Loading AI tools
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A significant tornado outbreak, along with a derecho, affected much of the Midwestern and Southeastern United States from April 1 to 3, 2024. The National Weather Service issued dozens of severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings across those regions during the event. The outbreak first began over portions of the Great Plains and Midwest on April 1, with widespread large hail and damaging winds and a few tornadoes being reported. The outbreak then spread to the Midwest and Ohio Valley on April 2, where the derecho occurred. This was followed by supercell development later in the afternoon. Severe storms also affected parts of the Mid-Atlantic on April 3 as well. A total of 32 million people were estimated to be under watches or warnings, and over 700,000 people were estimated to be without power. Twenty-five people were injured; and five people were killed, all of them by non-tornadic events; three of which happened when downed trees fell onto vehicles in Pennsylvania and New York. The storm system was also responsible for causing flooding in parts of the Northeast, and heavy snow over parts of the Midwest and Northern New England.
 The storm system responsible for the outbreak and derecho, as seen on April 2 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | April 1–3, 2024 |
| Tornado outbreak | |
| Tornadoes | 86 |
| Maximum rating | EF2 tornado |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 0 (+5 non-tornadic) |
| Injuries | 25 |
| Damage | $1.8 billion (2024 USD)[1] |
| Areas affected | Midwestern, Southern, Northeastern United States |
| Power outages | 700,000[2] |
Part of the Tornadoes of 2024 | |
The Storm Prediction Center first outlined on April 1 an enhanced risk in areas from north Texas to eastern Illinois, encompassing much of the central United States. In the afternoon hours of the same day, supercell thunderstorms began to develop across northern Texas, moving northeastward and producing large hail. As the event progressed, many tornadic supercells produced brief and weak tornadoes along with high wind gusts; a gust of 90 mph (140 km/h) was recorded in West Virginia, classifying the squall line as a derecho.
The outbreak was the largest of 2024 prior to the tornado outbreak of April 25–28, which occurred several weeks later. Eighty-six tornadoes touched down in total, the highest of which were fourteen EF2-rated tornadoes confirmed during the event.
On March 28, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) first delineated a risk of organized severe weather across the Central and Southern Plains, as well as the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys for the beginning of April.[3] By the morning of April 1, a broad Enhanced Risk spanned from north-central Texas northeastward toward the Illinois–Indiana border, where widespread supercell thunderstorms were anticipated. The impetus for the severe weather setup came as a large, positively tilted upper-level trough progressed eastward from the Southwestern United States into the Central Plains region.[4] Morning surface observations revealed an area of low pressure over central Kansas, supporting a north-moving warm front to the east into Ohio and a trailing cold front southwestward into Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. Meanwhile, an eastward-shifting dry line resided from the Texas Panhandle southward into northern Mexico.[5] Within the warm sector of this low, an unstable environment was expected to develop, with averaged instability values of 2,000–3,000 J/kg, dewpoints in the mid- to upper-60s °F, very strong wind shear throughout the atmosphere, and rapidly cooling temperatures with height. Given these conditions, the SPC upgraded much of the eastern half of Oklahoma and a small section of northern Texas to a Moderate Risk. In this area, the capping inversion aloft was expected to erode throughout the afternoon, giving way to multiple supercells capable of producing large hail in excess of 3 in (7.6 cm). A conditional threat of strong/EF2+ tornadoes was also noted as wind shear close to the surface strengthened with time.[6]
Through the afternoon hours, semi-discrete supercells developed across north and central Texas, contributing to widespread reports of large hail the size of baseballs, in addition to hurricane-force wind gusts upwards of 90 mph (140 km/h).[7] Further to the northeast, isolated severe weather occurred in Oklahoma, though it was curtailed by persistent cloud cover and a broad rain shield across the risk area.[8] Even farther to the northeast, training supercell thunderstorms tracked across the St. Louis metropolitan area, producing large hail.[9] By the evening hours, a quasi-linear convective system developed across eastern Oklahoma and progressed toward Missouri and Illinois.[10] In spite of modest instability, strong vertical wind shear maintained organized convective activity as it spread eastward from southern Illinois and eventually into West Virginia during the pre-dawn and early morning hours.[11][12]
Numerous reports of damaging winds were received, including gusts in excess of 90 mph (140 km/h) near Huntington, West Virginia.[13][14] The squall line posthumously met the criteria of a derecho, and post-storm surveys revealed dozens of tornadoes along its track. In particular, 10 tornadoes were confirmed across West Virginia on April 2, the most observed in a single calendar day on record.[15] Convective activity finally lost vigor as it moved toward the West Virginia–Virginia border into a more stable environment.[16]
