Tornado outbreak and floods of April 28 – May 1, 2017
 Satellite image of storm system and associated supercells over the state of Texas at 23:30 UTC on April 29 | |
| Type | Tornado outbreak Extratropical cyclone Flood Winter storm Blizzard |
|---|---|
| Formed | April 28, 2017 |
| Dissipated | May 2, 2017 |
| Highest winds |
|
| Lowest pressure | 991 mb (29.26 inHg) |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 62 confirmed |
| Max. rating1 | EF4 tornado |
| Largest hail | 2.75 inches (7.0 cm) in Pocola, Oklahoma |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | Snow – 39 in (99 cm) near San Isabel, Colorado[1] Rainfall – 11.05 in (28.1 cm) near Houston, Missouri |
| Fatalities | 18+ deaths, 70+ injuries |
| Power outages | 61,200+ |
| Areas affected | High Plains, Western United States (Rocky Mountains), Ohio Valley, Upper Midwest, Southeastern United States |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale Part of the 2016–17 North American winter and tornado outbreaks of 2017 | |
The tornado outbreak and floods of April 28 – May 1, 2017 were a series of severe weather events that affected the central United States, producing life-threatening flooding and a significant tornado outbreak. It formed out of a disturbance in the Southwestern United States on April 28, and caused extreme impacts, including a heavy snowstorm in the Rockies, and other types of severe weather.[2][3] Up to 3 feet (36 in) of snow fell on the cold side of the system, and up to a foot of rain fell in and around the central parts of the nation.
The most significant and damaging events of the storm unfolded late on April 29, where two large, long-tracked and violent tornadoes struck the town of Canton, Texas, the strongest being an EF4. Together, the two tornadoes caused four deaths and approximately 50+ injuries.
Meteorological history
In late April, a stationary front was draped across the central United States, associated with cloudiness and showers.[4] By 21:00 UTC, a surface low with a central pressure of 1,003 millibars (29.6 inHg) developed in central Kansas.[5] Shortly afterwards, thunderstorms erupted into existence along the stationary front, which required severe weather watches to be issued by the National Weather Service. With a ridge of high pressure centered over the Atlantic Ocean, this helped focus high levels of atmospheric moisture rising from the Gulf of Mexico along the front, causing immense clusters of heavy rain and thunderstorms to slowly progress eastwards – also known as thunderstorm training.[6] At the same time, after deepening slightly to 992 millibars (29.3 inHg), the elongated area of low pressure was cranking out heavy snowfall in parts of Nebraska and Colorado, including Denver. Little change occurred over the next six hours as the front moved slightly eastwards; although a squall line was beginning to form, increasing the threat for large hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes.[7]
Overnight into the early hours of April 30, however, some organisation took place and eventually the central low began to deepen and become the dormant one of the system, while a powerful squall line was sweeping through the Mississippi Valley.[8] Throughout the day, the low tracked northeast into the Plains and intensified, wringing out some snowfall in the mountainous regions and in colder places, meanwhile severe weather continued to occur in the South.
On May 1, the squall line continued to trek eastward with primarily a wind gust threat. The Storm Prediction Center ended up issuing a tornado watch for parts of Pennsylvania and New York. The storms ended up yielding a few generally weak tornadoes during May 1. Tornadoes were not the primary threat; however, straight line wind gusts up to 85 mph (137 km/h) were reported in parts of Pennsylvania and New York which caused a large amount of damage in the impacted areas. Reports of downed trees and power lines were common sights on May 1. [9]
Confirmed tornadoes
| FU | EF0 | EF1 | EF2 | EF3 | EF4 | EF5 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 20 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 62 |
- Note: Two tornadoes have been confirmed but are currently unrated.
