Southern 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 23 deaths.
What the offices filed during it
The 66 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
- 23
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 98 | 22 | 226 | $213 million |
| Alabama | 142 | 1 | 0 | $27 million |
| Louisiana | 30 | 0 | 0 | $599,000 |
| Tennessee | 46 | 0 | 1 | $515,000 |
| Missouri | 125 | 4 | 2 | $458,000 |
| Texas | 38 | 0 | 5 | $340,000 |
| Georgia | 159 | 0 | 10 | $308,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 31 | 0 | 1 | $161,000 |
| Oklahoma | 24 | 0 | 0 | $80,000 |
| West Virginia | 6 | 0 | 0 | $50,000 |
| South Carolina | 20 | 0 | 0 | $37,000 |
| Kentucky | 12 | 0 | 0 | $30,000 |
| Illinois | 28 | 0 | 0 | $20,000 |
| Ohio | 25 | 0 | 0 | $20,000 |
| North Carolina | 9 | 0 | 0 | $17,000 |
| Maryland | 1 | 0 | 0 | $5,000 |
| Arkansas | 30 | 0 | 0 | $1,000 |
| Indiana | 6 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hawaii | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Episode by episode
- Hail in Hawaii, March 23, 2023Moist and unstable conditions settled in over the state which generated a few thunderstorms with some hail across Oahu.
- Lightning Strike in Ohio, March 23, 2023Thunderstorms in the morning of March 23 resulted in a pickup truck being struck by lightning in Van Wert County.
- Hail in Illinois, March 23, 2023A nearly stationary frontal boundary triggered clusters of strong to severe thunderstorms south of the I-70 corridor during the morning of March 23rd. Some of the cells dropped hail as large as quarters across portions of Clay and Richland counties.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Oklahoma, March 23, 2023The approach of a compact upper wave, combined with a sagging frontal boundary across the area, provided the lift needed for widespread thunderstorm development.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, March 23 to 24, 2023Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across northeastern Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening hours of the 23rd, as a cold front moved slowly into the area. The strongest thunderstorms produced hail up to ping pong ball size.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, March 23, 2023Isolated thunderstorms formed ahead of an advancing cold front on the 23rd, providing a few instances of hail and wind damage.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Arkansas, March 23 to 24, 2023Strong thunderstorms developed across northwestern Arkansas during the afternoon and evening hours of the 23rd, as a cold front moved slowly into the area. The strongest thunderstorms produced hail up to penny size.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, March 23 to 25, 2023The most impactful storm system to affect the region during the month of March began during the late afternoon and early evening of the 23rd as strong to severe thunderstorms trained along and north of a front that had stalled over northwest Arkansas and south central Missouri.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, March 23, 2023The approach of a compact upper wave, combined with a sagging frontal boundary across the area, provided the lift needed for widespread thunderstorm development.
- Hail in Missouri, March 23, 2023As a cold front moved through southeast Missouri, it triggered showers and storms. Some of the storms became severe producing large hail.
- Damaging Winds in West Virginia, March 23, 2023An isolated discrete thunderstorm along a warm front produced localized wind damage over far eastern West Virginia into north-central Maryland during the late evening hours.
- Damaging Wind in Maryland, March 23, 2023An isolated discrete thunderstorm along a warm front produced localized wind damage over far eastern West Virginia into north-central Maryland during the late evening hours.
- Damaging Winds in Illinois, March 23 to 24, 2023A few isolated severe thunderstorms occurred during the night of the 23rd. A stationary front oriented from west to east across southern Illinois acted as the breeding ground for a large area of showers and thunderstorms.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, March 24 to 27, 2023An upper level disturbance kicked off a round of nocturnal thunderstorms during the overnight hours of Thursday March 23 into Friday March 24. Storms were focused along both a dryline as it entered from the west, and a cold front as it entered from the northwest.
- Hail in Texas, March 24, 2023Scattered severe thunderstorms across portions of the Concho Valley and Heartland produced a few reports of large hail during the early morning hours. A supercell thunderstorm produced most of the large hail.
- Damaging Wind in Kentucky, March 24, 2023A strong low pressure system moved through the Ohio Valley, producing localized damaging wind gusts.
- Damaging Winds in West Virginia, March 24, 2023Just before dawn on March 24th, a line of strong to severe thunderstorms crossed through the Ohio River Valley into central West Virginia along a cold front.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, March 24, 2023Several inches of rain fell across Arkansas associated with a storm system moving across the region. Flash flooding and some severe weather was noted.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Illinois, March 24 to 31, 2023A nearly stationary front draped itself from central Texas northeast through the Ohio River Valley and produced multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy rainfall.