As the derecho tracked from Missouri to West Virginia early on April 2, another widespread outbreak of severe weather and tornadoes was expected to occur across the broader Ohio River Valley region. On April 1, the SPC issued a Moderate risk across much of Ohio and adjacent portions of surrounding states, that outlook was valid for April 2. Despite questions about the influence of widespread morning thunderstorms, forecasters felt there was sufficient confidence that the atmosphere would recover over subsequent hours, contributing to discrete or clusters of storms capable of producing damaging winds, large hail, and multiple significant tornadoes.[17]
By the afternoon hours of April 2, forecasters expressed concern that morning convection would stunt the degree of destabilization across portions of the risk area, particularly in Ohio. Farther to the west, an environment characterized by surface temperatures of in the low- to mid-70s °F, dewpoints between 65–70 °F (18–21 °C), and strong vertical wind shear was still expected to promote a substantiative risk for strong tornadoes.[18] Storms across southern Indiana and western Kentucky initially struggled to intensify during the afternoon,[19] but they eventually matured into tornado-producing supercells as they continued eastward into western Ohio.[20] As convective activity to the north continued eastward into a drier and more stable environment,[21] a cluster of storms developed farther south across Alabama and Georgia, which contributed to additional tornadoes.[22][23] Additional severe weather occurred along frontal boundaries across several states from Florida to Virginia on April 3 before activity behind offshore.[24][25]
| EFU | EF0 | EF1 | EF2 | EF3 | EF4 | EF5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | 52 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 86 |
| EF# | Location | County / parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF0 | Chesterfield | St. Louis | MO | 38.653°N 90.551°W | 23:32–23:35 | 2.01 mi (3.23 km) | 332 yd (304 m) |
| A high-end EF0 tornado caused minor roof and siding damage to homes, blew down part of a fence, and damaged trees, including some that were snapped or uprooted.[26] | |||||||
| EF1 | N of Hominy to SE of Wynona | Osage | OK | 36.4763°N 96.4089°W | 00:17–00:27 | 7 mi (11 km) | 600 yd (550 m) |
| This high-end EF1 tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees and blew down numerous power poles.[27] | |||||||
| EF1 | ESE of Wynona to W of Barnsdall | Osage | OK | 36.5385°N 96.2887°W | 00:28–00:36 | 5.5 mi (8.9 km) | 1,000 yd (910 m) |
| A large, high-end EF1 tornado formed almost immediately after the previous tornado dissipated. It blew the roof off of a garage, uprooted or snapped trees, and blew down numerous power poles.[28] | |||||||
| EF1 | Southeastern Barnsdall | Osage | OK | 36.5583°N 96.1613°W | 00:38–00:41 | 2.2 mi (3.5 km) | 550 yd (500 m) |
| Homes were damaged, outbuildings were destroyed, and trees and power poles were blown down.[29] An even stronger EF4 tornado would strike this area a month later.[30] | |||||||
| EF1 | N of Ochelata | Osage, Washington | OK | 36.6335°N 96.0079°W | 00:49–00:56 | 4.9 mi (7.9 km) | 550 yd (500 m) |
| A tornado damaged outbuildings, uprooted trees, and blew down power poles.[31] | |||||||
| EF1 | N of Delaware | Nowata | OK | 36.7883°N 95.6713°W | 01:13–01:19 | 4.2 mi (6.8 km) | 600 yd (550 m) |
| Trees were uprooted, large tree limbs were snapped, outbuildings were damaged, and power poles were blown down.[32] | |||||||
| EF1 | WNW of Fair Grove | Greene | MO | 37.4°N 93.26°W | 03:37–03:44 | 2.08 mi (3.35 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| Several trees were uprooted or snapped, an outbuilding was heavily damaged, and a residence suffered minor damage.[33] | |||||||
| EF0 | NE of Long Lane | Dallas, Laclede | MO | 37.63°N 92.87°W | 04:06–04:14 | 2.03 mi (3.27 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| A tornado uprooted and/or snapped over 200 trees, rolled an unanchored mobile home, damaged the roof of a residence, and damaged multiple outbuildings.[34] | |||||||
| EF0 | Morgan | Laclede | MO | 37.51°N 92.68°W | 04:20–04:27 | 2.16 mi (3.48 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| An intermittent tornado damaged outbuildings and trees, including some trees that were snapped or uprooted.[35] | |||||||
| EF0 | NNE of Evergreen | Laclede | MO | 37.58°N 92.59°W | 04:24–04:30 | 2.3 mi (3.7 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| Some outbuildings and trees were damaged by an intermittent tornado.[36] | |||||||
| EF# | Location | County / parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF0 | St. James | Phelps | MO | 37.9955°N 91.6116°W | 05:27–05:31 | 0.26 mi (0.42 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) |
| A brief, weak tornado damaged small outbuildings at an elementary school as well as to a light pole at a football stadium. A school camera captured the tornado moving over a school building.[37] | |||||||
| EF1 | NW of Garfield | Benton | AR | 36.4561°N 94.0265°W | 05:33–05:37 | 2.8 mi (4.5 km) | 550 yd (500 m) |
| Numerous trees were uprooted.[38] | |||||||
| EF1 | Garfield | Benton | AR | 36.449°N 94.0057°W | 05:35–05:38 | 2.4 mi (3.9 km) | 300 yd (270 m) |
| A twin tornado developed to the south of the previous tornado. The roofs of two homes were damaged, an outbuilding was destroyed, and trees were uprooted.[39] | |||||||
