Year In Review (Sorta)

What I mean by sorta is the year is not over just yet and while we may not have any more severe weather but we might.

Unofficial totals through December 1 (final through July)

Total confirmed 1121

EF0 642

EF1 311

EF2 116

EF3 26

EF4 13

EF5 0

The year started with above-normal activity in January, primarily as a result of a single moderate outbreak late in the month. After that, arctic air settled in across the central and southern United States, suppressing warm air to the Caribbean, and as a result, February saw only one isolated tornado as the air mass throughout the month was highly unfavorable for any severe weather development. In early March, predictions for an active tornado season were voiced by meteorologists should the pattern continue as it had during January and February, with El Nino also cited as possibly bringing an above average season. However, March and the first half of April also had well below normal activity, and overall the early spring period was among the least active in recent years. Through mid-April, the season had been one of the least active in the historical record (see graphic above right).

Two very large tornado outbreaks in late April ended the slow period, pushing April activity to near normal. May, which is typically the most active month for tornado activity, was somewhat above normal, as several larger outbreaks were spread throughout the month. June was a very active month with at least one isolated tornado activity on most days and two major tornado outbreaks plus several smaller outbreaks resulting in well over 400 tornado reports. The active pattern continued into July, with activity again above normal due to steady activity throughout the month despite no major outbreaks. The active pattern came to a stop by August. It was below normal with 70 tornadoes reported and only 21 confirmed-(making contact with the ground.) Only one fatality was reported for August.

With 6 HIGH Risk events in 2010 it has been a very interesting year. Here are a few notable outbreaks this year have been.

April 22–25

A complex weather system began to track across the central and southern United States beginning on April 22. That afternoon, tornadoes developed across eastern Colorado and from western Kansas southward to the Texas Panhandle. As instability increased, a moderate risk of severe weather - the first such upgrade of 2010 - was issued for the area around Amarillo, Texas. The largest tornado, rated EF2, was reported near Kendall, Kansas reported as 1 mile (1.6 km) wide according to KSNG coverage. Another large wedge tornado was reported near Friend, Kansas and tracked to Scott City, Kansas where several farm buildings were destroyed. There were 40 tornadoes that were reported that day.

Another moderate risk of severe weather was issued for April 23 across much of the southern United States. 18 tornadoes were reported; most of them north of St. Louis, Missouri outside the moderate risk area.

A high risk of severe weather had been issued for April 24. High risk days are rarely issued. Four "particularly dangerous situation" tornado watches were issued that day for areas of Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. Numerous tornado warnings citing "large and extremely dangerous" tornadoes were issued. A tornado emergency was issued for central Mississippi for a tornado that reportedly flattened 30 homes near Eagle Bend in Warren County, leveled numerous buildings, injured numerous people and destroyed a church with Yazoo City taking a direct hit from the 1/2 to 3/4 mile-wide tornado which would soon be rated as an EF4. Ten people were killed, including four people in Yazoo County, one in Holmes County and five more in Choctaw County. Significant damage to an industrial plant with injuries, trapped people and destroyed homes have been reported in Madison Parish, Louisiana near the Louisiana-Mississippi state line. There were 77 tornadoes reported for that day.

Dr. Greg Forbes of the Weather Channel said that the radar was picking up debris on a thunderstorm near Yazoo City, indicating extreme damage. He said he has not seen anything like that since a tornado hit Greensburg, Kansas.

The National Weather Service also confirmed two tornado touchdowns in the St. Louis, Missouri area on April 24, 2010 both were rated as EF0 with the strongest winds recorded at 85 mph. One touchdown was in the Des Peres area while the other touched down in the University City area. No injuries were reported from the twisters. The tornadoes knocked down some power lines and trees and caused mostly minor damages to homes and businesses.


A strong low pressure system tracked across the Midwest beginning on April 29. A few tornadoes were reported from Kansas to Iowa that day, but with little damage.

A moderate risk of severe weather was issued on April 30 for a large swath from northern Illinois to southern Arkansas. Late that afternoon, tornadoes began to develop across the Ozarks and multiple tornado warnings were issued. Also, in less than a week, another PDS Tornado Watch was issued for Arkansas, Oklahoma, the Missouri Bootheel, and Texas. That evening in central Arkansas, the moderate risk was upgraded to a high risk for the second time in less than a week. Significant damage was reported in several areas. KARK coverage reported that an tornado touched down in Scotland, Arkansas and major damage, at least 25 injuries and at least one fatality were reported there. In East End, Arkansas, major damage was also reported with several injuries.

April 29–May 2

Another high risk was issued for May 1 for Arkansas, northern Mississippi, West Tennessee, southwestern Kentucky and southeastern Missouri, the first occurrence of back-to-back high risk days since 2006. Activity began in the afternoon on the warm front, where a destructive tornado touched down in northeastern Mississippi with severe damage near Ripley. Yet again, another PDS Tornado watch was issued for Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas

May 10–13

An intense trough with dry line activity moved across the southern plains, especially Oklahoma and Kansas, on May 10. For the fourth time in less than three weeks, a high risk of severe weather was issued. Large tornadoes began developing in the mid-afternoon hours in northern Oklahoma, with significant damage in Medford, Oklahoma by an EF3. Another tornado touched down near Yukon, Oklahoma in the western part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, followed by numerous others in the area. A trailer park was flattened near Norman, Oklahoma according to KWTV coverage, with at least one fatality and many injuries reported. This tornado was soon rated as an EF4. Within three hours, at least 34 reports of tornadoes, including a few "large and extremely dangerous" tornadoes, were reported. A large grocery store along Highway 9 near Norman was flattened by a large tornado. A long-lived supercell tracked parallel to Interstate 40, and produced one or more large and destructive tornadoes from the Oklahoma City metro area through eastern Oklahoma. Activity slowed down the next day as only 2 tornadoes were reported in Ohio. However, on May 12, tornado activity increased. A dry line moved through west Texas, causing multiple tornadoes in Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Finally, on May 13, the dry line dissipated, but many tornadoes still formed on that day. One tornado in Missouri was rated an EF1 after it destroyed a casino park and a Pizza Hut location.[54] Activity died down the next day as now flooding was more associated with the storm system than tornadoes.

