January 1999 Tornado Outbreak Sequence

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The January 1999 Tornado Outbreak Sequence was an enormous outbreak of tornadoes from January 17 to 22, 1999 across the Mississippi Valley, centered in Arkansas and Tennessee. It was one of the most severe January outbreaks ever recorded.

Contents

[edit] Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed
Total		 Confirmed
F0		 Confirmed
F1		 Confirmed
F2		 Confirmed
F3		 Confirmed
F4		 Confirmed
F5
102 45 32 14 9 2 0

[edit] January 17 event

F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
Arkansas
F2 SE of Oil Trough Independence, Jackson 2051 7 miles
(11 km)		 First tornado of the outbreak. Heavy damage to at least one house, plus extensive tree and power line damage.
F1 Diaz (1st tornado) Jackson 2106 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Damage mostly to trees.
F0 Diaz (2nd tornado) Jackson 2108 unknown Weak, short-lived tornado with no damage.
F1 Tuckerman area Jackson 2123 9 miles
(15 km)		 Significant damage reported in a residential subdivision and at a sewer plant. One person was injured.
F0 NE of Tuckerman Jackson 2128 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Weak tornado with damage limited to trees.
F1 Grubbs area Jackson 2128 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 Damage reported to about 12 houses, with a mobile home destroyed. Several barns were also damaged.
F0 N of Grubbs Jackson 2138 unknown Brief tornado with only minor tree damage.
F0 Risher area Craighead 2145 16 miles
(26 km)		 Weak, long-tracked tornado. Damage limited to trees and power lines along its path.
F0 E of Lafe Greene 2230 8 miles
(13 km)		 Minor tree damage along the path.
F1 Schug area Greene 2235 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 Several mobile homes damaged. A substance abuse center lost its roof.
F0 NW of Weiner Poinsett 2245 8 miles
(13 km)		 Tornado remained north of town. Minor damage reported.
F2 Lake City area Craighead 2145 11 miles
(17 km)		 Two houses were destroyed and five others damage. Severe damage to an electrical substation.
Tennessee
F2 Halls area Lauderdale 2355 4 miles
(6.4 km)		 Severe damage reported in Halls. Two businesses were flattened along with several mobile homes. Major damage to a church as well. In total, 49 structures were damaged or destroyed and 11 people were injured.
F3 Alamo area Crockett 0009 10 miles
(16 km)		 Heavy damage in the south side of Alamo. 16 houses (including several mobile homes) and one business were destroyed and 73 others were damaged. Four people were injured.
F3 Jackson area (1st tornado) Haywood, Madison 0015 22 miles
(35 km)		 See section on this tornado
F4 Jackson area (2nd tornado) Madison 0025 16 miles
(26 km)		 6 deaths - See section on this tornado
F1 Saulsbury area Fayette, Hardeman 0035 12 miles
(20 km)		 1 death - 1/4 mile (400 m) wide tornado destroyed 14 houses (most of them mobile homes) and damaged 27 others. Extensive tree and power line damage also reported. Four others were injured.
F1 Atwood area Carroll 0105 10 miles
(16 km)		 1 death - Four mobile homes were destroyed and eight others were damaged. Numerous trees and power lines were damaged. One other person was injured.
F1 W of Dover Stewart 0106 unknown Short-lived tornado damaged the roof of a grocery store.
F1 E of Woodlawn Montgomery 0128 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Damage was reported on several farms, with several barns destroyed.
F1 SE of Adams Robertson 0200 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 One farm was damaged, with moderate damage to the house and the barn and greenhouse destroyed.
Mississippi
F0 Slayden Marshall 0045 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Two mobile homes were destroyed and a house under construction was flattened. Two people were injured.
Sources: National Climatic Data Center

[edit] January 21 event

Some of these tornadoes took place in the overnight areas after midnight local time, but were part of the same continuous sequence.

