Southern Severe Weather
One of the severe storm disasters on NOAA’s billion-dollar list: $1.7 billion in losses at 2024 prices ($1.4 billion at the time) and 3 deaths.
What the offices filed during it
The 71 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
- $1.7 billion
- Losses at the time
- $1.4 billion
- Deaths
- 3
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 101 | 3 | 37 | $5.7 million |
| Oklahoma | 154 | 2 | 1 | $2.4 million |
| Mississippi | 79 | 0 | 1 | $1.8 million |
| Florida | 110 | 0 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| Alabama | 92 | 1 | 1 | $888,000 |
| Georgia | 72 | 0 | 0 | $421,000 |
| Louisiana | 70 | 1 | 0 | $339,000 |
| Virginia | 33 | 0 | 0 | $69,000 |
| Wisconsin | 25 | 0 | 0 | $46,000 |
| Arkansas | 10 | 0 | 0 | $30,000 |
| New Jersey | 46 | 0 | 0 | $12,000 |
| Maryland | 8 | 0 | 0 | $9,000 |
| Kansas | 5 | 0 | 0 | $5,000 |
| Missouri | 13 | 0 | 0 | $1,000 |
| Connecticut | 2 | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| Pennsylvania | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Delaware | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| New York | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Michigan | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| New Mexico | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wyoming | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| North Dakota | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Episode by episode
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, April 19, 2020A powerful storm system swept across the southeast states through the day and into the evening on the 19th. Ahead of this system a warm front brought a very warm, moist and unstable air mass northward across the area.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 19, 2020A potent upper trough moved across the southeast states with numerous severe storms, including widespread wind damage and tornadoes. The tri-state area was under an enhanced to moderate risk of severe storms from the Storm Prediction Center.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, April 19 to 20, 2020A powerful storm system swept across the southeast states through the day and into the overnight on the 19th into the 20th. Ahead of this system a warm front brought a very warm, moist and unstable air mass northward across the area.
- Damaging Winds in Georgia, April 20, 2020Pre-dawn severe thunderstorms developed across SE GA on the northern side of a lifting warm front across N Florida.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, April 20, 2020Strong to severe thunderstorms developed during early morning hours within a high shear/low cape environment along a warm front.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, April 20, 2020A squall line pushed through West Central Florida on April 20th producing damaging wind gusts across the area.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, April 20, 2020Pre-dawn severe thunderstorms developed across SE GA on the northern side of a lifting warm front across N Florida.
- Tornado and Hail in Florida, April 20, 2020As a broken line of severe thunderstorms moved through Seminole County, one storm produced a brief wasterspout/tornado on and near Lake Jesup.
- Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, April 20, 2020During the afternoon of Monday, April 20th, a line of showers developed along a cold front over east-central Minnesota, and west-central Wisconsin.
- Hail in Missouri, April 20, 2020Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed along and south of a stalled front near Interstate44 during the afternoon and early evening. Several reports of hail from pea to quarter size were received near the Arkansas border.
- Hail in Oklahoma, April 20, 2020A few severe hail reports were received in central Oklahoma during the late afternoon of the 20th.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, April 20, 2020A cold front brought several rounds of showers and thunderstorms to central and east-central Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening hours. The storms produced gusty winds of 50 to 60 mph along with some wind damage and small hail.
- Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, April 20, 2020Multiple lines of high-based showers and isolated thunderstorms led to severe wind gusts that knocked down and uprooted trees. This resulted in downed power lines and several thousand customers without power over southeast WI.
- Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, April 20, 2020A line of thunderstorms moved across north-central Wisconsin during the late afternoon of April 20th. The strong winds from these storms blew down trees and power lines across the northern sections of Clark County and in the Neillsville area (Clark County).
- Hail in Arkansas, April 20, 2020Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across northeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Missouri during the afternoon of the 20th as a cold front moved into the region. The storms moved southeast across portions of northwestern Arkansas during the evening.
- Damaging Wind in Missouri, April 20, 2020A strong thunderstorm developed and moved through parts of the Missouri Bootheel and Northeast Arkansas producing sub-severe wind gusts and some minor damage.
- Damaging Wind in Arkansas, April 20, 2020A strong thunderstorm developed and moved through parts of the Missouri Bootheel and Northeast Arkansas producing sub-severe wind gusts and some minor damage.
- Damaging Winds in Michigan, April 20, 2020Strong showers produced wind gusts of 55 to 60 mph over Flint and Pontiac.
- Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, April 21, 2020Strong low pressure tracked through southern Canada on April 21. A warm front associated with the low moved through the mid-Atlantic during the morning hours, with a strong and fast moving cold front following closely behind for the afternoon.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Delaware, April 21, 2020Strong low pressure tracked through southern Canada on April 21. A warm front associated with the low moved through the mid-Atlantic during the morning hours, with a strong and fast moving cold front following closely behind for the afternoon.