April 28 event
| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Summary | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EFU | Southeastern Sumner | Lawrence | IL | 38°43′N 87°52′W / 38.72°N 87.86°W | 2145 | — | — | A rain-wrapped tornado damaged homes, destroyed outbuildings, snapped trees, and resulted in power outages. | [10] |
| EF2 | W of Cameron | Le Flore | OK | 35°06′06″N 94°34′42″W / 35.1017°N 94.5783°W | 0336–0351 | 8.1 mi (13.0 km) | 750 yd (690 m) | Mobile homes and outbuildings were destroyed. Homes were damaged, several vehicles were rolled, and power poles were snapped. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. | [11] |
| EF1 | Goshen | Oldham | KY | 38°23′50″N 85°35′34″W / 38.3973°N 85.5929°W | 0353–0356 | 1 mi (1.6 km) | 250 yd (230 m) | Two buildings, including the main worship center, were damaged at a large church facility. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted; some trees damaged the roofs and gutters of houses. Power lines and power poles were downed. Several residences sustained significant roof and barn damage.. | [12] |
April 29 event
| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Summary | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF1 | WNW of Natchitoches | Natchitoches | LA | 31°45′26″N 93°08′44″W / 31.7571°N 93.1455°W | 1924–1928 | 1.96 mi (3.15 km) | 290 yd (270 m) | One home sustained roof damage while a second had several windows blown out and lost some of its siding. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, one of which landed on a workshop. A dock was destroyed. | [13] |
| EF1 | WNW of Bellefonte | Boone | AR | 36°12′31″N 93°04′37″W / 36.2087°N 93.0769°W | 2016–2018 | 2 mi (3.2 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Several trees were snapped or uprooted, and some damage to homes and outbuildings occurred. One home had its walls pushed inward, injuring one occupant. | [14] |
| EF0 | ENE of Kampville | St. Charles | MO | 38°51′03″N 90°31′52″W / 38.8507°N 90.5310°W | 2031–2035 | 3.9 mi (6.3 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Several homes sustained minor roof damage. Outbuildings and sheds were destroyed, trees were snapped and uprooted, and at least a half dozen boats and campers were tossed. | [15] |
| EF1 | NNW of Brighton | Jersey, Macoupin | IL | 39°04′16″N 90°10′20″W / 39.0711°N 90.1723°W | 2102–2105 | 2.4 mi (3.9 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | Numerous trees were snapped, twisted, and uprooted. A detached garage was destroyed, and its associated home had windows blown out. | [15] |
| EF0 | SW of Grand Saline | Van Zandt | TX | 32°36′20″N 95°45′09″W / 32.6056°N 95.7526°W | 2115–2118 | 1.54 mi (2.48 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Trees were damaged. | [16] |
| EF1 | E of Sallisaw | Sequoyah | OK | 35°26′22″N 94°46′42″W / 35.4394°N 94.7782°W | 2117–2130 | 7.3 mi (11.7 km) | 600 yd (550 m) | Outbuildings were destroyed, power poles were snapped, and trees were uprooted. | [11] |
| EFU | NE of Alexander | Morgan | IL | 39°45′N 90°01′W / 39.75°N 90.01°W | 2120 | — | — | A tornado briefly touched down in an open field. | [17] |
| EF1 | N of Natural Dam | Crawford | AR | 35°40′15″N 94°27′37″W / 35.6709°N 94.4602°W | 2157–2205 | 5.5 mi (8.9 km) | 300 yd (270 m) | A mobile home was destroyed, a house was damaged, power poles were downed, and trees were uprooted. | [11] |
| EF0 | E of Canton | Van Zandt | TX | 32°32′26″N 95°50′34″W / 32.5405°N 95.8429°W | 2210–2214 | 1.81 mi (2.91 km) | 75 yd (69 m) | Trees and barns were damaged. | [16] |
| EF4 | Eustace to Western Canton | Henderson, Van Zandt | TX | 32°15′26″N 96°01′05″W / 32.2572°N 96.0180°W | 2229–2309 | 21.94 mi (35.31 km) | 1,760 yd (1,610 m) | 2 deaths – See the section on this tornado – A long-lived, massive and violent tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees, including some that were severely debarked. A mobile home was completely destroyed, and several residences sustained substantial damage. All walls of a well-constructed two-story brick home were collapsed. Numerous high-tension towers were demolished. | [16] |