F# Location County Time (UTC) Path length Damage
Arkansas
F1 S of Lerch Lafayette 2110 9 miles
(15 km)		 Little damage reported, primarily to trees.
F0 N of Cornelius Lafayette 2133 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Tornado remained in woodlands, blocked roads but no buildings damaged.
F0 NE of Lerch Lafayette 2138 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Tornado remained in woodlands. No damage.
F0 S of Genoa Miller 2145 4 miles
(6.4 km)		 Tornado track remained in unpopulated farmlands.
F2 SE of Naylor Faulkner, White 2157 10 miles
(16 km)		 Two manufactured homes were destroyed, along with two hay barns. The roof of a church was also damaged. Seven people were injured.
F1 S of Princeton (1st tornado) Dallas 2229 7 miles
(11 km)		 Damage limited to many trees along its path.
F3 S of Princeton (2nd tornado) Dallas 2229 11 miles
(17 km)		 Powerful and large tornado remained over rural areas, however, it obliterated a 1/4 mile (400 m) swath of trees along its path.
F1 Evening Star Greene 2230 11 miles
(17 km)		 12 houses were damaged or destroyed. A church was also heavily damaged.
F0 Hickory Ridge Cross 2233 unknown Brief touchdown with no damage, but hundreds of geese killed.
F3 Sunnydale area White, Independence 2238 19 miles
(31 km)		 Strong tornado up to 1/2 mile (800 m) wide damaged or destroyed many houses, including several flattened trailers. Extensive damage also to trees. Two people were injured.
F0 E of Knobel (1st tornado) Clay 2245 12 miles
(20 km)		 Minor damage reported to one house.
F2 Center Hill area White 2246 8 miles
(13 km)		 2 deaths - Tornado followed the Highway 305 corridor. Several mobile homes were thrown and destroyed, killing two occupants. Many other houses were damaged. Two others were injured.
F1 NE of Macon Pulaski, Faulkner, Lonoke, White 2249 8 miles
(13 km)		 One house suffered a damaged roof and a mobile home was damaged. Extensive tree damage along the path.
F2 Oil Trough area Independence 2255 20 miles
(32 km)		 Several houses were damaged or destroyed, along with numerous outbuildings. Widespread damage to trees and power lines. Three people were injured.
F3 S of Brinkley Monroe, St. Francis 2302 36 miles
(57 km)		 Long-track tornado flattened one house and destroyed 20 others along its path, plus numerous farm buildings and outbuildings. Several transmission towers were knocked down. Nine people were injured.
F4 E of Knobel (2nd tornado) Clay 2305 16 miles
(26 km)		 Violent tornado flattened two houses and damaged several others along its path. Two tractor trailers were destroyed.
F1 Whitehall area Jefferson 2311 14 miles
(23 km)		 Several houses damaged and barns destroyed before tracking into the Pine Bluff Arsenal. Several buildings were damaged on the Arsenal, primarily to roofs. After crossing the Arkansas River, several more houses damaged. Four people were injured.
F0 Garret Grove Lee 2325 unknown Brief touchdown with minimal damage.
F0 Goodwin St. Francis 2325 unknown Brief touchdown in town. Some minor damage reported.
F1 E of Tucker Jefferson, Lonoke 2330 16 miles
(26 km)		 Several buildings damaged on the grounds of the Arkansas State Penitentary. Significant tree damage along the path.
F1 S of Donaldson Hot Spring 2334 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Minimal damage, mostly to trees.
F1 SE of Donaldson Hot Spring 2337 4 miles
(6.4 km)		 Formed as the previous tornado dissipated. No significant damage.
F1 S of Romance White 2338 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Several houses suffered minor roof damage.
F2 Joy area White 2347 10 mile
(16 km)		 Several buildings were damaged, including an antique store and a fire department building. Several outbuildings were destroyed. Extensive tree damage was reported.
F0 W of Hoxie Lawrence 0000 unknown Short-lived tornado with minimal damage.
F3 NE of Oil Trough Independence, Jackson, Lawrence 0005 39 miles
(62 km)		 Powerful tornado remained in rural areas. Extensive and severe damage to trees with swaths of forests up to 1/2 mile wide obliterated.
F2 W of Hazen Prairie 0013 7 miles
(11 km)		 One house was destroyed and several others suffered varying degrees of damage.
F0 W of Colt St. Francis 0015 unknown Brief tornado with minimal damage.
F3 SE of Malvern Hot Spring, Grant 0018 11 miles
(17 km)		 Tornado remained in mostly rural areas with extensive damage to trees. One chicken house was destroyed.
F2 Pleasant Plains area White, Independence 0020 11 miles
(17 km)		 1 death - At least 30 houses, several businesses, a church and several barns were damaged, and a trailer was destroyed - killing an occupant.
F1 Des Arc area Prairie 0021 17 miles
(28 km)		 Several buildings sustained minor damage, with the most impact on trees and power lines.
F3 Little Rock area (1st tornado) Saline, Pulaski 0024 22 miles
(35 km)		 3 deaths - See section on this tornado
F2 Little Rock area (2nd tornado) Pulaski, Lonoke 0042 11 miles
(17 km)		 See section on this tornado
F1 E of Palatka Clay 0050 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Short-lived tornado that damaged several houses.
F1 E of Sidon White, Cleburne 0054 10 miles
(16 km)		 One woodworking plant was destroyed, and several outbuildings were also damaged. Trees and power lines were knocked down.
F0 W of Patterson Woodruff 0102 4 miles
(6.4 km)		 Tornado remained over rural countryside; no damage reported.
F0 NW of Walnut Ridge Lawrence 0105 unknown Brief tornado touchdown with minimal damage.
