November 29-30, 2016 Severe Weather Recap: Tornadoes Tear Through the Southeast

(LATEST NEWS: Tornadoes Tear Through the South)

So far, 38 tornadoes have been confirmed either by National Weather Service storm surveys, photos and video, or by dual-polarimetric radar from around midday on November 29 through sunset the following day.

This is the most number of tornadoes in any U.S. outbreak since a late May siege of tornadoes and flooding in the Plains and Midwest.

Damage surveys by National Weather Service meteorologists continue, and additional tornadoes may be confirmed.

Three EF3 tornadoes, six EF2 tornadoes, 22 EF1 tornadoes and seven EF0 tornadoes were confirmed by the National Weather Service. 

(MORE: The Enhanced Fujita Scale)

One of those tornadoes, rated EF3 in far northeast Alabama's Jackson County around midnight, turned deadly. All fatalities from this tornado were from a destroyed mobile home.

As the tornado approached Ider, Alabama, it destroyed a one-story daycare and blew it off its foundation, according to the NWS-Huntsville storm survey. 

This was the nation's first deadly tornado in over six months, ending the third longest tornado death-free streak on record in the U.S. since 1950, according to The Weather Channel severe weather expert, Dr. Greg Forbes.

(MORE: Nighttime Tornadoes More Than Twice As Likely to Be Deadly)

Another deadly EF3 tornado heavily damaged a post office and several other buildings near Ocoee, claiming additional lives in mobile homes.

An impressive waterspout came ashore around midday on November 30 between Destin and Miramar Beach, Florida, captured in photos and video. EF0 damage from another tornado was confirmed by an NWS storm survey in Mary Esther.

Then, an embedded tornado was detected by NWS dual-polarimetric radar on the west side of the Atlanta metro area, with downed trees, power lines, and some roof damage reported. 

The NWS has found at least one area of EF1 damage in southern Cobb County near Six Flags Over Georgia.

The squall line then raced northeast, where an EF1 tornado has been confirmed near Simpsonville. A high-school gym suffered wind damage, and numerous trees and power lines were snapped near one intersection near Simpsonville.

Local NWS offices issued 150 tornado warnings and another 232 severe thunderstorm warnings from November 29-30.

A Few Other Tornadoes Before the Outbreak

There were several reports of tornadoes on November 28, as well, including at least nine in Iowa and one in Louisiana. No significant damage has been reported, however.

Severe thunderstorms also knocked down trees across parts of central Mississippi, including one onto the Town Hall of Eden, Mississippi, and another onto this house in Warren County, Mississippi.

On November 27, there were four reports of brief tornadoes in south-central Nebraska. Fortunately, no reports of damage have been received from these brief tornadoes.

It Had Been a Slow 'Second' Season of Severe Weather

The second half of October and, especially, November can often be a "second" season for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, particularly in parts of the South. That hadn't been the case so far this year, however, through Thanksgiving week.

Prior to November 28, we hadn't seen a single day with at least 50 reports of severe weather in the U.S. since October 6, when at least eight tornadoes were spawned in Kansas.

Through the first three weeks of November, the 2016 year-to-date U.S. tornado count was 24 percent below average.

For more details on the slow tornado pace in 2016, see the link below.

(MORE: Lack of Tornadoes in "Second" Tornado Season)

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Southeast Severe Weather Photos