| EF2 | NE of Log Cabin to NE of Eustace | Henderson, Van Zandt | TX | 32°15′04″N 95°58′49″W / 32.251°N 95.9803°W | 2241–2304 | 11.82 mi (19.02 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | A tall communications tower was snapped in half. Numerous trees were snapped, uprooted, or debarked. Several homes were completely destroyed. | [16] |
| EF3 | Canton to Fruitvale to NE of Emory | Van Zandt, Rains | TX | 32°23′57″N 95°52′32″W / 32.3991°N 95.8756°W | 2308–0028 | 40.05 mi (64.45 km) | 1,760 yd (1,610 m) | 2 deaths – See the section on this tornado – A long-lived, massive, and significant tornado caused significant damage to numerous structures. A car dealership was badly damaged, with dozens of vehicles tossed and mangled on Interstate 20. | [16] |
| EF0 | W of Miller Grove | Hopkins | TX | 32°59′26″N 95°50′10″W / 32.9906°N 95.836°W | 2332–2350 | 8.93 mi (14.37 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | A multi-vortex tornado destroyed a metal barn and damaged a house after a tree limb fell on the main powerline and caused the structure to catch fire. | [16] |
| EF0 | ENE of Mabank | Van Zandt | TX | 32°23′09″N 96°03′10″W / 32.3859°N 96.0528°W | 0013–0015 | 0.88 mi (1.42 km) | 80 yd (73 m) | Residents observed a tornado in an open field. | [16] |
| EF1 | NNW of Lindale | Smith | TX | 32°34′02″N 95°27′39″W / 32.5671°N 95.4609°W | 0045–0048 | 3 mi (4.8 km) | 570 yd (520 m) | A barn had its roof ripped off and deposited back atop the structure, causing extensive damage. Trees were snapped and uprooted. | [13] |
| EF1 | E of Mineola | Wood | TX | 32°38′53″N 95°26′45″W / 32.6481°N 95.4457°W | 0048–0049 | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) | 190 yd (170 m) | Several trees were snapped and uprooted, including one that caused extensive damage to a home upon falling. | [13] |
April 30 event
| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Summary | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF1 | NW of Griffithville | White | AR | 35°09′04″N 91°42′07″W / 35.1512°N 91.7020°W | 0537–0543 | 5.9 mi (9.5 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | A mobile home was shifted off its foundation, several trees were snapped or uprooted, and several structures sustained damage. | [14] |
| EF1 | S of Augusta | Woodruff | AR | 35°13′39″N 91°21′07″W / 35.2275°N 91.3520°W | 0557–0558 | 0.8 mi (1.3 km) | 80 yd (73 m) | Several trees were snapped, and a metal shed was damaged. | [14] |
| EF1 | Dell | Mississippi | AR | 35°51′03″N 90°03′57″W / 35.8509°N 90.0657°W | 0707–0713 | 5.6 mi (9.0 km) | 150 yd (140 m) | A mobile home was destroyed, and cotton gin buildings were damaged. Several house roofs and trees were damaged as well. | [18] |
| EF1 | NNE of Hornersville | Dunklin | MO | 36°05′02″N 90°05′51″W / 36.0838°N 90.0974°W | 0708–0710 | 1.2 mi (1.9 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Some sheds and outbuildings were destroyed, structure roofs were damaged, and the roof to an abandoned school collapsed. | [18] |
| EF1 | Allport | Lonoke | AR | 34°29′07″N 91°50′33″W / 34.4852°N 91.8424°W | 0715–0722 | 5.1 mi (8.2 km) | 400 yd (370 m) | Trees were snapped or uprooted. Power poles were snapped, and shingles were removed from a couple of buildings. | [14] |
| EF1 | W of Sikes | Winn | LA | 31°59′14″N 92°35′08″W / 31.9873°N 92.5856°W | 0807–0821 | 7.4 mi (11.9 km) | 1,760 yd (1,610 m) | Some outbuildings sustained damage. Trees were snapped and uprooted, and one home had a tree fall on its patio roof. | [13] |
| EF0 | N of Pleasant Grove | Drew | AR | 33°32′38″N 91°46′02″W / 33.5438°N 91.7672°W | 1050–1052 | 1.2 mi (1.9 km) | 75 yd (69 m) | Several trees were snapped or uprooted, and some damage to homes and outbuildings was observed. | [14] |
