April 19–24, 2011 tornado outbreak sequence

April 19–24, 2011 tornado outbreak
Date(s) April 19–24, 2011
Duration 6 days
Confirmed tornadoes 100
Maximum rated tornado EF4 (Enhanced Fujita Scale)
Casualties 0

The April 19–24 tornado outbreak was a tornado outbreak that began on April 19th, 2011 and ended on April 24, 2011. It affected the Midwest and Southern United States. The outbreak produced an EF4 tornado that tore through the St. Louis metropolitan area. Other tornadoes caused damage in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

Meteorological synopsis

April 19–20

EF0 EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5
21 29 10 1 1 0

A severe weather event developed across the Midwest and southern Great Plains on April 19 as a dynamic low pressure system tracked across the area. Thunderstorms began in the late afternoon and early evening with large hail and several tornadoes. Significant damage was reported near Bowling Green, Missouri and Girard, Illinois as a result of tornadoes, the latter of which was rated EF3. Another large tornado was reported near Octavia, Oklahoma before the supercells merged into a very large squall line. Overnight, the squall line tracked eastward with widespread wind damage and many embedded tornadoes across several states, a few as strong as EF2 but most were brief and weak. In the early hours of April 20, 2011, a tornado tore through a neighborhood in Oregon, Ohio leaving some significant damage and no injuries.

April 22

Severe weather once again developed across parts of the Midwest on April 22. The St. Louis metropolitan area was hit hardest by the storm system. An EF4 tornado tracked across the region. Severe effects occurred in several communities, including houses and other buildings destroyed in Bridgeton, Ferguson, Florissant, Hazelwood, Maryland Heights, New Melle, and other communities. The tornado caused extensive damage to numerous facilities at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, with injuries reported; airplanes flipped over on the field and terminal windows blew out. The airport was closed for days after the tornado.[38] The EF4 tornado rating was based on finding of leveled houses in Bridgeton. Following assessments by the local National Weather Service, it was determined that a single tornado tracked for 22 mi (35 km) through parts of Missouri and Illinois. It reached a maximum width of 0.4 mi (0.64 km).Elsewhere, there were several reported tornadoes, including an EF2 which tracked through Henderson, Webster and Union County.[39] Miraculously, there were no fatalities or serious injuries that resulted from this storm.

April 23–24

Scattered tornadoes were reported across the US, but most were weak or remained over open country. However one tornado caused EF2 damage in the town of Bardwell, Kentucky. Another EF2 tornado destroyed airplane hangars near Cairo, Illinois. These later tornadoes were not part of the same weather system as the earlier tornadoes; they were part of a weather system that led to the April 25–28, 2011 tornado outbreak.

Tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita rating
EF0 EF1 EF2 EF3 EF4 EF5 Total
42 37 15 1 1 0 96

