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Southeast Severe Weather Outbreaks, Early April 2017 (RECAP) | The Weather Channel
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Southeast Severe Weather Outbreaks, Early April 2017 (RECAP)

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An outbreak of severe thunderstorms pounded the Southeast on Wednesday, April 5, 2017, and shifted into the mid-Atlantic region by Thursday. Prior to that, a separate outbreak hammered similar areas on April 2-3.

In total, more than 90 tornadoes have been confirmed. 

A recap of these two severe weather outbreaks can be found below.

(MORE: Latest Damage, News)

Round 2 Recap: Tuesday-Thursday

Thursday, April 6, Recap

Three people were injured Thursday morning when a camper was flipped due to a possible tornado near Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park in Florida. Damage to homes was reported near Fort Drum, Florida from an EF2 tornado.

A waterspout came ashore Thursday near Cape Coral destroying a mobile home and lifting a dock out of the water. 

Early Thursday morning, fast-moving severe thunderstorms dumped hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter in parts of the Carolinas, including Belton, South Carolina, and Guilford County, North Carolina.

South Carolina saw 3 tornadoes including one EF2 tornado, which touched down in Edgefield County. A concrete silo was destroyed and bark was ripped from trees. Two additional EF0 tornadoes occurred in Anderson County. 

Portions of the Washington D.C. metro area were under a tornado warning early Thursday afternoon as a dangerous squall line of thunderstorms moved through. Ground stops were put in place at both Reagan National and Baltimore-Washington International airports.

Two tornadoes touched down in the District, one of which crossed over the National Mall after coming across the Potomac River from Arlington, Virginia. Another tornado did damage at Bolling Air Force Base. Both tornadoes were rated EF0. 

Washington Dulles International Airport measured a peak gust of 56 mph as the storms pounded the area. Winds were strong enough to blow the roof off Gonzaga High School in Washington D.C., and these winds may have been from a tornado. 

Three tornadoes touched down in Fauquier County, Virginia, each being rated EF0. Those tornadoes did mostly tree damage. These tornadoes were embedded in a line of straight-line winds. 

In all, at least twelve tornadoes touched down in three states plus Washington D.C. on April 6. 

Wednesday, April 5, Recap

Wednesday, a long-track supercell thunderstorm produced damage from near Ozark, Alabama, to Rentz, Georgia, over a 4.5-hour period.

The supercell first put down a tornado north of Benevolence, Georgia, rated EF2 with winds of 120 mph. This tornado traveled more than 15 miles through Randolph, Stewart and Webster counties. Most of the damage was due to forest land, but one small trailer park was hit destroying one trailer. The tornado continued into southern Webster county.

According to the NWS report on the tornado: "One peanut farm storage building next to the highway was destroyed...fortunately the employees had been sent home at 11am due to the threat for severe weather that day. The owner had left minutes prior as a result of receiving a phone call stating that Weston was in the path of the storm."

The tornado lifted just east of the town of Weston, Georgia.

This supercell continued east-northeastward causing an EF0 in Sumter County, an EF1 in Dooly County north of Cordele, and an EF1 in Dodge County near Gresston.

Finally, the supercell thunderstorm had one more trick up its sleeve. An EF2 tornado was confirmed by the NWS to have traveled more than 20 miles from just south of Rentz to south of Rockledge, Georgia. An autobody repair shop was destroyed south of Rentz, but there were no injuries. In addition, a triangle radio antenna tower was bent over and dozens of trees were snapped.

An anticyclonic tornado, one with winds rotating clockwise as opposed to counterclockwise, was confirmed by an NWS survey team near Eminence, Kentucky, rated EF1. Anticyclonic tornadoes make up only 1 to 2 percent of all U.S. tornadoes, on average.

(MORE: 2017's Most Tornado-Hit State)

At the Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina, a wind gust of 68 mph was measured just before 2:30 p.m. EDT Wednesday. One person was injured in McMinnville, Tennessee, when a mobile home was destroyed by strong winds and an EF1 tornado later Wednesday afternoon.

A second anticyclonic tornado is being surveyed in Bedford County, Tennessee.

Hail up to teacup size – 3 inches in diameter – was observed in Talladega County, Alabama, Wednesday afternoon, which caused significant damage to some vehicles.

Two EF0 tornadoes left minor damage in in Clark County in southern Ohio, although most of the damage was done by powerful straight-line winds. 

Tuesday, April 4, Recap

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Tuesday night, buildings were damaged, trees were uprooted and power lines were downed in Goodman, Missouri, from an EF2 tornado. The emergency manager reported damage to the fire station and elementary school in this southwest Missouri city about 40 miles south-southeast of Joplin.