| EF2 | Cloverdale | Adams | MS | 32°09′53″N 90°34′26″W / 32.1646°N 90.5739°W | 1114–1124 | 3.43 mi (5.52 km) | 440 yd (400 m) | A large portion of a roof was ripped off a home. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted; one fell on a church while a second fell on a home. The roof was blown off a stable. | [19] |
| EF1 | Delta to N of Vicksburg | Madison, Warren | LA, MS | 32°18′52″N 90°56′00″W / 32.3144°N 90.9333°W | 1214–1228 | 7.32 mi (11.78 km) | 440 yd (400 m) | A road sign was damaged, numerous trees were snapped and uprooted, and power lines were downed. The garage door of a building was damaged, and power poles were snapped. | [19] |
| EF1 | Livonia | Pointe Coupee | LA | 30°34′N 91°33′W / 30.56°N 91.55°W | 1220 | 1 mi (1.6 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | Multiple trees were snapped. A church and a mobile home sustained roof damage. | [20] |
| EF1 | ESE of Fayette to ESE of Port Gibson | Jefferson, Claiborne | MS | 31°40′15″N 90°55′06″W / 31.6707°N 90.9184°W | 1224–1242 | 14.46 mi (23.27 km) | 440 yd (400 m) | Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted across a rural area. A power pole was snapped, and a few chicken houses sustianed extensive roof damage. | [19] |
| EF1 | S of Port Gibson to WNW of Utica | Claiborne, Warren | MS | 31°56′07″N 90°59′04″W / 31.9352°N 90.9845°W | 1231–1255 | 19.71 mi (31.72 km) | 880 yd (800 m) | Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted, several of which caused roof damage to structures upon falling. | [19] |
| EF0 | Zachary | East Baton Rouge | LA | 30°40′N 91°09′W / 30.66°N 91.15°W | 1255 | 0.17 mi (0.27 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | A few trees were downed, and a simple-framed car port was destroyed. | [21] |
| EF0 | NW of Hazelhurst | Copiah | MS | 31°50′50″N 90°27′03″W / 31.8472°N 90.4507°W | 1301–1310 | 5.23 mi (8.42 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | A few trees were uprooted, with many tree limbs snapped. | [19] |
| EF1 | Learned | Hinds | MS | 32°09′53″N 90°34′26″W / 32.1646°N 90.5739°W | 1310–1317 | 6.16 mi (9.91 km) | 300 yd (270 m) | Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted, and a power line was downed. | [19] |
| EF1 | S of Bolton | Hinds | MS | 32°18′18″N 90°28′05″W / 32.3051°N 90.468°W | 1322–1339 | 12.69 mi (20.42 km) | 880 yd (800 m) | A home sustained minor roof damage, a metal tractor shed was destroyed, and numerous trees were damaged. Two power poles were snapped, and a large billboard was damaged. | [19] |
| EF1 | SW of Terry | Hinds | MS | 32°04′50″N 90°19′56″W / 32.0805°N 90.3322°W | 1323–1326 | 1.07 mi (1.72 km) | 150 yd (140 m) | A metal shed lost most of its roof and had a couple walls damaged. A horse trailer was rolled, a brick home had some of its siding ripped off, and trees were snapped or uprooted. | [19] |
| EF1 | WNW of Clinton | Hinds | MS | 32°20′11″N 90°24′50″W / 32.3363°N 90.4138°W | 1328–1331 | 2.06 mi (3.32 km) | 500 yd (460 m) | Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted, and a semi-truck was overturned. | [19] |
| EF0 | Covington | Tipton | TN | 35°32′25″N 89°38′41″W / 35.5403°N 89.6447°W | 1346–1350 | 2.1 mi (3.4 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Trees and power poles were damaged. Crestview Middle School sustained minor damage. | [18] |
| EF1 | N of Flora | Madison | MS | 32°35′11″N 90°19′12″W / 32.5864°N 90.3199°W | 1350–1354 | 3.41 mi (5.49 km) | 400 yd (370 m) | Several trees were downed, and several homes sustained minor structural damage. | [19] |
| EF1 | WSW of Goodman to Durant | Holmes, Attala | MS | 32°57′05″N 89°58′18″W / 32.9513°N 89.9718°W | 1426–1439 | 13.61 mi (21.90 km) | 2,110 yd (1,930 m) | Damage information is forthcoming. | [19] |
| EF1 | NE of Lexington | Holmes, Carroll | MS | 32°20′11″N 90°24′50″W / 32.3363°N 90.4138°W | 1438–1448 | 9.16 mi (14.74 km) | 400 yd (370 m) | A few trees were uprooted and many tree limbs were snapped. | [19] |
| EF0 | Tylertown | Walthall | MS | 31°07′N 90°08′W / 31.12°N 90.14°W | 1439 | — | — | Broadcast media relayed a report of a tornado with no mention of damage. | [22] |
