Central and Eastern Severe Weather
One of the severe storm disasters on NOAA’s billion-dollar list: $3.0 billion in losses at 2024 prices ($2.8 billion at the time) and 5 deaths.
What the offices filed during it
The 99 most significant severe storm episodes filed in these dates, colored by kind.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Losses, 2024 dollars
- $3.0 billion
- Losses at the time
- $2.8 billion
- Deaths
- 5
The losses and deaths are NCEI’s, counting everything the disaster did. The episodes below are only what the Weather Service filed in its Storm Events record, which counts damage differently and often not at all, so the two never add up and are shown apart.
By state, as filed
| State | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 15 | 0 | 0 | $3.1 million |
| Missouri | 67 | 5 | 4 | $3.0 million |
| Mississippi | 20 | 0 | 0 | $810,000 |
| Kansas | 42 | 0 | 0 | $666,000 |
| Ohio | 27 | 0 | 0 | $593,000 |
| Indiana | 35 | 0 | 0 | $519,000 |
| Kentucky | 42 | 0 | 1 | $503,000 |
| Iowa | 145 | 0 | 0 | $205,000 |
| Louisiana | 34 | 0 | 0 | $183,000 |
| Maryland | 16 | 0 | 0 | $143,000 |
| Virginia | 44 | 1 | 1 | $130,000 |
| Texas | 40 | 0 | 0 | $120,000 |
| Illinois | 81 | 0 | 4 | $115,000 |
| Arkansas | 26 | 0 | 0 | $102,000 |
| Puerto Rico | 12 | 0 | 0 | $74,000 |
| Wisconsin | 26 | 0 | 0 | $73,000 |
| North Carolina | 22 | 0 | 1 | $60,000 |
| New York | 5 | 0 | 0 | $54,000 |
| Alabama | 27 | 0 | 0 | $50,000 |
| Tennessee | 15 | 0 | 0 | $46,000 |
| Georgia | 12 | 0 | 0 | $40,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | 0 | 0 | $3,000 |
| Florida | 9 | 0 | 0 | $2,000 |
| West Virginia | 6 | 0 | 0 | $1,000 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 1 | 0 | 0 | $1,000 |
| Oklahoma | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| Minnesota | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nebraska | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Delaware | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| South Carolina | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Episode by episode
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, April 2, 2023A strong upper level trough ejected east-northeast across the Southern Plains during the afternoon and evening hours on April 2nd, with strong southerly low level winds ahead of the trough allowing for a warm front to mix north across East Texas and North Louisiana.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, April 2 to 3, 2023Multiple storms developed across the region and produced large hail.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Mississippi, April 3, 2023Multiple storms developed across the region and produced tornadoes along with large hail.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 3, 2023A very moist and unstable airmass developed ahead of a cold front. Thunderstorms developed ahead of the front and produced damaging winds and large hail.
- Damaging Wind in Mississippi, April 3, 2023A very moist and unstable airmass developed ahead of a cold front. Thunderstorms developed ahead of the front and produced damaging winds and large hail.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 3, 2023A strong spring storm system moved through the area with ample instability and shear. Numerous reports of severe weather were received across the tri-state area, including four tornadoes, two in southeast Alabama and two in southwest Georgia.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, April 3, 2023A strong spring storm system moved through the area with ample instability and shear. Numerous reports of severe weather were received across the tri-state area, including four tornadoes, two in southeast Alabama and two in southwest Georgia.
- Damaging Winds in Florida, April 3, 2023A strong spring storm system moved through the area with ample instability and shear. Numerous reports of severe weather were received across the tri-state area, including four tornadoes, two in southeast Alabama and two in southwest Georgia.
- Damaging Winds in Florida, April 3, 2023Strong to severe storms formed along a southward progressing frontal boundary that lingered near the FL-GA state-line into the evening. SW flow ahead of the front in the afternoon recovered moisture and instability ahead of the front which triggered storms.
- Hail in Alabama, April 3 to 6, 2023A persistent zone of deep layer shear over the Gulf Coast region and moderate mid level lapse rates produced conditions somewhat favorable for large hail.
