Tornadoes of 2022

EF2 damage to a church in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

A small outbreak of mostly weak tornadoes impacted the Southeastern United States starting with 13 confirmed tornadoes on New Year's Day. One strong tornado, rated EF2, moved through Hopkinsville, Kentucky, damaging several businesses, a church, and a gas station.[6][7] A weak EF0 tornado embedded within larger area straight-line winds also caused damage in Bowling Green, an area previously impacted by two strong tornadoes during the previous month, which killed 16 people and injured 63 others.[8][9] In Madison County, Alabama, a high-end EF0 tornado damaged several businesses, snapped tree branches, and ripped the roof off a mobile home. One person was injured, the only casualty of the outbreak.[10] Three weak, brief EF0 tornadoes touched down in Georgia and Florida on January 2. Two weak tornadoes also touched down in North Carolina during the morning hours of January 3 before the outbreak ended. In all, 19 tornadoes touched down, with only one injury reported.

EF2 damage to a mobile home in Peason, Louisiana.

From the evening of January 8 into the afternoon of the next day, several mostly weak tornadoes moved through the Greater Houston area in Southeast Texas, along with Sabine Parish, Louisiana, and southern Alabama. An EF2 tornado struck the community of Peason, Louisiana, damaging at least 30 homes and injuring six people.[11] Overall, 11 tornadoes were confirmed. Damage from the tornadoes totaled $60 million.[12]

Several tornadoes occurred over coastal areas of Florida during the morning hours of January 16, most of which were the result of waterspouts moving onshore. A strong EF2 tornado caused major damage to three mobile home parks in the Fort Myers suburb of Iona. 108 mobile homes were damaged, 30 of which were destroyed and 51 of which sustained major damage. The tornado, which injured three, was caught on video by many people living in the surrounding areas.[13][14][15] An EF0 tornado in Collier County also caused an injury.[14] In all, four people were injured by the tornadoes.

A mobile home that was completely destroyed at EF2 intensity to the northeast of Sawyerville, Alabama.

Several tornadoes occurred in central Alabama ahead of a cold front, including in Hale County, where one person was killed near Sawyerville by an EF2 tornado.[16] In total, three EF2 tornadoes were produced in Western Alabama, all by the same supercell. In addition to the fatality, eight others were injured. Two additional tornadoes, both rated EF0, impacted Elmore County, resulting in minimal damage.

As European Windstorm Dudley moved across Europe, it produced at least 24 tornadoes in Poland and Germany. The first tornado of the day hit the village of Casekow in eastern Germany. Strong damage was done to a big farm building and a small forest area. Some residential buildings were also hit.[17][18] In Poland, houses got heavily damaged or partly destroyed by several F2 tornadoes.[19][20][21] In the city of Kraków, a short-lived tornado caused a crane to collapse resulting in two deaths and two injuries.[22][17] One other tornado was reported in Italy, which was caused by a different weather system. In total, two people were killed and five others were injured by the tornadoes in Poland.[23]

Large EF4 wedge tornado near Winterset, Iowa.

A tornado outbreak, spawned from a strong, negatively tilted shortwave trough, struck the Midwestern United States beginning on March 5, in particular the state of Iowa. Six people were killed by a violent, long-tracked EF4 tornado near Winterset that completely destroyed multiple homes, a few of which were leveled or swept away. The tornado also caused severe damage as it impacted the outskirts of Norwalk and Pleasant Hill before dissipating near Newton, after nearly 70 mi (110 km) miles on the ground.[25][26] An EF3 tornado near Chariton tore through a campground at Red Haw State Park, killing one person there. The same tornado also downed numerous trees, and badly damaged or destroyed multiple homes and other structures along its path. A strong EF2 tornado caused significant damage to homes and trees in Allerton, while an EF1 tornado caused moderate damage in the town of Vinton. In Garden Grove, a metal building was destroyed and homes had their roofs torn off as a result of an EF2 tornado. Two other EF2 tornadoes caused damage to homes, trees, and outbuildings as they passed near the towns of Kellogg and Tama. The storms then congealed into a squall line, producing damaging straight-line winds and isolated weak tornadoes eastward into Ohio before weakening and dissipating. Additional severe thunderstorms formed in Arkansas and Missouri the next day, with several tornadoes touching down. One intense long-tracked supercell moved from southeast Arkansas northeastward across the entire state, producing four tornadoes. The strongest was a low-end EF2 tornado that struck Sage, Arkansas and injured six people, including one seriously. Homes and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed in the Sage area, and many large trees were snapped or uprooted. Other severe storms formed that evening and produced more damaging winds and isolated weak tornadoes before weakening the next morning on March 7. One non-tornadic fatality occurred early that morning when semi truck carrying logs was blown over on U.S. 641 near Hazel, Kentucky, ejecting and killing the passenger.[27] A large squall line produced widespread wind damage in Northeastern United States that afternoon, but no tornadoes touched down. A total of 30 tornadoes were confirmed, with seven tornadic fatalities, one non-tornadic fatality, and at least 12 injuries.