| EF1 | NNE of Durant | Holmes | MS | 33°08′10″N 89°49′38″W / 33.136°N 89.8272°W | 1442–1445 | 3.04 mi (4.89 km) | 600 yd (550 m) | Softwood and hardwood trees were downed. | [19] |
| EF1 | E of West | Attala | MS | 33°09′00″N 89°46′26″W / 33.15°N 89.7739°W | 1442–1447 | 3.92 mi (6.31 km) | 600 yd (550 m) | Many trees were uprooted, including one that fell on a church. | [19] |
| EF0 | NE of Forest | Scott | MS | 32°24′27″N 89°23′50″W / 32.4074°N 89.3973°W | 1442–1448 | 4.27 mi (6.87 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Many softwood trees were uprooted, a mobile home had its skirting ripped off and sustained minor damage to its roof, and tin was torn off a chicken house. | [19] |
| EF0 | N of West | Carroll | MS | 33°15′19″N 89°45′58″W / 33.2553°N 89.7662°W | 1451–1455 | 2.64 mi (4.25 km) | 250 yd (230 m) | Trees were uprooted, power lines were downed, and a few shingles were ripped from a house. | [19] |
| EF2 | S of Vaiden to NW of Kilmichael | Carroll, Montgomery | MS | 33°18′12″N 89°45′11″W / 33.3033°N 89.7531°W | 1458–1513 | 15.75 mi (25.35 km) | 1,760 yd (1,610 m) | Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted, power lines were downed, and numerous homes sustained roof damage either by the tornado or by fallen trees. A couple of sheds were destroyed, a large metal I-beam shed was destroyed (and tossed 100 yd (91 m)), and about a dozen power poles were damaged. | [19] |
| EF1 | Kilmichael | Montgomery | MS | 33°24′56″N 89°35′40″W / 33.4156°N 89.5944°W | 1509–1513 | 6.67 mi (10.73 km) | 970 yd (890 m) | Two sheds were destroyed, dozens of homes sustained roof damage either by fallen trees or the tornado itself, and thousands of trees were snapped or uprooted. A tall communications tower was snapped in half, and dozens of power poles and power lines were downed. | [19] |
| EF1 | N of Kilmichael | Montgomery | MS | 33°30′05″N 89°36′16″W / 33.5014°N 89.6045°W | 1513–1519 | 5.66 mi (9.11 km) | 800 yd (730 m) | Many softwood and hardwood trees were snapped and uprooted. | [19] |
| EF0 | WSW of Tucker | Neshoba | MS | 32°41′13″N 89°05′51″W / 32.6869°N 89.0975°W | 1516–1517 | 0.29 mi (0.47 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | A few softwood trees were snapped, one of which fell onto a power line. A flag pole was bent in half, and the skirting of a mobile home was damaged. | [19] |
| EF1 | NNE of Kilmichael to TBD | Webster, Calhoun | MS | 33°34′45″N 89°30′12″W / 33.5792°N 89.5032°W | 1518–? | 10.5 mi (16.9 km)+ | 600 yd (550 m) | Many trees were snapped or uprooted. | [19] |
| EF1 | NNE of Kilmichael | Montgomery, Webster | MS | 33°31′44″N 89°31′40″W / 33.529°N 89.5278°W | 1519–1525 | 6.75 mi (10.86 km) | 650 yd (590 m) | Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. | [19] |
| EF2 | NNW of New Hope | Lowndes | MS | 33°29′36″N 88°20′34″W / 33.4933°N 88.3428°W | 1637–1640 | 1.96 mi (3.15 km) | 440 yd (400 m) | Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted; one tree fell onto a house, destroying the structure. Another home sustained EF2 damage to its roof, power poles were broken, and a scoreboard at a local park was damaged. | [19] |
| EF0 | Vinemont | Cullman | AL | 34°14′N 86°52′W / 34.24°N 86.87°W | 1912–1920 | 10.05 mi (16.17 km) | 215 yd (197 m) | Trees were snapped and uprooted. A metal roof was blown off a large garage and pushed into a residence. Minor roof and shingle damage was reported. | [23] |
May 1 event
| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Start Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Summary | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EF0 | E of Free Home | Forsyth | GA | 34°15′10″N 84°12′55″W / 34.2529°N 84.2152°W | 1424–1428 | 2.5 mi (4.0 km) | 150 yd (140 m) | A few large trees were uprooted, and many tree limbs and branches were broken. One tree fell on a mobile home. | [24] |
| EF0 | NW of Prospect | Butler | PA | 40°55′N 80°04′W / 40.91°N 80.07°W | 1831 | — | — | No information is available at this time. | [25] |