- Hail in Illinois, April 4, 2023An isolated early morning thunderstorm on April 4th produced non-severe hail in Henry County.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, April 4, 2023There were two rounds of severe thunderstorms on April 4. Round 1 of activity began during the early morning hours of April 4, 2023, as elevated thunderstorms developed across southeast Iowa.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Illinois, April 4, 2023There were two rounds of severe thunderstorms on April 4th. The first round in Illinois occurred during the morning hours. These storms developed in eastern Iowa and moved into northwest Illinois by mid morning.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Missouri, April 4 to 5, 2023Supercells brought widespread severe weather to portions of Missouri on the afternoon and evening hours of April 4th and the early morning hours of April 5th. Hail was the primary hazard, with around 30 hail LSRs, including a few 2 hail reports.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in West Virginia, April 4 to 5, 2023Afternoon thunderstorms transpired on April 4th and 5th as the result of strong southerly flow ushering in warmer than average temperatures into West Virginia.
- Tornado and Flooding in Wisconsin, April 4 to 5, 2023Rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms occurred across southern WI, as low pressure and its warm and cold fronts approached and moved across the region. Many large hail reports were received along with one EF0 tornado. Some damaging winds and flooding also occurred.
- Hail in Missouri, April 4, 2023As a warm front lifted northward across the forecast area, a strong southwesterly low-level jet brought in plenty of low-level moisture as well as increasing instability, veering vertical wind profiles and steep lapse rates.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, April 4, 2023A trough across the Rockies underwent lee cyclogenesis, pulling a warm front north into Iowa in the afternoon. While a few storms developed along the warm front, most development was along the later cold front that moved across the area in the evening.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, April 4 to 5, 2023There were numerous reports of large hail of up to tennis ball sized in diameter on April 4th mainly between the I-96 and I-94 corridors. The large hail did significant damage to the roofs and siding of many homes as well as cracked some windshields of vehicles.
- Hail in Illinois, April 4, 2023As a warm front lifted northward across the forecast area, a strong southwesterly low-level jet brought in plenty of low-level moisture as well as increasing instability, veering vertical wind profiles and steep lapse rates.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Illinois, April 4, 2023As a warm front lifted northward, a highly unstable and sheared environment developed across west-central Illinois during the afternoon and evening of April 4th.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Missouri, April 4 to 5, 2023Strong to severe storms affected the region from the late afternoon of the 4th to the afternoon of the 5th as a surface low and cold front over central Kansas moved across the Ozarks. Hail up to 2 inches in diameter occurred in Taney County near Lake Taneycomo.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Kansas, April 4, 2023Severe weather occurred on the afternoon of April 4th and the early morning hours of April 5th.
- Tornado and Hail in Illinois, April 4, 2023Two rounds of severe thunderstorms occurred on April 4th. Round 2 of severe thunderstorms arrived during the late afternoon, with all modes of severe weather seen.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Kansas, April 4, 2023An initial line of storms quickly developed into discrete supercells and produced mainly quarter sized hail in eastern Kansas during the evening of 4/4.
- Hail in Minnesota, April 4, 2023A line of strong to severe storms moved through southeast Minnesota during the evening of April 4, 2023. Hail was the primary hazard with up to quarter sized reported in Chatfield (Fillmore County) and near St. Charles (Winona County).
- Hail in Nebraska, April 4, 2023A strong upper level low moved across the central Plains and severe weather developed ahead of the cold front producing a 1-inch hail report in Richardson County.
- Hail in Texas, April 4, 2023Thunderstorms developed along a dryline under a deep mid-level trough. One of these storms produced large hail.
- Hail in Iowa, April 4, 2023There were two rounds of severe thunderstorms on April 4th. Round 2 arrived during the late afternoon with storms producing large hail up to the size of golf balls.
- Hail in Iowa, April 4, 2023A line of strong to severe storms moved across northeast Iowa during the evening of April 4, 2023. The primary severe hazard was hail with up to quarter sized reported in Strawberry Point (Clayton County).
- Hail in Wisconsin, April 4, 2023Isolated thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front across east-central Wisconsin during the afternoon hours on Monday (4/4). The strongest storm produced hail up to quarter size as it tracked through the Fox Valley.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, April 4 to 5, 2023Severe thunderstorms developed along a slow moving cold front during the evening hours of April 4th, 2023. The thunderstorms zippered down from the northeast and produced numerous quarter size hail reports and a few half dollar size hail reports.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, April 4 to 5, 2023Strong to severe storms affected the region from the late afternoon of the 4th to the afternoon of the 5th as a surface low and cold front over central Kansas moved across southeastern Kansas before moving into the Ozarks.