F0 W of Bloomer Sebastian 0111 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Tornado reported by spotters at Highways 22 and 96. No damage reported.
F1 E of Ward Lonoke 0118 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Short-lived tornado that damaged 15 houses. One mobile home was heavily damaged, and several sheds and outbuildings were destroyed. One person was injured.
F2 Corning area Clay 0125 7 miles
(11 km)		 Several houses sustained heavy damage. The Corning airport also sustained significant damage, with several hangars and airplanes destroyed.
F3 Beebe area White 0125 8 miles
(13 km)		 2 deaths - Severe tornado touched down in the area. The Beebe Junior High School was heavily damaged, along with a church and fire hall. Many houses were damaged or destroyed, and gas leaks were reported in Beebe. 29 others were injured by this tornado, which was up to 2/3 mile (1 km) wide at times.
F2 Newark area Independence 0133 7 miles
(11 km)		 Damage was reported to over 100 houses, several businesses and a church - mostly to roofs. Several trailers were destroyed.
F0 S of Jacksonville Pulaski 0159 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Brief tornado touchdown with minimal damage.
F0 E of Lanieve Craighead 0210 5 miles
(8 km)		 Tornado remained in rural areas with minimal damage.
F2 Washington area Hempstead 0213 21 miles
(33 km)		 Damage mostly to trees, including several large trees that fell onto several houses causing some structural damage.
F1 Newport area Jackson, Independence 0220 9 miles
(15 km)		 Minor damage reported, mostly caused by falling trees. Three people were injured.
F0 Marmaduke Greene 0250 unknown Brief tornado touchdown. Damage limited to trees and power lines.
F0 W of Egypt Craighead, Lawrence 0255 7 miles
(11 km)		 Three houses were damaged and an antenna was knocked over. One person was injured.
F0 Schug area Craighead, Greene 0340 6 miles
(9.6 km)		 Two houses suffered minor structural damage. Several trees were also knocked over.
F0 Wilson Mississippi 0355 unknown Brief tornado touchdown with no damage.
F0 NW of Bay Craighead 0400 3 miles
(4.8 km)		 Tornado remained in rural areas. Several trees blown down.
Mississippi
F1 E of Malvina Bolivar 2110 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Two mobile homes were destroyed, and minor damage was reported to several other houses.
F1 Cleveland Bolivar 2116 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 One mobile home was overturned. Damage also reported to a business.
F0 NE of Shaw Bolivar, Sunflower 0334 3 miles
(4.8 km)		 Weak tornado remained in open areas. No damage reported.
F0 SE of Boyle (1st tornado) Bolivar, Sunflower 0334 13 miles
(21 km)		 Tornado tracked through many open areas. No damage reported.
F1 NE of Shaw Washington 0433 3 miles
(4.8 km)		 Minor damage reported to a mobile home and several outbuildings.
F0 SE of Greenville Washington 0440 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Short-lived tornado sighted but remained in open fields.
F0 S of Belzoni Humphreys 0445 3 miles
(4.8 km)		 Minor damage limited to trees.
F0 NE of Curtis Station Panola 0445 8 miles
(13 km)		 One mobile home removed from its foundation.
F0 Senatobia Tate 0459 7 miles
(11 km)		 Tornado remained in open areas. Damage was minimal.
F2 Blaine area Sunflower 0502 15 miles
(24 km)		 Five houses were heavily damaged. One mobile home was destroyed and another was damaged. Two churches were also destroyed.
F0 SE of Boyle (2nd tornado) Bolivar 0515 5 miles
(8 km)		 Tornado remained in open fields.
F0 W of Itta Bena Leflore 0515 2 miles
(3.2 km)		 Large 4/10 mile (700 m) wide tornado spotted by storm chasers, but remained in open fields with no damage.
F0 NW of Ruleville Sunflower 0525 10 miles
(16 km)		 Tornado remained in open fields.
Missouri
F0 NW of Sikeston Scott 2250 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Brief tornado touchdown with no damage.
F0 Fagus Butler 2332 unknown Brief tornado touchdown with no damage.
F0 Morehouse New Madrid 2350 unknown Brief tornado touchdown with no damage.
F0 E of Essex Stoddard 0000 unknown Brief tornado touchdown with no damage.
F0 NW of Cardwell Dunklin 0005 unknown Brief tornado touchdown. Minimal damage reported.
F1 SE of Benton Scott 0015 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 A mobile home was overturned, and several outbuildings were damaged.
F0 NW of Kennett Dunklin 0315 unknown Brief tornado touchdown. Minimal damage reported.
F1 NE of Morehouse New Madrid, Scott 0407 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Damage primarily to trees along its path.
F0 Steele Pemiscot 0410 unknown Brief tornado touchdown. Minimal damage reported.
F1 NW of Dexter Stoddard 0440 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 A mobile home was overturned and a shed was destroyed. In addition, many trees and power lines were knocked down.
F0 Perkins Scott 0500 unknown Brief tornado touchdown with no damage.
F1 W of Morley Scott 0505 1 mile
(1.6 km)		 Heavy damage reported to a farm, including a destroyed barn and shed. A mobile home was overturned and minor damage reported to one house.
Louisiana
F1 NE of Bonita Morehouse, Ashley (AR), Chicot (AR) 0115 37 miles
(59 km)		 Long-track tornado with minor to moderate damage to several houses. Widespread tree damage.
F1 Tallajuh area Madison, Warren (MS) 0430 16 miles
(26 km)		 Many vehicles, including eight tractor trailers, were blown off Interstate 20. Several buildings sustained minor damage. Extensive damage to trees and power lines.
Sources: National Climatic Data Center