April 19 event

List of reported tornadoes - Tuesday, April 19, 2011
EF#
Location
County
Coord.
Time (UTC)
Path length
Comments/Damage
Missouri
EF1 SW of Bowling Green Pike 39°19′N 91°16′W / 39.32°N 91.26°W 2105 5 miles (8.0 km) Two houses were heavily damaged, and a barn and several outbuildings were destroyed.
EF0 Clarksville Pike 39°22′N 90°55′W / 39.37°N 90.91°W 2140 0.2 miles (320 m) Several houses and a church sustained minor damage. Tornado accompanied by softball-sized hail.
EF0 Patton Bollinger 39°30′N 90°00′W / 39.50°N 90.00°W 0055 0.75 miles (1.21 km) A barn was destroyed and many trees were snapped.
Illinois
EF3 Girard area Macoupin 39°27′N 89°49′W / 39.45°N 89.82°W 2305 6.5 miles (10.5 km) One brick house was destroyed and numerous other houses were heavily damaged. Trees were snapped and uprooted and outbuildings were destroyed. Two people were injured.
EF2 N of Farmersville Montgomery 39°28′N 89°39′W / 39.46°N 89.65°W 2308 3.5 miles (5.6 km) A grain bin and two sheds were destroyed.
EF1 SW of Kincaid Christian 39°31′N 89°31′W / 39.52°N 89.51°W 2317 2 miles (3.2 km) Several houses were damaged and three grain bins were destroyed.
EF2 S of Honey Bend Montgomery 39°16′N 89°38′W / 39.26°N 89.63°W 2320 3.5 miles (5.6 km) One house was destroyed and numerous others were badly damaged. Outbuildings, barns, and grain bins were destroyed as well, and telephone poles were snapped.
EF0 S of Morrisonville Christian 39°22′N 89°48′W / 39.37°N 89.80°W 2330 3.5 miles (5.6 km) Two barns and a metal farm building were destroyed.
EF1 NE of Taylorville Christian 39°35′N 89°16′W / 39.58°N 89.26°W 2332 1 mile (1.6 km) Eight empty railroad cars were knocked off.
EF1 NE of Chrisman Edgar 39°49′N 87°38′W / 39.82°N 87.64°W 0059 1.1 miles (1.8 km) A house was damaged and two barns and a garage were destroyed.
EF0 NE of Henning Vermilion 40°18′N 87°36′W / 40.30°N 87.60°W 0102 3 miles (4.8 km) Several houses were damaged and trees and power poles were knocked down.
EF1 E of Rossville Vermilion 40°23′N 87°34′W / 40.38°N 87.57°W 0111 2.5 miles (4.0 km) Two houses, six grain bins, two sheds, a garage, a combine and several pieces of farming equipment were damaged.
EF1 E of Centralia Marion 38°31′N 89°06′W / 38.52°N 89.10°W 0159 0.4 miles (640 m) Two houses were damaged and a pole barn was destroyed.
EF2 SE of Carmi White 38°02′N 88°05′W / 38.04°N 88.08°W 0228 3 miles (4.8 km) Barns and grain bins were blown down and trees were knocked down. A 7 ton truck was flipped and a home sustained roof damage.
EF1 NE of Carmi White 38°07′N 88°07′W / 38.11°N 88.12°W 0230 1.2 miles (1.9 km) Barns and grain bins destroyed. Roof torn off of farm house and trees were downed.
EF2 W of Keensburg Wabash 38°21′N 87°57′W / 38.35°N 87.95°W 0242 11.4 miles (18.3 km) Steel transmission towers were knocked down. A mobile home, three grain bins and several barns were destroyed and numerous houses sustained roof damage.
EF1 W of Allendale Wabash 38°32′N 87°46′W / 38.53°N 87.76°W 0253 3 miles (4.8 km) Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted and power poles were knocked down. One house sustained minor damage.
Indiana
EF2 N of Newport Vermillion, Parke, Fountain 39°53′N 87°26′W / 39.89°N 87.44°W 0108 unknown Barn was damaged and a grain bin was blown away.
EF2 S of Lafayette Tippecanoe 40°22′N 86°52′W / 40.36°N 86.87°W 0150 unknown Many large trees snapped or uprooted, some landing on homes.
EF1 W of Thorntown Boone 40°08′N 86°37′W / 40.13°N 86.61°W 0200 0.5 miles (800 m) Trees were knocked down and a barn was destroyed.
EF0 SE of Royal Center Cass 40°50′N 86°29′W / 40.84°N 86.49°W 0205 220 yards (200 m) Brief tornado destroyed a pole barn.
EF0 SE of Twelve Mile Cass 40°51′N 86°13′W / 40.85°N 86.21°W 0220 50 yards (50 m) Brief tornado damaged an outbuilding and bent a TV antenna.
EF1 SW of Fairmount Grant 40°24′N 85°43′W / 40.40°N 85.71°W 0240 2.5 miles (4.0 km) Several houses were damaged, one heavily.
EF1 W of Upland Grant 40°28′N 85°32′W / 40.47°N 85.53°W 0251 2.5 miles (4.0 km) Two houses were damaged and numerous trees were snapped.