- Hail in Iowa, April 5, 2023Severe thunderstorms arrived during the early morning hours of April 5th, as a strong cold front moved across the area and produced a line of strong to severe storms.
- Hail in Oklahoma, April 5, 2023A vigorous upper system approached the Central US from the afternoon of the 4th through early morning hours of the 5th.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, April 5, 2023Isolated severe thunderstorms hit Oakland and Macomb couunties with hail and wind damage.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, April 5, 2023Cooling took place overhead during the early morning hours of the 5th, and this allowed scattered severe thunderstorms to pop up in northern Arkansas. Straight-line wind estimated at 75 to 85 mph roughed up homes and barns around Sydney (Sharp County).
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Missouri, April 5, 2023A cyclic supercell moved northeast from Arkansas, producing two tornadoes in southeast Missouri. Both tornadoes occurred in heavily forested areas. The second tornado struck a small community called Glenallen, located near Marble Hill in Bollinger County.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Missouri, April 5, 2023During the early morning hours of April 5th, a strong cold front moved through the region triggering showers and storms. Some of the storms became severe with large hail and damaging winds.
- Hail in Oklahoma, April 5, 2023Strong thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the early morning hours of the 5th, as a cold front moved through the area. The strongest storms produced hail up to penny size.
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, April 5, 2023Isolated tornadic supercell storms that occurred over southeast Missouri earlier in the night morphed into a cluster of intense storms before they reached southwest Illinois.
- Tornado and Hail in Illinois, April 5, 2023Severe thunderstorms occurred during the early morning hours of April 5th, as a strong cold front moved across the area and produced a line of strong to severe storms. Storms became severe as they reached the Mississippi River, producing wind gusts to 60 MPH and large hail.
- Damaging Winds in Indiana, April 5, 2023Scattered thunderstorms moved across northwest Indiana during the morning of April 5th producing localized severe wind gusts.
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, April 5, 2023During the early morning hours of April 5th, a strong cold front moved through the region triggering showers and storms. Some of the storms became severe with large hail and damaging winds.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Arkansas, April 5, 2023Strong to severe thunderstorms developed into northwestern Arkansas during the early morning hours of the 5th, ahead of and along a cold front that moved through the region. The air mass had become moderately unstable ahead of the front.
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, April 5, 2023Scattered thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois during the morning of April 5th producing localized wind damage.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, April 5, 2023A line of storms developed along a cold front that swept from west to east across Illinois during the morning hours of April 5th, 2023. The storms produced isolated wind damage in McLean County.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Indiana, April 5, 2023A decaying storm complex moved across central Indiana during the morning hours of April 5th causing gradient wind damage across the leading edge of light rain. Within this complex, thunderstorm winds caused more focused damage in a line from Gosport into Marion county.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, April 5, 2023Two lines of storms moved across the area on April 5th, 2023 with isolated damaging wind, hail, and heavy rain. There was also some minor flooding.
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, April 5, 2023An upper low pressure system over the Four Corners Region ejected northeast through the Southern Rockies into the Central Plains by the afternoon of April 5th, which reinforced a cold front southeast into East Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and North Louisiana before stalling out…
- Damaging Winds in Arkansas, April 5, 2023An upper low pressure system over the Four Corners Region ejected northeast through the Southern Rockies into the Central Plains by the afternoon of April 5th, which reinforced a cold front southeast into East Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and North Louisiana before stalling out…
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Louisiana, April 5, 2023An upper low pressure system over the Four Corners Region ejected northeast through the Southern Rockies into the Central Plains by the afternoon of April 5th, which reinforced a cold front southeast into East Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and North Louisiana before stalling out…
- Flash Flooding and Debris Flows in Puerto Rico, April 5 to 8, 2023Unsettled weather with numerous showers and thunderstorms were observed due to an upper level cut-off low strengthening northwest of Puerto Rico. Strong divergence aloft resulted in hail, and the heavy rain left flooding, mudslides and rivers overflowing.