| EF0 | NE of Gordonville | Cape Girardeau | MO | 37.3283°N 89.6342°W | 09:15–09:16 | 0.44 mi (0.71 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| A brief tornado downed several large tree limbs. Sporadic damaging winds continued eastward after the tornado dissipated.[40] | |||||||
| EF2 | NNW of Goreville to W of Creal Springs | Williamson | IL | 37.6341°N 89.0017°W | 09:46–09:52 | 6.74 mi (10.85 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| This tornado began along IL 148 and crossed over I-57 heading east, causing roof damage to homes and outbuildings, and snapping or uprooting trees. The tornado reached its peak intensity of high-end EF2 along the north side of the Lake of Egypt, causing severe roof and structural damage to three businesses, and blowing out a window at the nearby fire protection building. The tornado continued to damage homes and outbuildings and snapped or uprooted numerous trees before dissipating.[41][42][43] | |||||||
| EF1 | ENE Creal Springs to E of Stonefort | Williamson, Saline | IL | 37.6229°N 88.8215°W | 09:56–10:03 | 7.57 mi (12.18 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| Along the beginning of this tornado path, many trees were snapped or uprooted. Moving eastward, the tornado reached its peak intensity of high-end EF1 as it moved directly through Stonefort. A couple of homes had portions of their roofs ripped off; however, the majority of houses were damaged by fallen trees. Outbuildings and a mobile home also had roof damage in the town. The tornado continued to snap and uproot trees east of the town before dissipating.[43] | |||||||
| EF1 | ENE of Kevil | McCracken | KY | 37.0941°N 88.8666°W | 10:05–10:06 | 0.6 mi (0.97 km) | 50 yd (46 m) |
| A house had a portion of its roof removed, a couple of other homes suffered fascia and siding damage, and about a dozen trees had large limbs downed.[44] | |||||||
| EF2 | ESE of Eldorado | Saline | IL | 37.7913°N 88.4029°W | 10:15–10:16 | 1.14 mi (1.83 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| A strong tornado destroyed an outbuilding and removed portions of roofing from two homes. An industrial garage and two manufactured homes were severely damaged. One manufactured home was moved several feet off its foundation and had one of its walls torn open, resulting in injury to two occupants. Multiple trees were snapped or uprooted.[41][42][43] | |||||||
| EF1 | Ridgway | Gallatin | IL | 37.7953°N 88.2712°W | 10:21–10:22 | 0.98 mi (1.58 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| A brief tornado caused roof damage to a house and an outbuilding. A grain bin was also damaged, and several trees were downed.[41][42][43] | |||||||
| EF1 | S of New Haven, IL | Gallatin (IL), Posey (IN) | IL, IN | 37.8893°N 88.2139°W | 10:22–10:29 | 7.45 mi (11.99 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| Several large trees were snapped or uprooted, one of which crushed a small brick building. A manufactured home was severely damaged and a nearby outbuilding had part of its roof ripped off.[41][42][43][45] | |||||||
| EF1 | E of Ridgway | Gallatin | IL | 37.7915°N 88.1777°W | 10:26–10:28 | 1.96 mi (3.15 km) | 75 yd (69 m) |
| A brief tornado caused significant roof damage to a couple of a large farm outbuildings; debris was tossed hundreds of feet. A home sustained shingle damage and several trees were snapped or uprooted.[42][46] | |||||||
| EF2 | NNE of Maunie, IL to S of Wadesville, IN | White (IL), Posey (IN) | IL, IN | 38.0646°N 88.0206°W | 10:31–10:43 | 14.9 mi (24.0 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| This EF2 tornado snapped or uprooted hundreds of trees. Several outbuildings and sheds were damaged or destroyed. Several homes sustained minor to moderate roof damage. This tornado eventually merged with the 10:37 UTC tornado.[41][42][47][48] | |||||||
| EF2 | S of Uniontown | Union | KY | 37.7631°N 88.0314°W | 10:34–10:40 | 6.84 mi (11.01 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| Several homes sustained significant roof damage and/or were shifted off their foundations. Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted.[49] | |||||||
| EF2 | SSE of New Harmony to WSW of Darmstadt | Posey | IN | 38.0941°N 87.9229°W | 10:37–10:48 | 11.56 mi (18.60 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| A strong tornado snapped or uprooted hundreds of trees and damaged or destroyed dozens of outbuildings. Several homes sustained minor to moderate damage. This tornado merged with the 10:31 UTC tornado.[50] | |||||||
| EF1 | NE of Morganfield | Union | KY | 37.7209°N 87.8936°W | 10:41–10:42 | 1.24 mi (2.00 km) | 50 yd (46 m) |
| A large, newly built farm outbuilding sustained severe roof and wall damage. A home sustained shingle and fascia damage, a shed was destroyed, and a carport was damaged. Several trees were damaged as well.[51] | |||||||
| EF1 | SE of Sturgis | Union | KY | 37.4936°N 87.9488°W | 10:46–10:47 | 0.72 mi (1.16 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| A large farm outbuilding was severely damaged, two homes sustained roof damage, and several large trees were snapped at their base. One tree fell on a manufactured home, resulting in injury to a resident.[52] | |||||||
| EF2 | E of Wadesville to Darmstadt to SSW of Elberfeld | Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick | IN | 38.1113°N 87.7214°W | 10:47–11:00 | 14.9 mi (24.0 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| A strong tornado completely ripped the roofs off several homes. Additional but more minor damage occurred to a few other homes as well. Numerous outbuildings or sheds were damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted.[53] | |||||||