EF1 S of Bryant Jay 40°31′N 84°58′W / 40.51°N 84.97°W 0317 7 miles (11 km) Intermittent tornado snapped power poles, damaged two houses and destroyed a garage, a barn and an outbuilding.
EF0 N of Huntingburg Dubois 38°19′N 86°57′W / 38.32°N 86.95°W 0322 0.3 miles (480 m) Brief tornado snapped numerous trees.
EF1 N of Ireland Dubois 38°23′N 86°56′W / 38.39°N 86.94°W 0322 3.1 miles (5.0 km) A grain silo was heavily damaged.
EF0 Haysville Dubois 38°29′N 86°56′W / 38.49°N 86.93°W 0325 2 miles (3.2 km) Numerous trees were blown down along the path.
EF1 SW of St. Anthony Dubois 38°19′N 86°50′W / 38.31°N 86.83°W 0326 0.4 miles (640 m) Brief tornado damaged a house and uprooted a few trees.
EF2 N of Bretzville Dubois 38°19′N 86°52′W / 38.32°N 86.87°W 0326 3.3 miles (5.3 km) Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed. Extensive tree damage along the track.
EF2 E of Roland Orange 38°35′N 86°40′W / 38.59°N 86.67°W 0339 1 mile (1.6 km) Two houses and a barn were damaged and trees were uprooted.
EF1 S of French Lick (1st tornado) Orange 38°26′N 86°37′W / 38.44°N 86.61°W 0340 1.5 miles (2.4 km) A metal barn and three outbuildings were destroyed.
EF1 S of French Lick (2nd tornado) Orange 38°28′N 86°35′W / 38.47°N 86.59°W 0340 0.75 miles (1.21 km) A porch was removed from a house and trees were knocked down.
EF0 SSW of Paoli (2nd tornado) Orange 38°31′N 86°30′W / 38.51°N 86.50°W 0347 0.5 miles (800 m) Brief tornado damaged a few trees and an outbuilding.
EF1 NE of Livonia (1st tornado) Washington 38°35′N 86°15′W / 38.59°N 86.25°W 0359 1.4 miles (2.3 km) Three grain bins were destroyed and a house was damaged.
EF0 NE of Livonia (2nd tornado) Washington 38°35′N 86°14′W / 38.58°N 86.23°W 0400 0.7 miles (1.1 km) A grain silo and two barns were damaged.
EF0 NNE of Salem Washington 38°39′N 86°04′W / 38.65°N 86.07°W 0407 0.6 miles (970 m) A house was damaged and sheds and outbuildings were destroyed.
EF0 W of Austin Washington, Scott 38°40′N 85°54′W / 38.67°N 85.90°W 0414 13 miles (21 km) Intermittent tornado with tree damage.
EF0 Scottsburg area Scott 38°40′N 85°54′W / 38.67°N 85.90°W 0419 5.2 miles (8.4 km) Several houses, agricultural buildings and a Holiday Inn hotel were damaged.
EF0 N of Jeffersonville (1st tornado) Clark 38°19′N 85°44′W / 38.31°N 85.73°W 0428 0.1 miles (160 m) Very brief tornado damaged a shed and a few trees.
EF1 N of Jeffersonville (2nd tornado) Clark 38°18′N 85°44′W / 38.30°N 85.73°W 0428 1.2 miles (1.9 km) About 25 trailers were damaged, one of which was thrown long distances. A church was also damaged.
Ohio
EF1 E of Monticello Van Wert, Allen 40°41′N 84°25′W / 40.68°N 84.42°W 0340 4 miles (6.4 km) Several houses were damaged and sheds and barns were destroyed.
EF1 N of Cairo Allen 40°52′N 84°04′W / 40.86°N 84.07°W 0355 0.5 miles (800 m) Significant damage on a farm with a house damaged and a barn destroyed.
EF2 Celina Mercer 40°33′N 84°34′W / 40.55°N 84.57°W 0354 4 miles (6.4 km) Several houses and businesses were heavily damaged and others sustained minor damage. A grocery store was destroyed. Barns, garages and outbuildings were also destroyed. Cars were flipped and trees were downed as well.
EF0 N of St. Mary's Auglaize 40°37′N 84°23′W / 40.61°N 84.39°W 0358 50 yards (46 m) Very brief tornado with minor tree and roof damage.
EF0 NE of Oregon Lucas 41°40′N 83°25′W / 41.67°N 83.42°W 0449 0.75 miles (1.21 km) One building was heavily damaged and about 24 others sustained minor damage.
EF0 SW of Port Clinton Ottawa 41°28′N 82°59′W / 41.47°N 82.99°W 0455 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Two houses sustained minor damage, outbuildings were damaged and trees were snapped.
Kentucky
EF0 S of Payneville Breckinridge, Meade 37°47′N 86°27′W / 37.78°N 86.45°W 0354 11 miles (18 km) Intermittent tornado touchdown with damage to several houses and barns.
EF0 NE of Corydon Henderson 38°13′N 86°08′W / 38.21°N 86.13°W 0409 0.3 miles (480 m) Damage limited to a few snapped trees.
EF1 NW of La Grange Oldham 38°25′N 85°24′W / 38.42°N 85.40°W 0449 0.2 miles (320 m) Brief tornado damaged a house and snapped some trees.
Sources:

St. Louis, NWS Northern Indiana, NWS Louisville, NWS Paducah, NWS Wilmington OH, NWS Cleveland, NWS Indianapolis, NWS Central Illinois

April 20 event

List of reported tornadoes - Wednesday, April 20, 2011
EF#
Location
County
Coord.
Time (UTC)
Path length
Comments/Damage
Indiana
EF1 N of Warsaw Switzerland 38°52′N 84°53′W / 38.86°N 84.88°W 0504 2 miles (3.2 km) Two houses were damaged and three barns were destroyed.
Kentucky
EF0 Frankfort area Franklin 38°11′N 84°52′W / 38.19°N 84.87°W 0528 4.7 miles (7.6 km) Trees were snapped along the track and a few houses sustained minor damage.
EF1 NE of Georgetown Scott 38°14′N 84°32′W / 38.23°N 84.54°W 0554 0.5 miles (800 m) A garage, a trailer and several outbuildings were heavily damaged.
EF1 NW of Franklin Simpson 36°32′N 86°34′W / 36.53°N 86.57°W 0630 3.3 miles (5.3 km) Two barns were heavily damaged and trees were uprooted.
Ohio
EF1 New Holland Pickaway 39°33′N 83°16′W / 39.55°N 83.26°W 0614 4.2 miles (6.8 km) A brick building was damaged, a grain bin and two barns were destroyed and trees were knocked down.
EF1 S of Groveport Franklin 39°48′N 82°55′W / 39.80°N 82.91°W 0625 2.6 miles (4.2 km) Two houses sustained significant roof damage and a metal building was destroyed.
EF1 E of Baltimore Fairfield 39°50′N 82°35′W / 39.84°N 82.58°W 0636 0.5 miles (800 m) A house and a barn were damaged and a garage was destroyed.
EF2 Heath area Licking 40°02′N 82°28′W / 40.03°N 82.47°W 0642 3.8 miles (6.1 km) Several houses and businesses were damaged, with one masonry building heavily damaged.
EF1 ESE of Newark Licking 40°03′N 82°17′W / 40.05°N 82.28°W 0648 500 yards (460 m) Brief tornado destroyed a mobile home and uprooted trees.
EF0 Piketon Pike 39°03′N 83°01′W / 39.05°N 83.01°W 0651 0.25 miles (400 m) Brief tornado damaged a house, a mobile home and several buildings at the Pike County fairgrounds.
Mississippi
EF1 E of Tomnolen Webster 33°28′N 89°21′W / 33.47°N 89.35°W 0109 3.5 miles (5.6 km) Many trees were uprooted and several houses were damaged, some of them by fallen trees.
Sources:

NWS Louisville, NWS Wilmington OH, NWS Jackson

April 21 event

List of reported tornadoes - Thursday, April 21, 2011
EF#
Location
County
Coord.
Time (UTC)
Path length
Comments/Damage
Texas
EF0 WSW of Hawley Jones 32°35′N 99°55′W / 32.58°N 99.91°W 0155 unknown Rope tornado confirmed by spotters. Remained over open country with no damage.
Sources:

SPC Storm Reports for 04/21/11

April 22 event

List of reported tornadoes - Friday, April 22, 2011
EF#
Location
County
Coord.
Time (UTC)
Path length
Comments/Damage
Oklahoma
EF0 SW of Welty Okfuskee 35°36′N 96°26′W / 35.60°N 96.43°W 2314 0.1 miles (0.16 km) Brief tornado with no damage[1]
EF0 E of Kansas Delaware 36°13′N 94°43′W / 36.21°N 94.71°W 2316 0.1 miles (0.16 km) Brief tornado with no damage[1]
Arkansas
EF0 Highfill area Benton 36°16′N 94°22′W / 36.26°N 94.36°W 0005 0.1 miles (0.16 km) Brief tornado touched down near the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, though no damage was reported.[1]
Missouri
EF1 New Melle area St. Charles 38°43′N 90°53′W / 38.71°N 90.88°W 0035 4 miles (6.4 km) One house lost its roof and many other houses were damaged. A horse stable and several barns and outbuildings were destroyed. Precursor to the main St. Louis tornado.
EF4 St. Louis area St. Louis, St. Louis (city), Madison (IL) 38°46′N 90°26′W / 38.77°N 90.43°W 0100 22 miles (35 km) 2011 St. Louis tornado
Illinois
EF2 Waterloo area Monroe 38°21′N 90°10′W / 38.35°N 90.16°W 0150 3.5 miles (5.6 km) Significant damage along the path. Several houses sustained structural damage and others sustained minor damage.
EF2 SW of Highland Madison, Clinton, Bond 38°44′N 89°37′W / 38.74°N 89.62°W 0200 19 miles (31 km) A farm house and metal buildings were destroyed and many other houses were damaged to varying degrees. Extensive tree damage along the path.
EF1 Paderborn area St. Clair N/A Unknown 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Significant tree damage.
Kentucky
EF0 SE of Versailles Woodford 38°03′N 84°44′W / 38.05°N 84.73°W 2312 0.75 miles (1.21 km) Minor damage to trees and fences.
EF0 E of Versailles Woodford 38°04′N 84°43′W / 38.06°N 84.71°W 2315 0.25 miles (400 m) Brief tornado with minor damage.
EF2 N of Poole Henderson, Webster, Union 37°40′N 87°26′W / 37.66°N 87.44°W 0350 13.2 miles (21.2 km) Several houses were damaged, three of them significantly with their roofs lost. Several grain bins, barns and garages were also destroyed. Two people sustained minor injuries.
Sources:

SPC Storm Reports for 04/22/11, NWS St. Louis, NWS Paducah, NWS Louisville

April 23 event

List of reported tornadoes - Saturday, April 23, 2011
EF#
Location
County
Coord.
Time (UTC)
Path length
Comments/Damage
Kentucky
EF0 Folsom Grant 38°52′N 84°44′W / 38.87°N 84.73°W 1904 unknown A barn and trees were damaged.
EF1 E of Dry Ridge Grant, Pendleton 38°43′N 84°28′W / 38.72°N 84.46°W 1910 unknown Several houses were damaged and a barn was heavily damaged.
EF0 Visalia Kenton 38°56′N 84°28′W / 38.93°N 84.46°W 1915 unknown Two houses and a school sustained roof damage. Trees and power poles were knocked down.
EF0 E of Connersville Harrison 38°22′N 84°22′W / 38.37°N 84.36°W unknown 0.5 miles (800 m) Several barns and outbuildings were damaged.
EF1 Barlow Ballard 37°03′N 89°03′W / 37.05°N 89.05°W 1929 unknown Trees snapped and uprooted in the area, some landing on homes. Roof and carport damage to homes and barns were damaged.
EF2 Bardwell Carlisle 36°52′N 89°01′W / 36.87°N 89.01°W 1920 unknown Extensive tree damage in the area. A steel building was destroyed and an older brick building sustained a wall collapse. Other homes and businesses sustained roof damage and wooden boards were driven into walls and the ground. Two people were injured.
Illinois
EF2 Klondike to Urbandale Alexander 1415 2.9 miles (4.7 km) Most of the damage centered around Cairo Regional Airport. Twenty foot hangar/storage building completely destroyed.
EF1 Metropolis area Massac 1415 6.5 miles (10.5 km) Minor roof damage with downed trees reported.
Missouri
EF0 Dexter Stoddard 36°47′N 89°01′W / 36.79°N 89.01°W 1915 unknown Tree damage in the area. A storage building was destroyed along with a shed.
EF1 SW of Neelyville Butler 35°58′N 90°32′W / 35.97°N 90.53°W 0520 unknown Two mobile homes were destroyed.
Arkansas
EF1 NW of Mount Judea Madison, Newton 35°53′N 93°00′W / 35.88°N 93.00°W 0155 unknown Hundreds of trees snapped and uprooted, some of which landing on homes. Several outbuildings were destroyed.
Texas
EF0 NNW of Sidney Comanche 31°59′N 98°44′W / 31.98°N 98.74°W 0113 unknown Brief tornado reported on the ground. No damage reported.
Sources:

SPC Storm Reports for 04/23/11, NWS Paducah, NWS Wilmington

April 24 event

List of reported tornadoes - Sunday, April 24, 2011
EF#
Location
County
Coord.
Time (UTC)
Path length
Comments/Damage
Arkansas
EF1 N of Umpire Howard 34°17′N 94°03′W / 34.28°N 94.05°W 0354 unknown Extensive tree damage in the area and a section of roof was torn from a house. A large storage building was destroyed and a chicken house was damaged.
Nevada
EF0 SW of Winnemucca Humboldt 40°31′N 117°30′W / 40.52°N 117.50°W unknown 1 mile (1.6 km) Tornado remained in an open field with no damage.
Oklahoma
EF0 SE of Scipio Pittsburg 35°00′N 95°33′W / 35.00°N 95.55°W unknown 1 mile (1.6 km) Tornado tore the roof off of a barn and caused roof damage to a home. Tree limbs were snapped.
EF0 SE of Monroe Le Flore unknown unknown Tornado snapped large tree limbs and damaged the roof of a home.
Texas
EF0 N of Baird (1st tornado) Callahan 32°18′N 99°14′W / 32.30°N 99.23°W unknown unknown Tornado snapped tree limbs.
EF0 Ibex area Shackelford 32°24′N 99°04′W / 32.40°N 99.07°W unknown unknown Trees were uprooted by the tornado.
EF0 NE of Potosi Taylor 32°12′N 99°22′W / 32.20°N 99.37°W unknown unknown Brief touchdown in a field with no damage.
EF0 N of Baird (2nd tornado) Callahan 32°17′N 99°13′W / 32.29°N 99.22°W unknown 1 mile (1.6 km) Tornado snapped tree limbs.
EF0 S of Oplin Callahan 31°33′N 99°20′W / 31.55°N 99.34°W unknown unknown Tornado remained over open country with no damage.
EF0 N of Baird (3rd tornado) Callahan 32°16′N 99°15′W / 32.26°N 99.25°W unknown 1 mile (1.6 km) Rope tornado remained over open country with no damage.
EF0 N of Baird (4th tornado) Callahan 32°17′N 99°13′W / 32.28°N 99.22°W unknown 6 miles (9.7 km) Large multi-vortex tornado. Remained over open country with no damage.
Sources:

SPC Storm Reports for 04/24/11

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Unattributed (April 23, 2011). "Tornadoes Confirmed In Oklahoma, Arkansas". News 9. Retrieved April 24, 2011.

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