- Damaging Wind in Missouri, April 5, 2023Showers and thunderstorms developed across the Mid-South during the late morning and early afternoon of April 5, 2023. These storms developed ahead of an approaching cold front as a mid-level shortwave trough rotated through the area.
- Damaging Winds in Arkansas, April 5, 2023Showers and thunderstorms developed across the Mid-South during the late morning and early afternoon of April 5, 2023. These storms developed ahead of an approaching cold front as a mid-level shortwave trough rotated through the area.
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, April 5, 2023Two lines of storms moved across the area on April 5th, 2023 with isolated damaging wind, hail, and heavy rain. There was also some minor flooding.
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, April 5, 2023Short line segments of thunderstorms became severe as they moved east across southern Illinois during the early afternoon hours. Pockets of damaging wind accompanied the lines of storms.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Ohio, April 5, 2023Showers and thunderstorms overspread the region as a strong low pressure system moved through the Ohio Valley.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, April 5, 2023A squall line of severe thunderstorms organized along the Mississippi River and moved east across western Kentucky from late morning through mid afternoon. Pockets of damaging wind accompanied this line of storms. A few brief squall-line tornadoes occurred.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, April 5, 2023Showers and thunderstorms developed across the Mid-South during the late morning and early afternoon of April 5, 2023. These storms developed ahead of an approaching cold front as a mid-level shortwave trough rotated through the area.
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, April 5, 2023An occluded surface low moved north-northeastward from east-central MN to the Arrowhead of MN during the morning through early evening of April 5th.
- Tornado and Damaging Wind in Indiana, April 5, 2023A squall line of severe thunderstorms organized over southern Illinois and moved east across southwest Indiana during the afternoon. A short-lived pocket of damaging wind accompanied this line of storms, along with a brief squall-line tornado.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Indiana, April 5, 2023During the afternoon and evening hours of April 5, a low pressure system, moving northeast from Minnesota into Ontario, dragged a trailing cold front through the Lower Ohio Valley.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, April 5, 2023During the afternoon and evening hours of April 5, a low pressure system, moving northeast from Minnesota into Ontario, dragged a trailing cold front through the Lower Ohio Valley.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, April 5, 2023A line of thunderstorms along a cold front quickly swept through Middle Tennessee on April 5, 2023. Enough instability was in place for areas generally along and west of Interstate 65 that these thunderstorms were strong to severe.
- Damaging Winds in New York, April 5, 2023A strong disturbance triggered showers and thunderstorms over west-central NY including Yates and Cayuga counties. One of the storms became severe and produced an 85 mph microburst in the vicinity of Penn Yan.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Mississippi, April 5, 2023Storms developed and produced large hail.
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, April 5, 2023Warm, southerly flow raised temperatures well above normal on the afternoon of April 5th ahead of a cold front. This helped lead the charge for strong to severe thunderstorms to sprout across Perry County late in the afternoon.
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, April 5, 2023The center of a closed upper-level low advanced just west of the Great Lakes on the evening of April 5th. An organized line of convection developed ahead of the cold front and created strong winds and isolated tornadoes from eastern Illinois to eastern Ohio.
- Hail in Texas, April 5, 2023Early evening severe thunderstorms produced numerous reports of large hail.
- Damaging Wind in Kentucky, April 5, 2023As a disturbance progressed through the Great Lakes region on April 5th, a strong cold front was driven into eastern Kentucky. Warm southerly flow ahead of the frontal passage raised temperatures well above normal and posed enough support for afternoon thunderstorms in the area.
- Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, April 5, 2023The center of a closed upper-level low advanced just west of the Great Lakes on the evening of April 5th. An organized line of convection developed ahead of the cold front and created strong winds and isolated tornadoes from eastern Illinois to eastern Ohio.
- Hail in Texas, April 5, 2023Isolated thunderstorms developed over the Victoria Crossroads ahead of a cold front in the early evening hours. Thunderstorm produced quarter to ping pong ball sized hail east of Victoria.
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, April 5, 2023A strong cold front crossed Pennsylvania during the afternoon and evening of April 5, 2023, accompanied by scattered showers and thunderstorms. A few gusty storms formed in the high shear/low-CAPE environment, and one storm produced minor wind damage in Somerset County.
- Hail in Texas, April 5, 2023A cold front moved through the afternoon of April 5th. Elevated convection behind the front led to several showers and thunderstorms the evening of April 5th.