May 22–25

The severe weather shifted north as a new low pressure system tracked across the northern Plains states on May 22. Isolated tornadoes were reported across portions of central South Dakota that afternoon. The most intense supercell produced a long-lived wedge tornado in and around Bowdle, South Dakota where numerous houses and farm buildings were destroyed and cars were thrown into the air. It was rated as an EF4, but fortunately remained in rural countryside and no injuries were reported

June 5–6

More severe weather developed across the Midwest on June 5. A few tornadoes developed primarily in Ohio that afternoon, but the most serious activity developed that evening. Several tornadoes took place in Iowa and more in Illinois. One especially large tornado resulted in a tornado emergency being declared that evening for Peoria, Illinois after causing severe damage in Elmwood, Illinois. A second strong tornado formed shortly after the Elmwood, Illinois tornado in Putnam County just west of Henry, Illinois. The tornado tracked through southern La Salle County where it caused significant damage (EF2) in Magnolia, Illinois and Streator, Illinois. This tornado continued on a long track and impacted Dwight, Illinois where over 40 mobile homes were destroyed and near St. Anne, Illinois where the tornado was rated as EF3. Significant damage was also reported in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Several more tornado warnings were issued in Southern Michigan that night, and into the early morning. Counties under warnings included Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Hillsdale, Jackson, Branch, Berrien, Van Buren, Saint Joseph, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Monroe counties. AN EF1 tornado in Calhoun County touched down just south of Battle Creek, downing trees and tearing the roof off of a church. Other damage reported in Calhoun County included a flagpole bent at a right angle due to extreme winds in Homer. A state of emergency was also declared for the town of Leamington, Ontario after extensive damage was reported due to an F1 tornado confirmed by Environment Canada. Six people were confirmed dead in Wood County, Ohio just outside Toledo after an EF4 tornado hit the town of Millbury, Ohio in the middle of the night.

June 17–18

An intense low pressure system developed across the northern Plains states and impacted the region on June 17. At least 61 tornadoes were reported that afternoon and evening, primarily across North Dakota and Minnesota. Significant damage was reported west of Grand Forks, North Dakota and in the Wadena, Minnesota area, and a tornado emergency was issued for areas north of Wadena and again later for areas near Plummer, Minnesota where significant damage was reported. Much of Wadena was destroyed by its tornado. Three people were killed; one in Almora, Minnesota,one in Mentor, Minnesota; and a third in Freeborn County, Minnesota. At least four of the tornadoes were rated EF4, the most violent tornadoes in a single event since February 5–6, 2008.

June 25–26

The pattern of strong storms continued into June 25 and 26 with a new storm system. The strongest tornado touched down near Sibley, Iowa, it was an EF4 that flattened several houses and farm buildings as it remained in rural countryside. Other tornadoes were reported on both days. They included at least four EF2 tornadoes in southern Minnesota that did significant damage

A developing intense low pressure system resulted in an unstable air mass over parts of the Southern United States on October 24. The most intense tornado hit Rice, Texas where a high school was heavily damaged and several people were reported to be injured. That tornado was rated as an EF2. Another notable tornado, an EF1, hit Mobile, Alabama early on October 25.

October 24-27

As the low explosively deepened to become the most intense extratropical low of non-tropical origins ever recorded in the continental United States, reaching as low as 953 mbar (28.14 inHg) over northern Minnesota (as low as a medium-sized Category 3 hurricane), storms developed on the associated cold front late on October 25. A high risk of severe storms, the first to be issued in October since October 24, 2001 and the first in any fall month since November 15, 2005, was issued for parts of the Midwest including most of Indiana early on October 26, with both a tornado outbreak ahead of the front and a major serial derecho expected from the Gulf Coast to the upper Great Lakes.. The high risk was later extended northward in the mid morning. That morning, a few tornadoes struck, primarily around Lake Michigan, including a confirmed EF2 tornado four miles east of Peotone, Illinois , and another EF2 in Cridersville, Ohio, with more tornadoes reported near the Ohio River. Almost every county in southern Michigan was placed under a tornado warning as the storm tracked eastward. Later that day, a confirmed EF1 tornado struck Middlesboro, Kentucky. In addition, widespread intense wind damage was also reported from Mississippi northward to Michigan.

The cold front tracked eastward on October 27 as the storm weakened. Additional tornadoes developed across the Mid-Atlantic states as the atmosphere remained unstable. In the end, it was one of the largest October tornado outbreaks ever recorded, even though none of the tornadoes were stronger than EF2.

November 29-30


An intense storm system impacted the Deep South on November 29. A few supercells developed in the warm sector, with some producing tornadoes. Severe damage was reported to several houses in Winn Parish, Louisiana including a large mansion which was destroyed from the EF4 tornado, the strongest tornado in the US so late in the year since the December 2000 Tuscaloosa tornado on December 16, 2000. Damage was also reported in Yazoo City, Mississippi (which had been devastated on April 24 as well). In east-central Mississippi, additional tornadoes - including an EF3 in Attala County, Mississippi - touched down that evening and into the morning of November 30, destroying houses and resulting in numerous injuries.
This list is incomplete as we now know that 14 tornadoes hit the state of Mississippi alone as well as 4 in Alabama