| EF0 | W of Parker | Butler | PA | 41°05′N 79°44′W / 41.09°N 79.73°W | 1856 | — | — | A brief and narrow tornado snapped or uprooted hardwood trees. | [25] |
| EF0 | N of Turkey Ridge | Clarion | PA | 41°20′N 79°15′W / 41.33°N 79.25°W | 1927 | — | — | A narrow, long-tracked tornado snapped or uprooted numerous trees. | [25] |
| EF0 | Cooksburg | Clarion, Forest | PA | 41°20′N 79°13′W / 41.34°N 79.22°W | 1927 | — | — | Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted | [25] |
| EF0 | SE of Newton | Catawba | NC | 35°37′N 81°12′W / 35.61°N 81.20°W | 2000 | 3 mi (4.8 km) | — | A tornado touched down two separate times, snapping and uprooting many moderate to large trees; fallen trees caused structural damage. Some buildings also had light roof, siding, and window damage. | [26] |
| EF1 | S of Bradford | McKean | PA | 41°55′N 78°38′W / 41.91°N 78.63°W | 2019 | 0.75 mi (1.21 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | Trees were snapped or uprooted on the Penn Hills Country Club golf course. | [27] |
| EF1 | Rebersburg | Centre | PA | 40°56′N 77°29′W / 40.94°N 77.49°W | 2244 | 1.1 mi (1.8 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | Several dozen homes and outbuildings were damaged. Several dozen trees were snapped or uprooted. A utility pole was snapped. One person was injured upon being trapped by a collapsed work shed. | [28] |
Notable tornadoes
Eustace–Western Canton, Texas
A tornado was first reported as having touched down a few miles to the southwest of Eustace at 5:29 pm CDT, which prompted the issuance of a tornado warning for the town as a result. The tornado was reported to have rapidly intensified to a stage where it could significantly damage structures soon after by storm chasers in the local area, and when this report was received by the local NWS office, a Particularly Dangerous Situation tornado warning was issued for Eustace. [29] Passing through just to the east of the center of the town, the tornado either badly compromised, or totally destroyed, several buildings along its path, before leaving the area by 6 pm. Continuing to move towards the north, the tornado passed through extreme western Canton, leaving serious damages behind, before finally turning towards the northwest, and dissipating shortly afterwards. The tornado received a EF4 rating by NWS Fort Worth/Dallas.[30]
Canton, Texas
A tornado was first reported as touching down about 25 miles to the south of Canton, Texas, at 5:41 pm CDT, before it began moving north towards the city. By around 6 pm, a Particularly Dangerous Situation tornado warning was issued for the city, as reports of a very large tornado doing severe damage outside of Canton was received from storm chasers in the local area. Continuing to intensify, the tornado passed through the center of the city, completely demolishing a Dodge automobile showroom, and scattering the debris around the local area. Cars from this location were also found up to half a mile away from this location with their showroom license plates still attached.[31] Around this time, there were reports of cars being tossed into a ravine off the I-20, which was closed due to tornadic damages for a short time after the storm's passage. By 6:15 pm, the wedge tornado had crossed I-20, and proceeded to make a direct hit on Fruitvale shortly after, where there were videos of homes reduced to their foundations by the tornado from local storm chasers. Also in this area, people were reported trapped under debris associated with the violent tornado's passage, with a car that originated on I-20 being tossed half a mile into an open field. By 6:30 pm, the tornado began to weaken as it approached Emory, before finally lifting at 7:24 pm to the north of Emory. During the tornado's life, as many as 4 people have been confirmed dead, with a further 56 being admitted to nearby hospitals for emergency medical treatment, with injuries ranging from minor to moderate.