- Damaging Wind in Kentucky, March 24, 2023A few isolated severe thunderstorms occurred during the night of the 23rd and early morning of the 24th. A stationary front oriented from west to east across southern Illinois acted as the breeding ground for a large area of showers and thunderstorms.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, March 24 to 27, 2023A nearly stationary front draped itself from central Texas northeast through the Ohio River Valley and produced multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy rainfall.
- Damaging Winds in Louisiana, March 24, 2023Abundant Gulf of Mexico moisture characterized by dewpoints in the middle to upper 60s spread northward across the Lower Mississippi Valley on March 24th.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Mississippi, March 24, 2023In the afternoon and evening of the 24th, clusters of strong to severe storms were stretched from southwest to northeast across southeastern Arkansas as robust instability and very strong wind shear served to produce a volatile severe weather environment.
- Damaging Wind in Arkansas, March 24, 2023In the afternoon and evening of the 24th, clusters of strong to severe storms were stretched from southwest to northeast across southeastern Arkansas as robust instability and very strong wind shear produced a volatile severe weather environment.
- Hail in Oklahoma, March 24, 2023As a cold upper low moved ahead, combined with plentiful daytime insolation, a few thunderstorms developed across north-central Oklahoma. The strongest storm produced sub-severe hail on the northwest side of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area.
- Tornado and Flash Flood in Tennessee, March 24, 2023The first significant event to produce widespread severe weather across the Mid-South for 2023 occurred on March 24, during the afternoon and evening hours. This severe weather episode occurred mainly over portions of the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Mississippi, March 24, 2023The first significant event to produce widespread severe weather across the Mid-South for 2023 occurred on March 24, during the afternoon and evening hours. This severe weather episode occurred mainly over portions of the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, March 24 to 31, 2023A nearly stationary front draped itself from central Texas northeast through the Ohio River Valley and produced multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, some with very heavy rainfall.
- Damaging Winds in Tennessee, March 24, 2023As a strong upper-level storm system moved into the Great Plains and warm, moist southerly flow increased across the southeast United States, an early spring severe weather threat was setting up over the area.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 24 to 25, 2023A severe line of thunderstorms rolled through north Alabama during the late evening hours of the 24th into the early morning hours of the 25th, producing 7 tornadoes.
- Damaging Wind in Kentucky, March 24, 2023During the evening and overnight hours from March 24th into March 25th, a mid-level trough moved from the central Plains into the Mississippi and lower Ohio Valleys, amplifying and becoming negatively tilted as it moved east.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 24, 2023A multi-day severe weather event produced all modes of severe weather across Central Alabama, starting during the evening hours on Friday, March 24th.
- Tornadoes in Tennessee, March 24, 2023A severe line of thunderstorms rolled through north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee during the late evening hours of the 24th into the early morning hours of the 25th.
- Damaging Winds in Tennessee, March 24 to 25, 2023A line of thunderstorms crossed East Tennessee during the early hours of March 25. The storms produced damaging winds as it moved west to east, mainly in the form of downed trees.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, March 25, 2023A 2-pronged threat affected north and central Georgia during the morning and evening of March 25th as a cold front pushed through and stalled over the area.
- Damaging Winds in North Carolina, March 25, 2023A weakening line of heavy rain showers and thunderstorms moved into western North Carolina during the early morning hours in advance of a cold front. Isolated damaging wind gusts were reported across the mountains.
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Pennsylvania, March 25, 2023Strong surface low pressure tracked across Michigan and into eastern Canada on the 25th, along a track that is climatologically favored for strong wind events in the Upper Ohio Valley. A crossing occluded boundary was a catalyst to start mixing strong wind to the surface.
- Tornado and Hail in Alabama, March 25 to 26, 2023A couple of strong upper level shortwaves impacted the area during the March 25-27 time frame, bringing with them a couple of rounds of severe weather with several reports of trees and power lines blown down along with some large hail.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, March 25 to 27, 2023A couple of strong upper level shortwaves impacted the area during the March 25-27 time frame, bringing with them a couple of rounds of severe weather with several reports of trees and power lines blown down along with some large hail.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, March 25, 2023At the surface, an occluded low moved northeastward from southwestern Lower MI to central Lake Huron during the late morning through early evening of the 25th.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, March 25, 2023At the surface, an occluded low moved northeastward from southwestern Lower MI to central Lake Huron during the late morning through early evening of the 25th.
- Damaging Winds in Georgia, March 25, 2023A pre-frontal trough combined with decent shear, a low level jet (850 mb) of 30-40 knots, surface based CAPE around 1500 J/kg, and dew points in the mid 60s supported strong to severe storms across SE GA in the afternoon.