| EF2 | WNW of Nisbet to NNW of Millersburg | Vanderburgh, Warrick | IN | 38.1501°N 87.6823°W | 10:47–11:03 | 14.92 mi (24.01 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| A significant tornado damaged or destroyed dozens of outbuildings, damaged several homes, and snapped electrical power poles. Hundreds of trees were also snapped or uprooted.[54][55] | |||||||
| EF1 | S of Haubstadt to SE of Elberfeld | Vanderburgh, Warrick | IN | 38.1668°N 87.573°W | 10:54–11:03 | 9.55 mi (15.37 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted and several outbuildings were damaged or destroyed. A few homes sustained minor to moderate damage. This tornado merged with the 10:48 UTC EF2 tornado.[56] | |||||||
| EF1 | S of Elberfeld | Vanderburgh, Warrick | IN | 38.157°N 87.5046°W | 10:57–11:01 | 3.05 mi (4.91 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| A home sustained minor roof damage, several outbuildings were damaged or destroyed, and dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted.[57] | |||||||
| EF1 | SSE of Chandler | Warrick | IN | 38.0199°N 87.3629°W | 11:04–11:06 | 1.64 mi (2.64 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| Three homes suffered substantial roof damage and hundreds of trees were either snapped or uprooted.[58] | |||||||
| EF1 | SSE of Stanley to SW of Folsomville | Warrick | IN | 38.1413°N 87.3349°W | 11:05–11:13 | 8.45 mi (13.60 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| A large barn was destroyed, and one home sustained significant shingle damage. A few other houses sustained minor damage as well. Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted.[59] | |||||||
| EF1 | E of Chaplin | Nelson, Washington | KY | 37.9341°N 85.2201°W | 12:50–12:56 | 5.02 mi (8.08 km) | 125 yd (114 m) |
| Over a dozen barns and outbuildings were heavily damaged or destroyed and extensive tree damage occurred.[60] | |||||||
| EF1 | SW of Lawrenceburg | Anderson | KY | 37.9558°N 85.0453°W | 12:56–12:59 | 2.1 mi (3.4 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| A home had extensive roof damage while two nearby barns had large portions of their roofs removed. Another home had minor roof and exterior damage and trees were snapped or twisted.[61] | |||||||
| EF1 | NW of Nicholasville | Woodford, Jessamine | KY | 37.981°N 84.6843°W | 13:11–13:15 | 1.78 mi (2.86 km) | 300 yd (270 m) |
| Multiple barns were significantly damaged or destroyed. A garage door was blown in, a home sustained broken windows, and multiple trees were downed.[62] | |||||||
| EF1 | NNE of Nicholasville | Jessamine | KY | 37.9372°N 84.5483°W | 13:18–13:19 | 0.42 mi (0.68 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| A very brief tornado tossed two storage sheds onto a highway. It continued into an industrial park, ripping off large portions of roofing, blowing out doors, and pulling away wall panels from many buildings and warehouses. Boards and drywall were impaled into the surrounding structures and the ground. Three vehicles were flipped over and a heavy travel trailer was moved about 20 yd (18 m).[63] | |||||||
| EF1 | SSE of Monterey to N of Mount Zion | Bourbon, Clark | KY | 38.1471°N 84.3042°W | 13:20–13:35 | 12.68 mi (20.41 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| Three funnels consolidated into a tornado that impacted two farms. On one farm, multiple structures sustained damage. On the other property, an open-area structure was collapsed save for one remaining wall. An adjacent stable sustained roof damage and multiple trailers were flipped. Six horses were injured, a barn was demolished, and multiple large trees were downed, which likely caused damage to a stone cabin.[64] | |||||||
| EF1 | WSW of Becknerville | Clark | KY | 37.9754°N 84.3056°W | 13:30–13:33 | 1.94 mi (3.12 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| One home had a portion of its roof torn off while others were damaged and trees were snapped.[65] | |||||||
| EF0 | S of Sharpsburg | Bath | KY | 38.1756°N 83.9826°W | 13:37–13:38 | 0.36 mi (0.58 km) | 75 yd (69 m) |
| A home sustained extensive roof damage and some structural damage. The southeast corner of a barn was blown out. Extensive tree damage occurred as well.[66] | |||||||
| EF0 | ENE of Sharpsburg | Bath | KY | 38.215°N 83.8319°W | 13:39 | 0.1 mi (0.16 km) | 25 yd (23 m) |
| The back half of the roofing structure of a manufactured home was lifted. Grass, mud, and insulation plastered the front of the home. This is the only damage caused by this very brief tornado.[67] | |||||||
| EF1 | Greenup to Northern Ironton | Greenup (KY), Lawrence (OH) | KY, OH | 38.5713°N 82.839°W | 14:12–14:20 | 7.88 mi (12.68 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| A high-end EF1 tornado began in Greenup beginning at a cemetery in town. The tornado tracked southeast, damaging the roofs of building and downing trees, some onto buildings. The tornado crossed the Ohio River into the town of Hanging Rock, where it impacted a campground. Several RV were overturned and tossed throughout the campgrounds. A salt storage dome was destroyed, causing one employee to get seriously injured. The tornado continued southeastward, damaging a few homes and the Ironton Middle School before weakening and dissipating. This was originally classified as a microburst before reanalysis determined it was a tornado.[68] | |||||||
| EF1 | N of Ironville | Boyd | KY | 38.4562°N 82.7122°W | 14:21–14:23 | 1.1 mi (1.8 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| A single-wide trailer home was flipped, and a home was damaged and shifted off its foundation with other homes also receiving damage. This tornado was embedded within a larger area of damaging straight-line winds from the storm.[69] | |||||||