(WATCH: Aerial View of Goodman, Missouri, Damage)

Another EF1 tornado touched down briefly south of Washburn, Missouri, snapping trees and destroying a chicken house.

Round 1 Recap: Sunday-Monday

Monday, April 3, Recap

Among almost 200 reports of severe weather on April 3, the NWS has confirmed 37 tornadoes in the Deep South. 

(NEWS: Deadly and Damaging Storms Strike the South)

Preliminary tornado reports on April 3, 2017. Note these may not necessarily correspond to the actual number/locations of tornadoes, which are determined by NWS damage surveys. (NOAA/NWS/SPC)
Preliminary tornado reports on April 3, 2017. Note these may not necessarily correspond to the actual number/locations of tornadoes, which are determined by NWS damage surveys.
(NOAA/NWS/SPC)

One person died Monday afternoon when a mobile home was flipped by strong straight-line winds in Union County, South Carolina.

Another person was injured from a possible tornado near Ellaville, Georgia, when a tree fell onto a house. There were about 150 trees reported down, along with two overturned tractor-trailers, in Ellaville Monday afternoon.

Two people suffered minor injuries in Columbia County, Georgia, when straight-line winds overturned a dock they were standing on Monday afternoon. Several boats at Points West Marina were damaged by the strong winds.

An EF1 tornado tore off the roof of a fire station in Carroll County, Georgia.

A tornado may have touched down in Mansfield, Georgia, on Monday, causing damage in the downtown area. No injuries were reported from the possible twister.

Near Star Mills, Georgia, trees fell on cars along Interstate 75. Injuries were reported from this incident, but the exact number is unknown.

Here are some other storm reports received Monday, as reported to local National Weather Service offices:

  • Monroe County, Georgia: As many as 30 homes with damage, 9 major and one destroyed; one family was trapped but no injuries were reported
  • Griffin, Georgia: Several homes damaged with people trapped inside
  • Birmingham, Alabama: Intersection flooded with cars stranded
  • Luverne, Alabama: Roof ripped off a warehouse; numerous power poles and power lines downed
  • St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana: A pair of EF1 tornadoes from early Monday morning were confirmed by an NWS storm survey.
  • Flowood, Mississippi: Water rescues from an apartment complex
  • Near Brandon, Mississippi: Roughly 30 residents with water entering homes; two subdivisions with evacuations
  • Vicksburg, Mississippi: Mudslide across westbound lanes of Interstate 20
  • La Salle Parish, Louisiana: Numerous roads flooded, closed
  • Ward, Alabama: A tree fell on a car and injured one person.

Sunday, April 2, Recap

So far, the NWS has confirmed 23 tornadoes from April 2. Another tornado near Center Point, Texas, was sighted, but not confirmed.

Two people were killed by an EF1 tornado that destroyed their mobile home Sunday morning near Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, according to the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office. This tornado had maximum winds of 100 mph, according to the National Weather Service storm survey.

A tornado emergency was issued for Alexandria, Louisiana, Sunday afternoon as two reported tornadoes headed for the city. Property damage was reported, especially on the south side of the city. No injuries have been reported, according to the Alexandria Police Department.

One person was injured near Winnsboro, Louisiana, late Sunday afternoon when a tree fell onto their vehicle. There were at least 15 structures damaged in the area, including two that were destroyed. This may have been caused by a tornado, but the National Weather Service will conduct a storm survey to find out for sure.

Elsewhere, a brief tornado was reported Sunday morning well northwest of San Antonio in Center Point, Texas. Hail to the size of golf balls was observed near Buffalo, Texas, and Lafayette, Lousiana, saw hail the size of half dollars.

Sunday evening, thunderstorms stalled over parts of Louisiana and western Mississippi, leading to flash flooding in numerous locations, and at least two water rescues took place in Vicksburg, Mississippi, after 2.85 inches of rain fell in 48 minutes. In Pollock, Louisiana, some 40 percent of streets were flooded, according to the National Weather Service.

Early Sunday morning, the storms produced heavy rainfall in Del Rio, Texas, and multiple water rescues took place.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Severe Weather Outbreak Early April (PHOTOS)

Storm damage remains on April 6, 2017, at Goodman Elementary School after Goodman, Mo. was hit by a tornado. (@mostormchaser2010/instagram)
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Storm damage remains on April 6, 2017, at Goodman Elementary School after Goodman, Mo. was hit by a tornado. (@mostormchaser2010/instagram)
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