- Hail in Texas, April 5, 2023Warm air advection above a cooler airmass behind a cold front generated elevated thunderstorms. Some of these storms produced large hail.
- Flash Flooding in Texas, April 6, 2023A slow moving cold front drifted south across East Texas and North Louisiana south of the Interstate 20 corridor during the morning hours of April 6th.
- Flash Flooding in Louisiana, April 6, 2023A slow moving cold front drifted south across East Texas and North Louisiana south of the Interstate 20 corridor during the morning hours of April 6th.
- Hail in U.S. Virgin Islands, April 6, 2023Unsettled weather conditions prevailed due to an upper level cut-off low strengthening northwest of the islands. The divergence aloft was strong enough to support small hail over the Virgin Islands.
- Flash Flood and Lightning Strike in Texas, April 6, 2023Warm air advection above a cooler airmass generated elevated thunderstorms. Training of storms led to locally heavy rainfall and minor flooding.
- Hail in Mississippi, April 6, 2023A stalled surface boundary was draped over the the northwestern portions of the area during the afternoon hours. In the early afternoon, storms began to develop in response to the improving instability and one dominant cell emerged along the boundary over southwest Mississippi.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, April 6, 2023Thunderstorms developed in advance of an approaching cold front. Some of these increased to severe levels and produced very large hail, some stones up to tennis ball size, and also localized damaging wind gusts.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, April 6, 2023Large hail up to golf ball size fell and trees and power lines were downed by severe thunderstorms that developed in advance of an approaching cold front.
- Hail in Georgia, April 6, 2023An impulse of moisture traversing mid-level flow introduced chances for isolated shower and thunderstorms for areas south of I-20. The morning sounding showed substantial capping at 600 mb, however lapse rates were quite steep between 400 and 600 mb.
- Hail in North Carolina, April 6, 2023Scattered thunderstorms developed across the North Carolina Piedmont during the late afternoon. One isolated severe storm produced large hail north of I-40.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, April 6, 2023Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds and large hail across portions of central Virginia and the Virginia northern neck.
- Damaging Winds in Virginia, April 6, 2023A cold front spawned several severe thunderstorms that resulted in localized hail and wind damage.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Maryland, April 6, 2023A cold front spawned several severe thunderstorms that resulted in localized hail and wind damage.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, April 6, 2023Clusters of showers and thunderstorms developed along an in advance of a cold front during the late afternoon into the early evening hours across the northwest Piedmont.
- Hail in Texas, April 6, 2023Nickel sized hail fell in Rockdale in Milam County.
- Damaging Winds in Maryland, April 6, 2023Showers and thunderstorms ahead of a cold front moving in from the northwest developed over the Eastern Shore of Maryland, producing damaging wind gusts.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Maryland, April 6, 2023Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds and large hail across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
- Damaging Wind in Delaware, April 6, 2023Showers and thunderstorms ahead of a cold front moving in from the northwest developed over the Eastern Shore of Maryland, producing damaging wind gusts.
- Flash Flood and Flood in Texas, April 6 to 7, 2023Flooding occurred in portions of Montgomery and Austin Counties as storms moved through the area during the night of April 6 and morning of April 7.
- Flash Flooding in Louisiana, April 6, 2023A strong and slow moving thunderstorm south of Lake Charles produced 10 to 20 inches of rain during the evening.
- Lightning Strike in Texas, April 6, 2023A lightning strike caused some damage to a home.
- Lightning Strike in South Carolina, April 7, 2023Thunderstorms moved across Upstate South Carolina during the morning in association with a cold front. One storm producing intense lightning caused a minor injury in Gaffney.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in North Carolina, April 7, 2023A strong cold front resulted in the development of slow-moving thunderstorms with very heavy rain across portions of the Triangle. This resulted in multiple road and highway closures, particularly around Fuquay-Varina.
- Flash Flood and Hail in Louisiana, April 7, 2023A stalled frontal boundary was in place for a couple days across the region. This feature was the focal point for numerous showers and thunderstorms. Weak mid level flow aided in slow movement of storms that did develop.
More
Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2023Tornadoes in 2023
Sources
NOAA NCEI, U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2025), https://doi.org/10.25921/stkw-7w73, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.