EF3 damage to a house in the rural community of Damascus, Mississippi.

A three-day tornado outbreak unfolded across the Southern and Eastern United States, beginning on March 21. That morning, the Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk in anticipation for the event, as favorable conditions for severe weather developed over east-central Texas, where a 15%, hatched area for tornadoes, indicating the possibility of strong tornadoes, was introduced.[28] Multiple supercell thunderstorms formed over the area on March 21, prompting the issuance of numerous tornado warnings in Texas and southern Oklahoma, including several PDS tornado warnings. An EF3 tornado caused major damage to homes and school buildings in the city of Jacksboro, Texas, and destroyed some wind turbines and metal truss towers outside of town. The same supercell produced an EF2 tornado in Sherwood Shores, Texas that caused major damage to homes, destroyed mobile homes, killed one person, and injured 11 others before crossing the state line and causing severe damage at the Buncombe Creek Marina near Kingston, Oklahoma.[29] Two EF1 tornadoes caused considerable damage near Bowie, Texas and injured three people, while a high-end EF2 tornado flipped cars and caused major damage to homes and businesses in the Austin suburb of Round Rock, as well as areas to the northeast, injuring 16 others. Later that evening numerous additional strong tornadoes touched down across eastern Texas, including an EF2 tornado that injured 10 people in Crockett, where multiple homes and a convenience store suffered major structural damage. Another strong tornado produced high-end EF2 damage near Ore City, destroying homes and mobile homes and injuring 7 people. Other strong EF2 tornadoes occurred near the towns of Kingsbury, Elgin and Cushing. Tornadic activity continued into March 22 as the system moved eastward into Louisiana and Mississippi where another moderate risk, including a 15% hatched risk area for tornadoes, was issued. Numerous tornadoes reported in both states as well as Alabama, including an EF3 tornado struck rural Kemper County, Mississippi in the Damascus area, producing severe tree damage and destroying a couple of homes. Later that evening, a strong multiple-vortex EF3 tornado was broadcast live on television as it caused major damage in the New Orleans metropolitan area, with the most severe damage occurring in the inner suburb of Arabi. Many homes were destroyed and vehicles were tossed in Arabi, where one person was killed, and two more were injured.[30] On March 23, more tornadoes were confirmed in states farther to the east, including two EF2 tornadoes that caused significant damage near Pickens, South Carolina and Gladesboro, Virginia. A few weak EF0 tornadoes were confirmed as far north as Ohio. A total of 81 tornadoes occurred as a result of this outbreak, which resulted in two tornadic fatalities, three non-tornadic fatalities, and at least 67 injuries.[31]

A large distribution warehouse destroyed by an EF3 tornado in Springdale, Arkansas.

Another significant tornado outbreak struck the Southern and Eastern United States at the end of March. The outbreak began on March 29, with two EF1 tornadoes, one of which caused considerable damage a home and a school in St. Joseph, Missouri, and the other causing damage to outbuildings and farm equipment near Valley Falls, Kansas. On March 30, the SPC issued a moderate risk of severe weather for much of the Deep South, including a 15% hatched risk of tornadoes. Early that morning, an EF3 tornado in Springdale, Arkansas, caused extensive structural damage to homes, businesses, and a school and injured seven people.[32][33][34] Later that day, an EF1 tornado was broadcast live television by local news networks as it moved through Jackson, Mississippi, causing minor to moderate tree and structural damage. An EF2 tornado ripped much of the roof off of a school in Tallulah, Louisiana, while another EF2 tornado struck McLain, Mississippi, where it inflicted severe damage to an apartment building, destroyed chicken houses, and snapped or uprooted numerous large trees. An EF3 tornado in Bibb and Shelby counties in Alabama injured two people, snapped and debarked countless trees in remote forested areas, and destroyed some RV campers at a hunting club. It caused roof damage to dormitory buildings at the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama near the end of its damage path. Significant tornado activity continued into the early morning hours of March 31, and an EF3 tornado completely destroyed multiple homes and mobile homes near Alford, Florida, killing two people and injuring three others. A multiple-vortex EF2 tornado snapped hundreds of large trees in Wayne Township, Pennsylvania later that day, and another EF2 tornado severely damaged a house and a chicken farm near Norwood, North Carolina.[35] In addition to the tornadoes, a fast-moving squall line of severe thunderstorms produced damaging 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) straight-line winds across the threat area. This outbreak produced a total of 90 tornadoes, which resulted in two fatalities and at least 18 injuries.[36]

EF2 damage to a house in Manning, South Carolina.