The following day, the mayor of the city, Lou Ann Everett declared a need for assistance following the event, which may have seen as many as 4 or 5 tornadoes in the county. She also reported during this speech that "The damage was extensive in the affected area. I have just driven through some of it and it is heartbreaking and upsetting to say the least,".[32] On the same day, it was announced that the damage in Canton would recieve a preliminary damage assessment of EF3-EF4, with the survey to be finished the next day.[33]
Impact
Late on April 28, a possible tornado caused damage in Sumner, Illinois, with reports of house damaged and power lines down.[34] Further east, near Stone Head, Indiana, a man was trapped inside a house after a tree had fallen into the building. No injuries were reported though. A likely tornado caused damage to one home and destroyed an outbuilding in Lawrence, Illinois.[34]
Multiple severe weather reports were confirmed during the night of April 28 and 29, including a wedge tornado which caused five deaths and 49 injuries in Texas.[35]
Other non-tornadic impacts
Flooding impacts
According to the NWS, multiple reports of flash flooding had impacted several states, in a range extending from Oklahoma to Missouri.[34]
Late on April 28, a flood watch was issued for a large portion of the Central United States as high moisture clashing with the stationary front was expected to create life-threatening floods, potentially being caused by thunderstorm training.[36]
On April 29, in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City Fire Department advised residents to stay home, due to downed trees and power lines.[34][37] In addition, multiple portions of interstates, including I-235 and I-40 had to be shut down because of downed power lines and flooding.[38] Lightning ignited a home fire according to news outlets, while a second was reported to have possibly triggered another. As much as 39,000 were reported to have been without power by early on April 29.
In addition, multiple water rescues were being carried out in places that had been deluged with heavy rainfall overnight, some areas picking up to 6 inches (15 cm) in only 12 hours. In total, some locations were able to pick up almost a foot of rainfall during the ordeal.
Snow impacts
The same weather system produced heavy snow affected parts of Colorado, Wyoming, and Missouri.
On April 28, residents in Denver, Colorado and other major cities began preparing for the storm. Officials were also worried that because of the time of year where most trees were in full bloom, the heavy wet snow might cause branches to break and fall down, possibly causing power outages.[39] In Boulder, where a golf tournament was being held, officials were prepared for possible delays to the the tournament.[40] In the end, Denver picked up 5 inches (13 cm), with higher amounts in the mountains.[39] At the height of the storm, up to 9,200 were reported to be without power in Pueblo.[41]
Previously, the winter storm had dumped up to 2 feet (24 in) of snow in the higher elevations of Wyoming.[39] The state's Department of Transportation also urged residents to stay off the roadways if necessary. In addition, Highway 16 was shut down in the Bighorn Mountains because of the treacherous conditions.[42]
Blizzard warnings were issued for Kansas and the adjancent areas, as heavy snow and gusty winds were predicted.[39] After the storm subsided, about 100 evacuations and 36 rescues were reported.[43] In the northwestern part of the state, 130 miles (210 km) of Interstate 70 was shut down due to the treacherous conditions.[44][39]
See also
- December 2015 North American storm complex
- Tornado outbreak of April 27–30, 2014
- Tornadoes of 2017
- Floods in the United States: 2001–present
Notes
References
- ^ "Winter Storm Ursa Will End April With Rockies, High Plains Snow; Upper Midwest Says, "Same," for May Day". The Weather Channel. April 28, 2017. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
- ^ "Latest Forecast: Denver Is Under A Winter Storm Warning". cbslocal.com. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ Samenow, Jason; Samenow, Jason (28 April 2017). "A blast of snow in spring: Winter storm warning in Denver into Saturday". Retrieved 29 April 2017 – via washingtonpost.com.
