Southern and Eastern Severe Weather
One of the severe storm disasters on NOAA’s billion-dollar list: $6.2 billion in losses at 2024 prices ($5.9 billion at the time) and 13 deaths.
What the offices filed during it
The 58 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
- $6.2 billion
- Losses at the time
- $5.9 billion
- Deaths
- 13
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 105 | 4 | 6 | $75 million |
| Louisiana | 11 | 0 | 2 | $50 million |
| Arkansas | 57 | 1 | 5 | $6.1 million |
| Texas | 207 | 0 | 0 | $3.7 million |
| Kentucky | 152 | 1 | 1 | $3.2 million |
| Ohio | 28 | 1 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| California | 22 | 1 | 1 | $933,000 |
| Mississippi | 60 | 1 | 3 | $918,000 |
| Alabama | 74 | 6 | 4 | $800,000 |
| Indiana | 45 | 0 | 0 | $302,000 |
| Illinois | 26 | 0 | 0 | $259,000 |
| North Carolina | 14 | 0 | 0 | $220,000 |
| Oklahoma | 22 | 0 | 0 | $155,000 |
| South Carolina | 23 | 0 | 1 | $62,000 |
| Missouri | 64 | 0 | 0 | $41,000 |
| Georgia | 50 | 0 | 0 | $6,000 |
| Kansas | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| West Virginia | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Episode by episode
- Flash Flood and Winter Storm in California, March 1 to 2, 2023After one powerful storm struck Southern California in late February, a second storm arrived at the end of February and into early March.
- Hail in Texas, March 1, 2023A frontal boundary became stationary near the Interstate 20 corridor the morning of Wednesday March 1. The boundary provided focus for thunderstorm development as a weak upper level disturbance moved overhead. Several of the storms produced severe hail.
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Tennessee, March 1 to 3, 2023A strong pressure gradient produced high winds across much of East Tennessee through the day on March 3rd. During the afternoon, a line of showers and thunderstorms crossed the area, associated with a cold front.
- Hail in Indiana, March 1, 2023Isolated strong thunderstorms developed over southwest Indiana, along and just ahead of a southeastward moving cold front. The storms formed on the northern edge of a region of strong wind shear and weak to moderate instability.
- Hail in Indiana, March 1, 2023During the evening hours on March 1st, a decaying cold front gradually moved across the Ohio Valley, with showers and thunderstorms developing along and just ahead of the approaching boundary.
- Tornado and Hail in Oklahoma, March 1 to 2, 2023A potent upper-level trough progressed from the Four-Corners Region into the Texas Panhandle by late in the afternoon on March 1st and through March 2nd. Strong warm and moist air advection was ongoing in advance of the trough preceding the event.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, March 1 to 3, 2023March certainly roared in like a lion across the state with back to back severe weather events on March 1st and 2nd into the 3rd. Storms on these days led to a few tornadoes as well as hail as large as 3 inches in diameter.
- Hail in Kentucky, March 1, 2023During the evening hours on March 1st, a decaying cold front gradually moved across the Ohio Valley, with showers and thunderstorms developing along and just ahead of the approaching boundary.
- Hail in Indiana, March 1, 2023Scattered thunderstorms developed during the evening hours ahead of a cold front moving through the region.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, March 1, 2023A subtle shortwave trough in the midst of an open warm sector moved through the lower Mississippi River Valley. This helped produce supercells that brought hail, and damaging wind in Mississippi.
- Hail in Ohio, March 1, 2023Scattered thunderstorms developed during the evening hours ahead of a cold front moving through the region.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, March 1, 2023A lone supercell thunderstorm moved across Bolivar County and produced a swath of large hail and damaging wind. The largest hail was around 3 inches.
- Hail in Ohio, March 1, 2023Surface low pressure traveling through the area dragged a cold front through southeast Ohio on the afternoon of March 1st. A few thunderstorms sprouted during this time, with one storm that became strong enough to produce small hail in Lawrence County.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Alabama, March 1 to 2, 2023Supercells erupted during the late afternoon and early evening hours in northern Mississippi and spread east across north Alabama during the rest of the evening into the overnight hours.