- Hail in Alabama, March 25, 2023Severe thunderstorms develop across south central Alabama and produced large hail.
- Damaging Wind and Strong Wind in Pennsylvania, March 25 to 26, 2023An approaching frontal boundary generated widely scattered showers and thunderstorms in a low-CAPE/high shear environment during the afternoon and early evening of March 25, 2023.
- Hail in Georgia, March 25, 2023Isolated thunderstorms developed in the afternoon hours within the warm sector ahead of an approaching cold front. One storm produced a brief period of hail in the Metter area in Candler County.
- Damaging Wind in South Carolina, March 25, 2023Isolated thunderstorms developed in the afternoon hours within the warm sector ahead of an approaching cold front. One storm produced strong wind gusts in Beaufort County and knocked down one tree in the Bluffton area.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, March 26 to 27, 2023A multi-day severe weather event produced all modes of severe weather across Central Alabama. An upper low parked over the Midwest States and an upper ridge over the Florida Peninsula produced a deep layer of moisture and shear over Alabama.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Mississippi, March 26, 2023On Sunday, March 26th 2023 the juxtaposition of high instability and strong mid and upper level shear was confined to central and southern Mississippi.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Georgia, March 26 to 28, 2023A prolonged, active weather pattern persisted across Georgia through late March, culminating in a series of disturbances that impacted the region March 25th through March 28th.
- Hail in North Carolina, March 26, 2023Numerous showers across Eastern North Carolina produced some isolated hail, with one storm producing quarter size hail near Pinetown.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in South Carolina, March 26 to 27, 2023A stalled surface front combined with upper level energy, copious atmospheric moisture, moderate instability, and moderate to strong shear, to produce showers and thunderstorms, some of which produced large hail and wind damage, along with locally heavy rain and flooding.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Georgia, March 26, 2023A stalled surface front combined with upper level energy, copious atmospheric moisture, moderate instability, and moderate to strong shear, to produce showers and thunderstorms, some of which produced large hail and wind damage, along with locally heavy rain and flooding.
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in North Carolina, March 26 to 27, 2023A cold front brought once incidence of wind damage and one funnel cloud report.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Alabama, March 26, 2023A stalled front over northern portions of the area combined with favorable wind shear and instability led to the development of severe thunderstorms. Two tornadoes developed along with several reports of large hail.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Louisiana, March 26, 2023A shortwave trough moving across Central Texas on the morning of March 26th made its way into Ark-La-Tex region by the afternoon.
- Damaging Wind in Texas, March 26, 2023A shortwave trough moving across Central Texas on the morning of March 26th made its way into Ark-La-Tex region by the afternoon.
- Hail in Illinois, March 26, 2023During the afternoon hours of March 26th, a few thunderstorms formed in northwest Illinois as low pressure moved over the region. These storms were isolated in nature, and produced large hail over eastern Bureau county.
- Hail in Louisiana, March 26, 2023Supercell thunderstorms developed across the area during the afternoon as strong instability developed south of a frontal boundary and ahead of an upper short wave. Severe hail fell in numerous Parishes, some as large as 1.75 inches, or approximately golf ball size.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, March 26, 2023A front stalled across the region while a strong upper level disturbance traversed the area. Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon of the 26th with some becoming severe.
- Hail in Illinois, March 26, 2023A cluster of thunderstorms brought severe hail to areas along and near the I-80 corridor during the afternoon of the 26th.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, March 26, 2023A cluster of thunderstorms brought severe hail and damaging winds to parts of far northwestern Indiana during the afternoon of the 26th. The majority of the wind damage was to trees and power poles with some damage to shingles and siding also reported.
- Hail in Arkansas, March 26, 2023A shortwave trough moving across Central Texas on the morning of March 26th made its way into Ark-La-Tex region by the afternoon.
- Flash Flooding in Mississippi, March 26, 2023In a seasonably very unstable airmass south of a frontal boundary and ahead of an approaching upper level shortwave, scattered storms developed across central Mississippi in the early morning.
- Damaging Wind in North Carolina, March 27, 2023The combination of a warm front and mid level disturbance moving across the area helped to support and area of showers and isolated thunderstorms along the northward moving warm front during the early morning hours of March 27th.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, March 27, 2023Two surface boundaries brought strong to severe thunderstorms to MS on March 27th. The first came in the way of an old frontal boundary that pushed into the CWA during the early morning hours.
- Hail in Texas, March 27, 2023Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms across portions of the Concho Valley produced several reports of small hail with an isolated report of large hail.
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.