On April 4, an enhanced risk for severe thunderstorms was issued from Texas to Mississippi. Scattered severe thunderstorms over Texas during the afternoon congealed into a severe squall line that moved east over the Southern United States. Several tornadoes were confirmed around the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex late on April 4, including an EF2 tornado that damaged multiple homes and injured one person near Egan. As the line progressed eastward, numerous tornadoes occurred across Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina spawned by embedded circulations and supercell thunderstorms that formed within the squall line. A high-end EF3 tornado within the line significantly damaged or destroyed multiple homes and caused several minor injuries in Bonaire, Georgia.[37] Discrete supercells also formed ahead of the squall line in Georgia and South Carolina and quickly became tornadic, spawning multiple powerful, long-tracked tornadoes. A large low-end EF3 tornado prompted a tornado emergency for Allendale and Sycamore, South Carolina as it destroyed mobile homes and heavily damaged other buildings, trees, and power lines, injuring one person. Numerous other tornadoes were confirmed elsewhere in South Carolina and in Georgia. One death and 12 injuries were confirmed after an EF4 tornado heavily damaged or destroyed several homes and other structures in Pembroke and Black Creek, Georgia. Another high-end EF3 tornado knocked down a large swath of trees northeast of Ulmer, South Carolina and a low-end EF2 tornado caused heavy damage to homes, businesses, trees, and power lines in Manning, South Carolina.[38][39] Severe storms refired across large portion of the Southeast on April 6–7, with more tornadoes being reported in Florida, southern and central Georgia and southeastern South Carolina, although they were all weak in nature.[40] In all, 86 tornadoes were confirmed, along with one tornadic fatality, two non-tornadic fatalities, and at least 16 injuries.

Another tornado outbreak occurred across the Great Plains, Midwest, and Southern United States in mid-April. The outbreak began on April 11, when four EF1 tornadoes touched down across Arkansas, one of which prompted a tornado emergency for areas to the north of Little Rock.[41] An EFU tornado also touched down in Oklahoma as well.[42] The next day, the SPC issued a moderate risk for much of Iowa, with a 15% hatched risk for strong tornadoes outlined. Later that day, a strong EF2 tornado caused major damage to homes, destroyed barns and outbuildings, and injured one person near Gilmore City, Iowa. Another EF2 tornado caused significant damage to structures near Rutland. Additional tornadic storms formed in Texas, as well as Kansas as far north as southern Minnesota. Multiple tornadoes were reported in Texas, including a destructive high-end EF3 tornado that caused severe damage near Florence and Salado. Twenty-three injuries occurred near Salado as several homes and two churches were destroyed, and severe damage to trees and vehicles occurred as well.[43] Later that night, a damaging EF2 tornado struck the small town of Taopi, Minnesota, inflicting major damage to homes, flipping cars, and injuring two people.[44] Severe and tornadic weather continued into the overnight hours and ramped back up again the next day, with the SPC issued another moderate risk with a 15% hatched risk area for tornadoes across several states in the Deep South on the morning of April 13. Numerous tornadoes touched down that day, though most were weak. However, a large and long-tracked EF2 tornado passed south of Meridian, Mississippi and moved through the community of Clarkdale, where many trees, homes, and a school building sustained significant damage. Another EF2 tornado caused severe tree damage near Sikes, Louisiana. Overall, this outbreak produced a total of 73 tornadoes, none of which resulted in any fatalities, though at least 28 injuries occurred.[45]

A tornado struck the western part of Mayabeque Province, hitting the provincial capital of San José de Las Lajas. The storm caused moderate damage to roofs of homes and buildings and injured several people.[46]

EF3 damage to a house in Andover, Kansas.

A moderate risk for severe weather was issued for portions of eastern Kansas and southern Nebraska. Later that evening, several tornadoes struck the central and northern Great Plains. An EF3 tornado moved through Andover, Kansas, causing major damage to a YMCA branch, tossing vehicles, and destroying numerous homes. Approximately 966 buildings sustained damage.[47][48] Four tornadoes struck Marion County, while another EF1 tornado moved through Rosalia, east of El Dorado. Other severe storms impacted Iowa and Missouri.[49][50] A brief EF0 tornado struck near Fort Myers, Florida as well.[49][51] A few tornadoes were reported in Illinois and Arkansas the next day.[52]

Three indirect fatalities occurred as a result of the severe weather; three meteorology students from the University of Oklahoma were killed in a motor vehicle accident on Interstate 35 near Tonkawa, Oklahoma while returning from storm chasing late on April 29. Their car hydroplaned off the road and was struck by another vehicle.[53] The event has received an outpouring of grief from students, meteorologists and the University of Oklahoma.[54]

A rare EF1 tornado was confirmed in the Victor Rojas community of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, as severe thunderstorms tore through the area. It downed power lines, damaged trees, and caused minor damage to buildings. A total of 26 homes were damaged.[55][56]