An unusually strong upper level trough and area of low pressure moved across the southeast states during the Feb 23-24 period, bringing with it numerous reports of wind damage and tornadoes. The low level jet was particularly strong with very strong 0-1 km shear values in excess of 60 knots.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS TAE wrote it up.
An unusually strong upper level trough and area of low pressure moved across the southeast states during the Feb 23-24 period, bringing with it numerous reports of wind damage and tornadoes. The low level jet was particularly strong with very strong 0-1 km shear values in excess of 60 knots. The 0-1 km helicity values were in excess of 1000 m2/s2 in some areas with CAPE values around 500 j/kg. There were a total of 11 tornadoes across southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia, including 9 EF1 tornadoes and 2 EF0 tornadoes.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 23, 6:04 PM CST, 3 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
704 PM EST TUE FEB 23 2016
...Significant severe weather event expected tonight through
Wednesday morning...
.Aviation...
[Through 00Z Wednesday]...Conditions at the terminals will
deteriorate rapidly this evening and overnight at all the
terminals. Widespread strong to severe thunderstorms are expected
starting around 06Z to the west and clearing around 12Z to the
east. This is covered well in convective tempo groups with showing
gusts as high as 50kts at all but VLD. It will be windy behind
the front on Wednesday with gusts as high as 35 kts.
&&
.Prev Discussion [510 PM EST]...
.Near Term [Through Tonight]...
A powerful, deep-layer cyclone will move from LA to western TN
overnight dragging a cold front eastward and into the western
portions of our FA by daybreak. The front will be preceded by a
squall line or multiple bands of convection and supercells. A
significant severe weather threat accompanies this system and SPC
has now expanded the moderate risk area from near Albany to
Tallahassee westward with an enhanced and slight risk for severe
covering the remainder of the Tri-state region. The timing of the
severe weather threat remains unchanged beginning in our westernmost
zones between 11 pm and Midnight EST impacting SW GA and the western
Big Bend zones between 4 am and 8 am EST.
The global models continue to show strong forcing for ascent,
impressive shear and helicity values, especially from Albany to
Tallahassee westward. This includes 120 kt mid-upper level jet, low
level jet (85H) 50-60 kt, surface dewpoints in the lower to mid 60s,
deep layer shear (0-6km) around 60 kt, low level shear (0-1km)
exceeding 30 KT, and SBCAPE 500-1000 J/kg; highest near the
panhandle coast. This environment would support the development of
supercells with the possibility of significant and long lived
tornadoes. The 09z and 12z CAM shows long track updraft helicity
streaks in the moderate risk area. However, the main threat will
be damaging straight line winds up to 70 mph. Severe hail is also
possible, especially near the coast, due to stronger buoyancy and
relatively steep 700-500 mb lapse rates of 6 to 6.5 C/km.
.Short Term [Wednesday Through Thursday Night]...
The severe weather threat will be ongoing Wednesday morning as the
focus shifts to our eastern zones. The activity will end by
afternoon as the cold front clears to our east. We are expecting
windy conditions behind the front Wednesday with sustained winds
around 25 to 30 mph with frequent gusts over 40 mph. A wind
advisory will likely be issued after the severe weather threat
ends. High temperatures Wednesday may occur in the morning most
areas with temps remaining steady or slowly falling in the
afternoon. Expect cooler and dryer conditions for Thursday. Min temps
Thursday night may drop to the freezing mark for our northernmost
zones Thursday night.
.Long Term [Friday Through Tuesday]...
Throughout the long term, high pressure will dominate the CWA
suppressing rain chances. Until Sunday, the combination of the upper
level trough funneling cooler air to the region and low level high
pressure will keep temperatures fair and cool. Going from Sunday
into Monday, deep level ridging will build and temperatures will
begin to increase into the beginning of the work week.
On Monday, the GFS has a slight chance of a weak frontal boundary
dissipating to the northwest of the area that could potentially
bring rain to SE AL. However, being this far out in the forecast and
the rain only present in one model, will wait for later model runs
to confirm it.
.Marine...
A Gale Warning is in effect from this evening through Wednesday
evening for frequent gusts of 34-40 kt as a strong cold front
pushes through the local waters. The strong onshore winds ahead
of the cold front will drive the tides higher than normal. The
highest tides (coupled with relatively high astronomical tides)
will be in the 3 to 4 feet range at the time of high tide late
tonight and Wednesday, along the coast east of Apalachicola. This
is not quite high enough to warrant a Coastal Flood advisory.
Winds and seas will be slow to subside and may see advisory level
conditions from Wednesday night through Thursday night.
.Fire Weather...
A wetting rain is likely tonight as severe thunderstorms are move
through tonight. Winds will be very gusty behind the front with gust
of 30 to 40 mph possible. Dispersion indices will be high due
Wednesday to high transport winds.
.Hydrology...
Since we expect smaller, rather ragged bands of rain instead of a
large QLCS, our deterministic storm total QPF is a bit lower than
24 hours ago. This lower QPF is also aided by the expected rapid
movement of these rain bands. We expect rain totals from one half
to one inch, with the highest totals north and west of
Tallahassee. The Apalachicola River at Blountstown remains at
minor flood stage, and given the expected rain upstream, it's
likely to stay in minor flood through next week. Otherwise we're
not expected river flooding.
&&
.Preliminary Point Temps/PoPs...