| EF2 | SW of Garner | Boyd | KY | 38.2828°N 82.7613°W | 14:24–14:26 | 1.14 mi (1.83 km) | 450 yd (410 m) |
| This brief but strong tornado caused severe tree damage, destroyed several barns and outbuildings, and removed the roof from a house completely. Additional homes sustained damage.[70] | |||||||
| EF1 | NW of Willow Wood | Lawrence | OH | 38.5989°N 82.5055°W | 14:26–14:27 | 1.09 mi (1.75 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| The roofs were blown off three structures, including two homes. Tin panels were uplifted on a barn roof as well. A few trees were knocked down. A travel trailer was rolled.[71] | |||||||
| EF1 | SSW of Huntington | Wayne, Cabell | WV | 38.3796°N 82.4614°W | 14:34 | 0.56 mi (0.90 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| Trees were snapped or uprooted by this high-end EF1 tornado. Buildings suffered minor damage as well.[72] | |||||||
| EF1 | NW of Crown City | Lawrence | OH | 38.6487°N 82.3778°W | 14:34–14:35 | 0.44 mi (0.71 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| A high-end EF1 tornado snapped or uprooted a significant amount of trees in the Wayne National Forest.[73] | |||||||
| EF1 | NW of Wilson to northern Barboursville | Cabell | WV | 38.4346°N 82.3479°W | 14:39–14:42 | 4.2 mi (6.8 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| An intermittent, high-end EF1 tornado touched down next to the Ohio River in West Virginia, tracking southeast and damaging numerous trees.[74] | |||||||
| EF1 | NE of Crown City | Gallia | OH | 38.6166°N 82.2417°W | 14:40–14:41 | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| Several large hardwood trees were uprooted in a ravine. Some barns were damaged by fallen trees. The roof and exterior walls of a warehouse were blown off.[75] | |||||||
| EF1 | S of Fraziers Bottom to Bancroft | Putnam | WV | 38.5109°N 81.9956°W | 14:54–14:59 | 8.5 mi (13.7 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| An intermittent, low-end EF1 tornado did scattered tree damage, mainly downing large tree limbs with a few uprooted trees at first. Moving east, a narrow swath of uprooted and snapped trees resulted in the EF1 rating. The tornado continued east, crossing the Kanawha River before dissipating in Bancroft.[76] | |||||||
| EF0 | Southern Buffalo | Putnam | WV | 38.6055°N 81.9804°W | 14:55–14:56 | 0.55 mi (0.89 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| A high-end EF0 tornado uprooted and snapped several large trees.[77] | |||||||
| EF1 | SE of St. Albans to Northern Dunbar | Kanawha | WV | 38.3697°N 81.8157°W | 15:02–15:06 | 5 mi (8.0 km) | 300 yd (270 m) |
| An EF1 tornado snapped or uprooted a significant number of trees, many of which fell on and damaged homes. Another house had its roof blown off.[78] | |||||||
| EF2 | Cross Lanes to S of Wallace | Kanawha | WV | 38.4329°N 81.8109°W | 15:04–15:10 | 8 mi (13 km) | 300 yd (270 m) |
| This intermittent but strong low-end EF2 tornado traveled near the Putnam-Kanawha County line. Several large and healthy trees were snapped at their bases and uprooted. Minor damage to homes was noted in the area, too. The tornado traveled due east, continuing to snap and uproot trees. One of the trees fell onto a home, which significantly damaged the second story of the home. Before lifting, several additional large trees were either snapped and/or uprooted.[79] | |||||||
| EF1 | W of Hernshaw to Southern Marmet | Kanawha | WV | 38.2353°N 81.6569°W | 15:11–15:15 | 5.14 mi (8.27 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| A tornado began in the Kanawha State Forest and skipped along an intermittent path eastward. The top floor was blown off of one structure, an RV was rolled, and significant tree damage occurred. The tornado dissipated before reaching I-64.[80] | |||||||
| EF1 | Quick to NE of Coalridge | Kanawha | WV | 38.3735°N 81.4227°W | 15:15–15:17 | 2.25 mi (3.62 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| Two mobile homes were destroyed, a utility pole was snapped at its base, and significant tree damage occurred.[81] | |||||||
| EF1 | Dry Branch | Kanawha | WV | 38.1717°N 81.4610°W | 15:21–15:22 | 0.78 mi (1.26 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| A tornado snapped and uprooted trees and damaged the roofs of a few homes.[82] | |||||||
| EF1 | SW of Georgetown | Harrison, Floyd | IN | 38.2699°N 86.0216°W | 17:09–17:15 | 3.2 mi (5.1 km) | 30 yd (27 m) |
| A tornado touched down multiple times, primarily inflicting damage to trees. One home had a portion of its roof decking ripped off and thrown. Roofing material and outdoor accessories were blown away as well. Another home also sustained damage to its gutter covers.[83] | |||||||
| EF0 | S of Goodrich to WNW of Limestone | Kankakee | IL | 41.0841°N 88.0599°W | 19:02–19:08 | 4.6 mi (7.4 km) | 50 yd (46 m) |
| A grain silo was tossed into a field. Trees and barns were also damaged.[84] | |||||||
| EFU | NNE of Irwin | Kankakee | IL | 41.0927°N 87.9677°W | 19:10–19:11 | 0.65 mi (1.05 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) |
| A narrow rope tornado was photographed by several people. No known damage occurred.[85] | |||||||
| EF0 | W of Whitaker | Kankakee | IL | 41.2493°N 87.7613°W | 19:30–19:31 | 0.52 mi (0.84 km) | 25 yd (23 m) |
| This short-lived tornado caused damage to power poles as well as a small metal structure that was destroyed.[86] | |||||||