- Tornado in Alabama, March 1, 2023A cold front pushing southward out of Tennessee and into north Alabama encountered a moderately unstable air mass. There was enough low level shear for rotating storms, and one tornado touched down in Marion County.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, March 1 to 2, 2023An upper level shortwave trough moved across Texas and generated thunderstorms including two supercells. These two storms produced severe hail for nearly eight hours across the southern and central parts of the region.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Tennessee, March 2, 2023A moist, southwesterly fetch aloft paralleled a stationary front draped across northeast Tennessee to produce areas of heavy rainfall and flooding, along with severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.
- Lightning Strikes in North Carolina, March 2, 2023An area of rain with embedded thunderstorms developed across the central North Carolina during the early morning hours of March 2nd in the area of a stalled surface front.
- Hail in Arkansas, March 2, 2023Strong thunderstorms developed into northwestern Arkansas during the midday hours of the 2nd, north of a warm front that stretched across far northern Texas and southwestern Arkansas. The strongest storms produced hail up to penny size.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, March 2 to 3, 2023Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across portions of eastern Oklahoma during the midday hours of the 2nd, north of a warm front that stretched across far northern Texas.
- Hail in Kansas, March 2, 2023A strong storm produced hail up to nickels in size.
- Hail in Missouri, March 2, 2023A strong storm produced penny hail.
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, March 2, 2023An upper level low pressure system moved eastward from the Desert Southwest into the Southern Plains, generating a round of showers and thunderstorms across much of North and Central Texas the evening of Thursday March 2.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, March 2, 2023A strong upper level storm system and surface instability produced a fast moving line of severe thunderstorms across much of west central Texas. These storms produced damaging winds and a few reports of large hail.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, March 2, 2023As a vigorous upper wave approached from the west, increasing moisture and wind shear fostered an environment favorable for severe convection.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Texas, March 2, 2023A potent upper-level trough progressed from the Four-Corners Region into the Texas Panhandle by late in the afternoon on March 2nd. Strong warm and moist air advection was ongoing in advance of the trough earlier in the morning.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, March 2 to 3, 2023A potent upper-level trough progressed from the Four-Corners Region into the Texas Panhandle by late in the afternoon on March 2nd. Strong warm and moist air advection was ongoing in advance of the trough earlier in the morning.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, March 2, 2023A potent upper-level trough progressed from the Four-Corners Region into the Texas Panhandle by late in the afternoon on March 2nd. Strong warm and moist air advection was ongoing in advance of the trough earlier in the morning.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, March 2, 2023A cold front moved through South Central Texas and generated thunderstorms. Some of these storms produced damaging wind gusts and large hail.
- Damaging Winds in Texas, March 2, 2023Thunderstorms associated with an advancing cold front resulted in tree and roof damage on the evening of March 2.
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Missouri, March 3 to 4, 2023Showers and thunderstorms developed over northwest Arkansas during the late morning of the 2nd and moved northeastward while expanding in coverage and intensity during the afternoon and evening as a strong upper level trough moved northeastward from west Texas toward the…
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Mississippi, March 3, 2023Strong gradient winds developed late in the evening of March 2nd into the morning of the 3rd before a cold front moved through Mississippi. Wind gusts of 45 to 55 mph were measured by several observations sites, and trees were blown down in scattered locations across the state.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, March 3 to 5, 2023A strong storm system led to significant impacts. Heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 4.5 inches produced flash flooding of a few creeks and roads. Small rivers such as the Black, Current, and St. Francis experienced minor flooding.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Illinois, March 3 to 5, 2023A strong storm system led to significant impacts. Heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 4.5 inches produced sporadic flash flooding with a few road closures. Creeks and small rivers such as the Skillet Fork rose above flood stage.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, March 3 to 10, 2023A strong storm system led to significant impacts. Heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 4.5 inches produced areas of flash flooding, with numerous road closures. The heavy rain drove the Ohio River above flood stage at Uniontown.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Indiana, March 3, 2023A strong storm system led to significant impacts. Heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 4.5 inches produced isolated flash flooding of roads. Very strong wind gusts occurred, ranging between 50 and 70 mph. These were associated with both thunderstorms and gradient winds afterwards.
- Flash Flood and High Wind in Arkansas, March 3, 2023A powerful cold front raced across the Mid-South during the morning hours of March 3, 2023. Strong winds ahead of the front caused scattered damage across northeast Mississippi.