Tallahassee 64 69 39 62 35 / 80 50 0 0 0
Panama City 60 64 42 60 38 / 90 30 0 0 0
Dothan 57 62 38 60 34 / 90 20 0 0 0
Albany 62 67 38 59 32 / 90 60 0 0 0
Valdosta 65 72 40 62 35 / 60 80 0 0 0
Cross City 65 72 41 63 34 / 40 80 0 0 0
Apalachicola 64 67 43 60 38 / 90 30 0 0 0
&&
.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...High Rip Current Risk through late tonight FOR South Walton.
GA...NONE.
AL...NONE.
GM...Gale Warning from 10 PM this evening to 10 PM EST Wednesday FOR
Apalachee Bay or Coastal Waters From Keaton Beach to
Ochlockonee River Fl out to 20 Nm-Coastal Waters From
Ochlockonee River to Apalachicola Fl out to 20 Nm-Coastal
waters from Suwannee River to Keaton Beach out 20 NM-
Coastal waters from Apalachicola to Destin FL out 20 NM-
Waters from Suwannee River to Apalachicola FL from 20 to 60
NM-Waters from Apalachicola to Destin FL from 20 to 60 NM.
&&
NEAR TERM...BARRY
SHORT TERM...BARRY
LONG TERM...BARRY/CHANEY
AVIATION...BARRY
MARINE...BARRY
FIRE WEATHER...WESTON
HYDROLOGY...FOURNIERThe Eglin Afb radar (KEVX), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:38 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 9 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down across Johnny Johnson Road near Open Pond Road.
Trees were blown down across County Road 65.
Numerous trees were blown down in the area along with numerous power outages reported by the Wiregrass Electric Coop.
Roof damage was reported in Hartford. Damage cost was estimated.
This was a weak tornado just north of the Houston and Geneva county border. It removed metal roofing from several barns and porches. Multiple trees were blown down. This tornado was rated EF0 with max winds estimated near 70 mph. Damage cost was estimated.
Trees were blown down across County Highway 105.
This was the second tornado to develop in northwest Houston county, spawned by the same parent thunderstorm. After initially developing in Houston county, the tornado crossed into extreme southeast Dale county before moving back into Houston county in the Murphy Mill Road area. There was a small area of EF1 damage along Murphy Mill Road where many large diameter pine trees were snapped and uprooted. This tornado likely lifted before reaching U.S. Highway 231. This tornado was rated EF1 with max winds estimated near 100 mph.
This is the Dale county segment of the second tornado to develop in northwest Houston county, spawned by the same parent thunderstorm. After initially developing in Houston county, the tornado crossed into extreme southeast Dale county before moving back into Houston county in the Murphy Mill Road area. This tornado was rated EF0 for the Dale portion of the track as the only EF1 damage found was found in Houston county.
A tree was blown down onto John D Odom Road near West Main.
Power lines were blown down on Murphy Mill Road as well as near Technology and Westgate.
This is the second Houston county segment of the second tornado to develop in northwest Houston county, spawned by the same parent thunderstorm. After initially developing in Houston county, the tornado crossed into extreme southeast Dale county before moving back into Houston county in the Murphy Mill Road area. There was a small area of EF1 damage along Murphy Mill Road where many large diameter pine trees were snapped and uprooted. This tornado likely lifted before reaching U.S. Highway 231. This tornado was rated EF1 with max winds estimated near 100 mph.
This was the third tornado to develop in northwest Houston county, spawned by the same thunderstorm. Damage was focused at the athletic center of a private school and a nearby neighborhood. A concrete block baseball dugout was destroyed and several wood power poles were snapped. Multiple homes had minor roof damage. This tornado was rated EF1 with max winds near 100 mph. Damage cost was estimated.
WTVY reported damage to the northwside Walmart with damage to the roof and doors. There were also reports of power lines and trees down in the area.
This was the fourth tornado to develop in northwest Houston county, spawned by the same thunderstorm. The tornado began just south of Westgate Parkway, and then quickly intensified, snapping 5 power poles near Westgate Parkway and Technology Drive. Several houses in nearby neighborhoods had some roof damage and a barn also had roof damage. The remainder of the track was mostly tree damage with the tornado ending just south of the Henry-Houston county border, still in Houston county. This tornado was rated EF1 with max winds estimated near 100 mph. Damage cost was estimated.
This tornado was the fifth tornado to be spawned by the same parent thunderstorm in southeast Alabama, this time in Henry county. The tornado initially developed near CR-83 and the city limits of Headland, where large trees were uprooted. The tornado crossed a wooded area near a creek and then ended near Knowles Road and CR-16 where a house had roof damage, an RV was overturned, a shed was destroyed, and some large trees were uprooted. This tornado was rated EF1 with max winds estimated near 100 mph. Damage cost was estimated.
A short tornado track was determined along CR-53 just north of its intersection with CR-26. This was a concentrated area of damage with large trees uprooted and snapped near a residence. One of the trees had a small amount of debarking with large limbs removed. This tornado was rated EF0 with max winds estimated at 85 mph.
Roof damage occurred to some homes in the Rehobeth area. Damage was estimated.
A short tornado path was observed along CR-65 just to the east of its intersection with Highway 95. Many large trees were snapped or uprooted along this short path. This tornado was rated EF1 with max winds estimated around 105 mph.
Trees were blown down near a residence in Columbia.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 2016Warnings in Alabama, February 2016
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 618603, 618604, 618605, 618606, 612928, 618608, 612932, 612933, 618609, 618610, 612935, 612941, 618612, 612947, 612952, 612953, 618602, 613493, 618613.