| EF2 | S of Hico | Fayette | WV | 38.0845°N 81.004°W | 20:31–20:36 | 5.31 mi (8.55 km) | 325 yd (297 m) |
| A strong tornado touched down and immediately started causing considerable and significant tree damage, snapping and uprooting hundreds of trees. Several homes were damaged by trees, including one home that had significant roof damage. The tornado made a slight jog to the northeast where the tornado reached its peak intensity with significant tree damage. The tornado damaged or destroyed several homes, shifting one home several feet off its foundation and tossing the metal roof approximately 350 yd (320 m).[87] | |||||||
| EF1 | Sunbright | Morgan | TN | 36.242°N 84.6725°W | 21:20–21:25 | 2.86 mi (4.60 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| A tornado touched down in downtown Sunbright and dealt damage to numerous residential and commercial structures. As the tornado tracked northeast, exiting the town, some metal building structures, barns, and trees in this area were damaged. The tornado re-intensified and damaged several more homes and barns before it dissipated. This tornado occurred almost exactly one year after a tornado struck Sunbright during an outbreak the previous year.[88] | |||||||
| EF2 | Watson, IN to Prospect, KY to WNW of Brownsboro, KY | Clark (IN), Jefferson (KY), Oldham (KY) | IN, KY | 38.348°N 85.7207°W | 21:31–21:45 | 11.15 mi (17.94 km) | 450 yd (410 m) |
| See section on this tornado – There were 22 injuries.[89] | |||||||
| EF2 | Buckner | Oldham | KY | 38.3862°N 85.4978°W | 21:46–21:53 | 5.33 mi (8.58 km) | 300 yd (270 m) |
| An EF2 tornado impacted multiple homes, ripping off large portions of roofing, blowing out windows, and inverting or blowing out garage doors. The roof HVAC system at a high school was blown to the ground, and a nearby streetlight was bent. An adjacent metal warehouse sustained some roof damage and had its garage doors inverted. A large, open-faced metal RV storage building likewise sustained damage to its roof and walls. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted as well.[90] | |||||||
| EF1 | SW of Bear Branch | Ohio | IN | 38.9034°N 85.1399°W | 21:52–21:57 | 3.34 mi (5.38 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| A tornado touched down in the southwesternmost corner of Ohio County before destroying a garage and a well-constructed barn. The tornado continued east through inaccessible areas, uprooting trees before lifting.[91] | |||||||
| EF0 | N of Richmond | Wayne | IN | 39.8503°N 84.869°W | 21:53–21:58 | 3.42 mi (5.50 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| A weak tornado developed north of Richmond where trees were broken off and uprooted at the start of the damage path. From there, the tornado traveled northeast across I-70 causing mainly tree damage along its path. After the tornado crossed the interstate, it widened briefly, damaging several barns, outbuildings, and residential structures. Several of the barns lost major portions of their roofs, trailers were tipped over, and a porch was damaged on a home. The tornado then continued over open fields before dissipating as it approached the Ohio-Indiana state line.[92] | |||||||
| EF1 | NW of Jericho to ESE of New Castle | Henry | KY | 38.4081°N 85.2901°W | 21:58–22:09 | 7.78 mi (12.52 km) | 200 yd (180 m) |
| This high-end EF1 tornado destroyed a poorly-anchored double-wide mobile home, and damaged homes, businesses, outbuildings, and trees.[93] | |||||||
| EF1 | NW of Leighton | Colbert | AL | 34.6922°N 87.5683°W | 21:55–22:06 | 6.96 mi (11.20 km) | 750 yd (690 m) |
| Numerous trees were damaged and a boat resting on a trailer was flipped and thrown 20 yd (18 m).[94] | |||||||
| EF0 | S of Brooksville | Bracken | KY | 38.6672°N 84.0904°W | 23:15–23:19 | 3.2 mi (5.1 km) | 250 yd (230 m) |
| Several barns, outbuildings, and trees were damaged.[95] | |||||||
| EF1 | Minerva to SW of Ripley | Mason | KY | 38.704°N 83.9216°W | 23:27–23:31 | 3.5 mi (5.6 km) | 300 yd (270 m) |
| Numerous trees were uprooted and snapped and a structure suffered considerable roof loss and partial collapse of a second story brick wall.[96] | |||||||
| EF1 | NNW of Manchester to NNE of West Union | Adams | OH | 38.7662°N 83.647°W | 23:46–23:57 | 7.87 mi (12.67 km) | 500 yd (460 m) |
| A tornado touched down and immediately destroyed a poorly-anchored mobile home. Tree and outbuilding damage also occurred in the area before the tornado tracked northeast. The tornado removed the roof of a covered bridge. Several well-constructed outbuildings were damaged and multiple large trees were snapped nearby as the tornado reached its peak intensity. More trees were snapped and uprooted as the tornado continued northeast. The tornado then briefly entered Adams Lake State Park, where considerable tree damage occurred before the tornado lifted.[97] | |||||||
| EF0 | NE of Athens | Limestone | AL | 34.8261°N 86.8947°W | 23:01–23:04 | 1.11 mi (1.79 km) | 123 yd (112 m) |
| Multiple small and large tree branches were snapped, a garage and a shed lost a significant amount of their metal roofing, and several large trees were uprooted.[98] | |||||||
| EF0 | E of Linnville to N of Gratiot | Licking | OH | 39.9691°N 82.3146°W | 00:08–00:15 | 5.29 mi (8.51 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| A tornado developed and moved northeast causing mainly tree and minor structural damage along its path.[99] | |||||||
| EF1 | N of Zanesville to SSE of Adamsville | Muskingum | OH | 40.0085°N 82.0162°W | 00:32–00:44 | 8.16 mi (13.13 km) | 75 yd (69 m) |