- Flash Flood and High Wind in Tennessee, March 3, 2023A powerful cold front raced across the Mid-South during the morning hours of March 3, 2023. Strong winds ahead of the front caused scattered damage across northeast Mississippi.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 3, 2023A prolonged damaging gradient wind event combined with an intense squall line during the daylight hours of the 3rd to produce widespread wind damage and impacts to the region. Numerous power outages resulted from power poles being snapped and power lines being brought down.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, March 3, 2023A powerful cold front raced across the Mid-South during the morning hours of March 3, 2023. Strong winds ahead of the front caused scattered damage across northeast Mississippi.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Indiana, March 3, 2023On March 3rd, 2023, a historically strong low pressure system moved across the lower Ohio Valley, bringing heavy rainfall, severe weather, and most notably, very strong gradient winds as it moved across the region.
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Tennessee, March 3, 2023A historic high wind event set up over all of Middle Tennessee on March 3, 2023. An incredibly strong surface low deepened to about 979mb over the Ohio River Valley. In fact, this system broke numerous all-time low pressure readings across the lower Ohio River Valley.
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Alabama, March 3, 2023A powerful upper level storm system along with a rapidly deepening surface low over Kentucky produced a QLCS over Mississippi that entered west Alabama during the morning hours on March 3rd.
- Damaging Winds in Tennessee, March 3, 2023A powerful low pressure system intensified rapidly as it moved northeast from Texas through Arkansas, southeast Missouri into western Kentucky. In doing so, windy conditions developed across the Tennessee Valley ahead of an associated cold front and squall line.
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Kentucky, March 3, 2023A strong upper level storm system and intense surface low pressure moved from the Southern Plains to the Mississippi Valley during the wee morning hours of Friday, March 3rd.
- Damaging Winds and High Wind in Kentucky, March 3, 2023On March 3rd, 2023, a historically strong low pressure system moved across the lower Ohio Valley, bringing heavy rainfall, severe weather, and most notably, very strong gradient winds as it moved across the region.
- Damaging Wind and High Wind in North Carolina, March 3, 2023A strong pressure gradient produced high winds across much of East Tennessee and portions of southwest North Carolina through the day on March 3rd. During the afternoon, a line of showers and thunderstorms crossed the area, associated with a cold front.
- Tornado and Hail in Georgia, March 3, 2023A complex weather system pushed a strong cold front into North Georgia during the afternoon of March 3rd. This front produced scattered severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts, hail, and an isolated tornado in Gordon county.
- Tornadoes and Flooding in Ohio, March 3, 2023Showers and scattered thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours ahead of a strong low pressure system moving through the Ohio Valley.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, March 3, 2023Multiple lines and clusters of thunderstorms moved into western North Carolina during the late afternoon and evening ahead of a cold front. Multiple reports of wind damage were received, mainly across the mountains.
- Damaging Wind in Kentucky, March 3, 2023Showers and scattered thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours ahead of a strong low pressure system moving through the Ohio Valley.
- Damaging Winds in Kentucky, March 3, 2023A surface cold front accompanying a strong low pressure system erupted in strong to severe thunderstorms across northeast Kentucky on the afternoon of March 3rd. This led to downed trees in the area and power outages for local residents in Greenup, Lawrence, and Boyd Counties.
- Damaging Wind in Georgia, March 3, 2023Multiple lines and clusters of thunderstorms moved into northeast Georgia during the late afternoon and evening ahead of a cold front. One of these produced wind damage in Rabun County.
- Damaging Winds in West Virginia, March 3, 2023Strong to severe thunderstorms out ahead of a cold front migrated into West Virginia on the afternoon of March 3rd. A cluster of storms in Wayne County led to downed trees and power lines late in the afternoon from strong wind gusts.
- Damaging Winds and Strong Wind in South Carolina, March 3, 2023A tight pressure gradient over the region produced breezy to windy conditions during the afternoon and evening, with wind gusts around 35 to 40 mph from the south to southwest.
- Damaging Winds in Ohio, March 3, 2023A potent low pressure system approaching from the Tennessee Valley on the afternoon of March 3rd coincided with a surface front. This boundary pushed a line of strong thunderstorms into southeast Ohio during the peak of the afternoon.
- Tornadoes and Hail in South Carolina, March 3, 2023Multiple lines and clusters of thunderstorms moved into upstate South Carolina during the late afternoon and evening ahead of a cold front. Multiple reports of wind damage were received across the Piedmont and foothills.
- Damaging Winds in North Carolina, March 3, 2023A cold front and associated area of low pressure approached central North Carolina from the west during the day of March, 3rd. A line of showers and thunderstorm developed along the front.
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.