- ^ Service, NOAA's National Weather. "WPC Surface Analysis Archive". noaa.gov. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "WPC Storm Summary 1". Weather Prediction Center. April 28, 2017.
- ^ "WPC Storm Summary 3". Weather Prediction Center. April 29, 2017.
- ^ "WPC Storm Summary 5". Weather Prediction Center. April 29, 2017.
- ^ "WPC Storm Summary 6". Weather Prediction Center. April 30, 2017.
- ^ "Filtered Storm Reports for 05/01". Storm Prediction Center. Storm Prediction Center; Norman, OK. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- ^ Preliminary Local Storm Report (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. April 28, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b c NWS Damage Survey for 4/25-29/2017 Tornado Events - Updated (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ NWS Damage Survey for 04/29/2017 Tornado Event (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. April 29, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b c d NWS Damage Survey For April 29, 2017 and April 30, 2017 Tornado Event (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b c d e NWS Damage Survey For April 29-30 Severe Weather Event-Update 3 (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b NWS Damage Survey for 04/29/17 Tornado Event (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. April 30, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b c d e f g NWS Damage Survey for 04/29/17 Tornadoes (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ Preliminary Local Storm Report (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b c NWS Damage Survey For April 30 2017 Tornadoes (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w NWS Damage Survey for 4/30/17 Tornado Outbreak - Update #4 (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ Preliminary Local Storm Report (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ Preliminary Local Storm Report (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ Preliminary Local Storm Report (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ NWS Damage Survey for the 04/30/2017 Tornado Event (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ NWS Damage Survey for 05/01/17 EF-0 Tornado in Forsyth County (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 1, 2017. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ a b c d Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ EF0 Tornado Confirmed Near Newton in Catawba County North Carolina (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ EF1 Tornado confirmed in McKean County (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ EF1 Tornado confirmed in Centre County (Report). Iowa Environmental Mesonet. May 2, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
{{cite report}}: Unknown parameter|agency=ignored (help) - ^ "Eustace homes destroyed, family members hospitalized". KLTV. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
- ^ "April 29th tornadoes - storm update #1". NWS Fort Worth/Dallas. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
{{cite web}}: line feed character in|title=at position 23 (help) - ^ LAKANA (30 April 2017). "NWS: 4 confirmed tornadoes during Saturday storms". easttexasmatters.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ LAKANA (30 April 2017). "Canton mayor: Damage 'heartbreaking and upsetting'". easttexasmatters.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ LAKANA (30 April 2017). "NWS: Preliminary report shows EF-3 or EF-4 hit Canton area". easttexasmatters.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Severe Storms Bring Flooding, Downed Trees and Power Lines to Oklahoma City; Several States Face Life-Threatening Conditions". weather.com. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "Large Tornado Hits Canton, Texas, East of Dallas; 1 Killed, 49 Injured". weather.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "Life-Threatening Flash Flood Danger Will Persist Through the Weekend in the Ozarks, Mississippi Valley". weather.com. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "Oklahoma City Fire on Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ Staff, KOCO (29 April 2017). "Storms cause flooding, power outages and damage across OKC metro". koco.com. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Winter Storm Ursa Dumps Snow on Higher Elevations; Denver Officials Prepare for Impacts". weather.com. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ TEGNA. "Snow could impact Pac-12 golf championships". 9news.com. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ zhillstrom@chieftain.com, By ZACH HILLSTROM. "Late spring snowstorm causes damage, electrical outages". chieftain.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ writers, Star-Tribune staff. "Storm closes roads across Wyoming". trib.com. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ^ "Relentless rain swamps Missouri as Greitens declares state of emergency". kansascity.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
- ^ "KAKE News on Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 30 April 2017.