| The tornado began at the Parr Airport, where it collapsed a hangar and shifted tied-down aircraft. The roof was lifted off a single-wide manufactured home; two barns and a frame home sustained roof damage as well. A small shed was destroyed. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.[100] | |||||||
| EF2 | SSW of Leo | Jackson | OH | 39.0917°N 82.7198°W | 00:47–00:50 | 1.87 mi (3.01 km) | 325 yd (297 m) |
| A brief but strong tornado leveled an extensive portion of a thick forest. One home was damaged by a fallen tree.[101] | |||||||
| EF0 | WSW of Bloomfield | Muskingum | OH | 40.0345°N 81.8167°W | 00:49–00:51 | 1.21 mi (1.95 km) | 50 yd (46 m) |
| A weak tornado snapped a few trees and caused roof damage to a few outbuildings.[102] | |||||||
| EF1 | NE of Bloomfield | Guernsey | OH | 40.0741°N 81.7179°W | 00:57–00:58 | 1.29 mi (2.08 km) | 75 yd (69 m) |
| Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. A barn sustained minor structural damage and a manufactured home sustained partial roof damage.[103] | |||||||
| EF1 | SW of Chandlersville | Muskingum | OH | 39.8847°N 81.8478°W | 01:20–01:21 | 0.54 mi (0.87 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted and a barn lost some of its metal roofing panels.[104] | |||||||
| EF1 | W of Plantersville | Dallas, Chilton | AL | 32.641°N 87.0398°W | 03:28–03:37 | 8.28 mi (13.33 km) | 600 yd (550 m) |
| Hundreds of trees were uprooted or snapped by this tornado, some of which blocked roads and fell near homes.[105] | |||||||
| EF1 | NE of Pletcher to SE of Clanton | Chilton | AL | 32.7121°N 86.7786°W | 03:49–04:06 | 15.07 mi (24.25 km) | 450 yd (410 m) |
| Numerous trees sustained damage and multiple homes and outbuildings were damaged. A car trailer was blown 100 yd (91 m) and destroyed, as well as a barn. An additional home sustained roof damage before the tornado dissipated.[106] | |||||||
| EF2 | Northern Conyers | Rockdale | GA | 33.6554°N 84.0903°W | 03:49–04:06 | 9.47 mi (15.24 km) | 800 yd (730 m) |
| To the west of Conyers, this tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees and damaged homes in multiple neighborhoods. A small area of low-end EF2 damage occurred in an area where a home had a large portion of its roof removed and a nearby power pole was snapped. After crossing I-20/US 278, the tornado moved through the northern part of Conyers, causing weaker but still significant damage to homes, vehicles, and businesses. The tornado then dissipated northeast of the town along SR 138. Two people were injured.[107] | |||||||
| EF1 | N of Rockford | Coosa | AL | 32.9182°N 86.245°W | 04:28–04:31 | 2.65 mi (4.26 km) | 400 yd (370 m) |
| A brief tornado caused minor damage to trees and vegetation.[108] | |||||||
| EF0 | Kellyton | Coosa | AL | 32.9712°N 86.0793°W | 04:40–04:44 | 2.28 mi (3.67 km) | 175 yd (160 m) |
| Minor tree damage occurred.[109] | |||||||
| EF# | Location | County / parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF0 | Centerville | Houston | GA | 32.6107°N 83.7144°W | 07:44–07:46 | 1.24 mi (2.00 km) | 150 yd (140 m) |
| A very brief tornado touched down in a small forested area in town, snapping a few trees and damaging power lines and poles. A few retail signs were damaged as well.[110] | |||||||
| EF1 | SW of Cordele | Crisp | GA | 31.9113°N 83.922°W | 08:49–08:56 | 5.55 mi (8.93 km) | 300 yd (270 m) |
| A waterspout began over Lake Blackshear and moved ashore, damaging numerous trees on the lake. Several homes sustained significant damage due to falling trees and others were dealt roof damage. Two farm pivot-irrigation systems were flipped and a few more trees were snapped before the tornado lifted.[111] | |||||||
| EF0 | SW Ponte Vedra | St. Johns | FL | 30.0759°N 81.47°W | 16:08–16:09 | 0.25 mi (0.40 km) | 125 yd (114 m) |
| A weak tornado damaged a lanai screen, removed shingles off a home, and blew a fence out.[112] | |||||||
| EF1 | NNE of Farnham to ESE of Lodge | Richmond, Northumberland | VA | 37.933°N 76.6004°W | 20:04–20:10 | 5.78 mi (9.30 km) | 100 yd (91 m) |
| A tornado demolished a storage shed and uprooted numerous trees as it touched down. The tornado quickly moved northeast through a golf course where additional trees and sheds were damaged. After exiting the golf course, two houses saw portions of their roofs peeled off. More roof damage on houses occurred and more trees were uprooted before the tornado lifted.[113] | |||||||
 The tornado seen in Prospect, Kentucky | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | April 2, 2024, 5:31 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00) |
| Dissipated | April 2, 2024, 5:45 p.m. EDT (UTC−04:00) |
| Duration | 14 minutes |
| EF2 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 120 mph (250 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 22 |
This strong tornado began along the north side of SR 265/SR 62 west of Watson, Indiana in Clark County. It moved eastward, uprooting trees and damaging an outbuilding at EF0 strength. The tornado then quickly intensified to EF1 strength as it crossed SR 62 and moved through Watson, knocking over three tractor trailers on SR 62 and uprooting several trees. After uprooting additional trees and damaging two homes and an outbuilding, the tornado moved through the neighborhood of Brookhollow in the far northern part of Jeffersonville. In Brookhollow, numerous garage doors were blown out, windows were broken, brick facade crumbled, trees were uprooted, and large sections of roofs were blown off structures. Many boards were impaled and driven more than a foot into the ground with others being impaled into homes. A large metal building also had portions of its walls removed.
