Mid-November 2005 tornado outbreak

The Mid-November 2005 outbreak was an unseasonably strong tornado outbreak on November 15, 2005 in the central United States. It occurred along a cold front separating warm, humid air from the southeast from cold Arctic air to the north and northwest. At least 50 confirmed tornadoes have been reported in the central United States in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee over that afternoon and evening. Strong winds and large hail caused additional damage throughout the region. The National Weather Service has reported at least 50 tornado touchdowns, although it is possible that a few have been multiple reports of the same tornado in different areas and several were not confirmed.^[2]

The strongest tornado was an F4 tornado on the Fujita scale; it occurred in the vicinity of Madisonville, Kentucky and Earlington, Kentucky. It was also the strongest tornado recorded in the United States in 2005.

Meteorological synopsis

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma had issued a "high risk" for severe weather over an area from northern Mississippi to central Indiana.^[3] Such a declaration is unusual (particularly for November) and means that there is a significant threat for severe thunderstorms with widespread tornadic activity. When the first tornado watches of the afternoon were issued, the SPC had declared a particularly dangerous situation (PDS) for destructive tornadoes in several of the tornado watches, a highly unusual alert which notifies that frequent and dangerous tornadoes are possible, and by late that evening, no less than 50 tornadoes (including ten strong tornadoes and one violent tornado) were confirmed and several more unconfirmed tornadoes were reported (and later confirmed as microbursts). Fortunately, the tornadoes were centered over more rural areas and damage was scattered but severe over many communities. There were numerous injuries, but remarkably, only one person was killed. The low casualty toll is likely due to the fact the outbreak was well-predicted and primarily occurred in the afternoon when people are most aware of the situation.

This was the third major tornado outbreak of November 2005, the other two being in Evansville, Indiana on November 6 (killing 25) and in much of Iowa on November 12 (killing one). There was another major outbreak in the same area on November 27 and 28.

Confirmed tornadoes

See also

• List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
• Tornadoes of 2005

References

External links

• Storm Reports for Nov. 15 (NWS Storm Prediction Center)
• Nashville weather site with photos of damage in Middle Tennessee
• National Weather Service-Paducah, KY Report
• National Weather Service-Central Illinois Report
• Marion County, IL Tornado (NWS St. Louis)
• National Weather Service-Memphis, TN Report
• Montgomery/Dickson County Storm Damage (NWS Nashville, TN)
• Wayne County Storm Damage {NWS Nashville, TN)
• Benton/Humphreys/Houston County Storm Damage {NWS Nashville, TN)
• National Weather Service-Northern Indiana Report