Severe Weather

Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes Rake Through the South, Midwest During the Bomb Cyclone

At a Glance

A rash of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes flared up during the March 2019 Bomb Cyclone.
A derecho produced damaging winds in Texas.
Two days later, a series of tornadoes tore through parts of the Midwest and South.

A swarm of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes tore through parts of the South and Midwest from March 12-14, associated with the Bomb Cyclone and Winter Storm Ulmer.

(MORE: 4 Jaw-Dropping Facts About Winter Storm Ulmer)

On Tuesday, there were two reports of tornadoes, one in southeastern New Mexico near Dexter and one near Anton, Texas. The tornado near Dexter caused damage to several homes, and a gas leak was reported. The Dexter tornado was later rated EF2 and was responsible for 6 injuries. Golf-ball-size hail also fell on the town of Loving, New Mexico.

The Dexter tornado was the earliest EF1 or greater tornado in the state of New Mexico during a calendar year.

Hailstones near Pecos, Texas, also severely damaged a vehicle.

On March 13, Fort Worth Naval Air Station reported a wind gust of 75 mph at 4:23 a.m. CDT. A wind gust to 78 mph was clocked at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport at 4:52 a.m. CDT.

Two tornadoes were also confirmed, both rated EF1, located near Mineral Wells and Peaster, Texas.

There were several reports of power lines, trees and fences down in the Dallas-Fort Worth area early Wednesday.

The line of severe thunderstorms met criteria for a derecho, a widespread convective damaging wind event, according to The Weather Channel senior meteorologist, Stu Ostro.

Thursday, March 14

A possible tornado touched down in southern Indiana near Brownstown early Thursday afternoon.

At least one tornado was sighted early Thursday evening near Allgood and Oneonta, Alabama with some structural damage in Allgood reported. Damage was also reported elsewhere across Mississippi and Alabama.

A second tornado, which was confirmed by radar, touched down between Odenville and Ragland, Alabama, which is about 30-35 miles northeast of Birmingham.

Other possible Alabama tornadoes occurred in Cullman County, near White City, Alabama, and in Perry, Calhoun and Coosa counties.

Farther north, the towns of Vernon and Lennon, Michigan, located 10-15 miles west-southwest of Flint, were hit by a strong tornado or pair of tornadoes mid-Thursday evening. The tornado continue northeastward toward, but south of Flushing and north of Flint. Roofing was torn off buildings in Vernon and multiple telephone poles were snapped.

Weather spotters reported a tornado just west of Paducah, Kentucky, late Thursday morning. Damage was observed near the intersection of U.S. Highway 62 and State Highway 286.

Another tornado was reported by weather spotters near Morganfield, Kentucky, at 10:27 a.m. CDT Thursday.

The National Weather Service in Indianapolis believes a tornado may have touched down in Heltonville, Indiana, on Thursday.

Earlier Thursday morning, severe storms caused significant damage to structures, trees and vehicles in Kilgore, Texas. Jonesboro, Arkansas, clocked a wind gust to 64 mph.

For more details on the severe thunderstorm and tornado damage, including NWS damage survey results, click here.