[edit] Jackson, Tennessee area tornadoes

Outbreak death toll
State Total County County
total
Arkansas 8 Pulaski 3
White 5
Tennessee 9 Benton 1
Carroll 1
Hardeman 1
Madison 6
Totals 17
All deaths were tornado-related

Jackson, Tennessee was hit hard by two tornadoes on the evening of January 17. They were both devastating. The first tornado began south of Eurekaton in Haywood County at about 6:15 pm CST (0015 UTC) and tracked across rural areas towards the Madison County line. In Haywood County, there were 12 houses destroyed along with several farm buildings. The damage picked up more as it passed through Mercer and Denmark, where several more houses were destroyed. Severe damage was also reported at the McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport where several buildings were flattened and equipment was destroyed. The tornado crossed into the north side of Jackson, where severe damage was reported to 38 houses and apartments; most of which were destroyed. The first tornado dissipated at about 6:25 pm CST (0025 UTC). Two people were injured by the first tornado, which was rated as an F3 on the Fujita scale. [1]

The second tornado developed east of Bemis at 6:25 pm when the first tornado dissipated. The tornado crossed into the southern part of Jackson, severely damaging the city. Over 200 homes and numerous businesses were destroyed or flattened and hundreds of others were damaged. Some of the demolished buildings include portions of a shopping center, the athletic fields of a high school, a school bus garage and a funeral home. Six people were killed and 106 were injured by this tornado, which was rated F4.[2]

[edit] Little Rock area tornado

The Little Rock area was slammed by a strong tornado on the evening of January 21. It tracked directly into the downtown area, making it one of the few tornadoes in recent years to directly hit the downtown area of a major city.[3]

The tornado began in Saline County south of Vimy Ridge at 6:24 pm CST (0024 UTC). Before crossing the Pulaski County line, it did moderate damage to several houses and significant damage to a mobile home.[4] It crossed into Pulaski County at 6:33 pm, where moderate roof damage was reported to several buildings along the Interstate 30 corridor. It continued eastward and did most of its devastation in the downtown area.[5]

The downtown area was devastated. There was severe damage reported to over 235 buildings, many of which were destroyed. One of the destroyed buildings included a large grocery store, where one person was killed. Over 500 other buildings sustained lesser damage. Some of the houses damaged were also in the historic district. Trees and power lines were also knocked down throughout the area. Damage was also reported on the property of the Arkansas Governor's Mansion, where many trees were knocked down. As the tornado left downtown, it weakened as it crossed Interstate 40. It weakened in the northeastern suburbs, near Sherwood at 6:53 pm CST, after being on the ground for 29 minutes and travelling 22 miles (35 km). The first tornado was rated as an F3 tornado on the Fujita scale[6]

As the first tornado dissipated, a second tornado developed in eastern Pulaski County. While it remained in more rural settings, it also destroyed several buildings, including a storage facility. It also knocked over several tractor trailers before crossing into Lonoke County.[7] Extensive damage was also reported in Lonoke County, where the South Bend community was hit hard. 12 houses, 11 mobile homes and several farm buildings were damaged or destroyed in Lonoke County. The tornado dissipated at 7:02 pm CST (0102 UTC) southwest of Cabot. It was an F2 tornado.[8]

In total, three people died in the tornadoes. One of them was in the destroyed grocery store, another was in a vehicle hit by a tree, and the third was in a mobile home that was destroyed. 78 other people were injured by the tornado.[9][10]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~378385
  2. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~378389
  3. ^ http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/downtown.html
  4. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~354808
  5. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~354812
  6. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~354812
  7. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~354817
  8. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~354825
  9. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~354812
  10. ^ http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~354817

[edit] External links

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