The tornado then crossed SR 265 and struck an industrial business at the International Drive/Old Salem Road interchange. The building had parts of its roof section pulled and twisted and a 5,000 lb (2,300 kg) salt pod was lifted up over a 4 ft (1.2 m) concrete barrier and thrown down a hill approximately 40 yd (37 m). The tornado then crossed SR 265 again and broke windows and peeled metal roofing off of more homes in the northern part of Utica before beginning an erratic eastward movement crossing the Ohio River into Kentucky.[41][89]
As it entered Jefferson County, the tornado widened and reached its peak intensity of EF2 as it moved into Prospect and struck the Beechland Beach neighborhood. Three well-built two-story homes suffered significant roof damage, had broken windows had air conditioner units twisted and torn from the sides of them. Another home suffered a collapsed exterior wall, and three large pin oak trees were snapped. Continuing to move erratically eastward, the tornado weakened but reached its maximum width as it moved through Hays Kennedy Park and entered the Sutherland neighborhood at high-end EF1 intensity. Numerous homes suffered roof damage, power lines were downed, power poles were snapped, and trees were uprooted. One homeowner was trapped in the basement of his home when a tree fell on his home; he had to be freed by his neighbors.
Nearby, a 7 ft (2.1 m) section of a locust tree was torn off, thrown 20 yd (18 m), and impaled about 4 ft (1.2 m) into the ground. A personal weather station on the fence at a home on the edge of the tornado's path recorded a wind gust of 79 mph (127 km/h). The tornado then crossed US 42 and entered the Hunting Creek neighborhood, where more trees were uprooted and more roof damage was dealt to homes, including two homes that suffered total roofing loss; this damage was rated low-end EF2 while the rest of the peak damage received an EF1 rating. The tornado then exited Hunting Creek and crossed into Oldham County as it entered Hidden Creek at a weaker low-end EF1 intensity. Trees were uprooted, barns took damage to their overhead doors and sheet metal, and some homes incurred roof damage. The tornado finally exited Prospect, weakened to EF0 strength as it crossed KY 1694, and turned northeast, striking the southern portion of a golf course, uprooting trees and damaging barns. The tornado then lifted northeast of the golf course as it crossed KY 329/KY 1694 near Brownsboro as another EF2 tornado was forming to the north.[41][89]
The tornado was on the ground for 14 minutes, traveled 11.59 mi (18.65 km), and reached a peak width of 450 yd (410 m). There were 22 injuries in Jefferson County.[41][89]
Many areas of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia were put on flood watches prior to the event.[114][115] In West Virginia, there were dozens of reports of straight-line wind damage along with the tornadoes. A wind gust of 92 mph (148 km/h) was recorded at Tri-State Airport in Huntington, West Virginia, which set an all-time record for that station.[116][15] Heavy snowfall also affected the Midwest, with up to 17 in (43 cm) of snow falling in Wisconsin.[117] The University of Kentucky campus in Lexington suffered minor damage from high winds, and afternoon classes and on-campus activities were canceled. The Scioto Audubon Metro Park was completely flooded.[118]
Severe storms across the Northeastern United States on April 3 produced a daily rainfall record of 1.75 in (44 mm) of precipitation at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, with even heavier rainfall totals in Newark, New Jersey.[119] Wind gusts in Central Park reached 59 mph (95 km/h).[120] Lightning also struck the Statue of Liberty during the storms, resulting in viral social media attention.[121] Two Major League Baseball games at Citi Field were postponed during the storm.[122] On April 2, two people were fatally crushed by fallen trees in Pennsylvania. Another fatality occurred in New York on April 3 due to downed trees.[119][119] In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a woman's body was found in a drainage ditch; they were likely swept away during flooding.[123] Another person was also killed in Campbell County, Kentucky.[124] Further north, up to 21.5 in (55 cm) of snow fell in Northern New England, with over 600,000 customers losing power.[125][119]
Over 250,000 people were left without power in the wake of the storm; with many of those outages in West Virginia.[126] On the afternoon of April 2, the state of Kentucky issued a state of emergency.[127] West Virginia also declared a state of emergency for 21 counties.[128] President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for portions of Kentucky,[129] and several counties in West Virginia also qualified for individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which allowed storm victims to receive federal money to repair damage caused by the storms.[130]
The National Weather Service declared the tornado outbreak "historic", stating that not only did it set a daily record for West Virginia, but also broke the yearly record, in one day.[15] Ten tornadoes occurred in West Virginia; which also set a state record for the most tornadoes confirmed in a single day. The previous record was seven; set on both April 4, 1974 and June 2, 1998.[128]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
