peake (@ScottPeakeWX) July 10, 2020
The Season That Wasn’t In Kansas
A total of 17 tornadoes were confirmed in Kansas. This is well below the average number of 95. All but one of these tornadoes were considered landspouts and most were rated EF-0 or EF-Unknown.
- The strongest tornado was an EF-1 on July 2, near Seward.
- Only two tornado warnings were issued by NWS Wichita, well below the average number of 36.
- The first time since 1950 that zero tornadoes were confirmed in the NWS Wichita CWA.
- 16 out of the 17 tornadoes were weak landspouts.
On average, Kansas has had 95 tornadoes a year since 1991. This year however, set a new low for the period AND all time. Only 17 were observed!! (Assuming no more since September) #kswx pic.twitter.com/OwOsFv8HTq
— Kansas Mesonet (@ksmesonet) December 27, 2020
Sources
March 2-3, 2020 Tornadoes and Severe Weather
2020 Easter Sunday Outbreak (NWS Jackson MS)
April 12-13 Severe Weather Outbreak (NWS Peachtree City)
April 13th 2020 Tornado Outbreak (NWS Columbia)
Southeast SC/GA Tornadoes – April 13, 2020 (NWS Charleston SC)
Review of the damaging EF-4 tornado across west-central Minnesota on July 8th, 2020