- Tornado and Hail in New Jersey, April 21, 2020Strong low pressure tracked through southern Canada on April 21. A warm front associated with the low moved through the mid-Atlantic during the morning hours, with a strong and fast moving cold front following closely behind for the afternoon.
- Damaging Winds in Maryland, April 21, 2020Strong low pressure tracked through southern Canada on April 21. A warm front associated with the low moved through the mid-Atlantic during the morning hours, with a strong and fast moving cold front following closely behind for the afternoon.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in New Jersey, April 21, 2020A cold front and pre-frontal trough, in association with a mid level disturbance brought strong to severe thunderstorms to Northeastern New Jersey.
- Damaging Winds in New York, April 21, 2020A cold front and pre-frontal trough, in association with a mid level disturbance brought strong to severe thunderstorms to Southeastern New York.
- Damaging Winds in Maryland, April 21, 2020Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
- Lightning Strike in Connecticut, April 21, 2020A strong cold front moved through during the mid-afternoon, triggering a few thunderstorms.
- Damaging Wind in Connecticut, April 21, 2020A cold front and pre-frontal trough, in association with a mid level disturbance brought strong to severe thunderstorms to Southern Connecticut.
- Damaging Wind in Virginia, April 21, 2020Isolated severe thunderstorm in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds across portions of the Virginia Northern Neck.
- Hail in Texas, April 21, 2020Scattered thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and early evening across the northern half of the Texas Panhandle. Thunderstorms developed within a moderately unstable and highly sheared environment as a warm front moved through the area.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Oklahoma, April 21 to 22, 2020Storms initiated along a warm front amid strong instability and enough shear for multiple storms producing very large hail up to the size of baseballs and a few brief tornadoes on the evening of the 21st.
- Hail in Texas, April 21, 2020An isolated supercell thunderstorm formed and split into two storms, resulting in large hail reports northwest and southeast of Haskell.
- Hail in Texas, April 21, 2020Storms initiated along a warm front amid strong instability and enough shear for multiple storms producing very large hail up to the size of golfballs on the evening of the 21st.
- Hail in Texas, April 22, 2020Clusters of thunderstorms developed during the early morning hours north of a stationary front within a regime of strong low-level warm advection and upslope flow, ahead of a deepening surface low pressure center and an ejecting mid-level trough.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, April 22, 2020An upper level low to the south of the region ejected a couple of shortwaves across the area producing widespread rain showers and isolated thunderstorms.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Arkansas, April 22, 2020An upper level trough ejected east-northeast across the Oklahoma/Texas Panhandles during the morning of April 22nd, before shifting across much of Oklahoma during the afternoon.
- Hail in Oklahoma, April 22, 2020Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the morning of the 22nd, as moist and unstable air was lifted over a warm front located near the Red River. Additional strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Oklahoma, April 22, 2020A dryline and upper level wave combined with strong shear to produce multiple tornadic supercells across southern Oklahoma on the 22nd.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, April 22, 2020Thunderstorms developed along a dryline as a strong upper level disturbance crossed the Southern Plains. Some wind damage was reported across Central Texas, and a couple of tornadoes occurred in Lamar County.
- Hail in Texas, April 22, 2020A cold front moved through South Central Texas and generated isolated thunderstorms. One of those storms produced large hail.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Louisiana, April 22, 2020An upper level trough ejected east-northeast across the Oklahoma/Texas Panhandles during the morning of April 22nd, before shifting across much of Oklahoma during the afternoon.
- Hail in Arkansas, April 22, 2020Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the morning of the 22nd, as a low pressure system associated with a strong upper level disturbance moved into the area. The storms moved eastward and across northwestern Arkansas in the afternoon.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Texas, April 22, 2020An upper level trough ejected east-northeast across the Oklahoma/Texas Panhandles during the morning of April 22nd, before shifting across much of Oklahoma during the afternoon.
- Tornado and Hail in Texas, April 22, 2020Severe thunderstorms developed in the afternoon and produced large hail, funnel clouds, wind damage and a long-track tornado. The tornado killed 3 people near Onalaska.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Louisiana, April 22 to 23, 2020An upper level storm system moved across the region overnight on April 22nd into 23rd. Abundant moisture and wind energy was in place to bring severe thunderstorms to the region. Damaging winds occurred along with some tornadoes.
- Damaging Wind in New Mexico, April 22, 2020An upper level trough was moving over Texas and Oklahoma. An upper level disturbance passed over southeast New Mexico. This disturbance added lift to the atmosphere and resulted in a thunderstorm that produced a severe wind gust.
- Flash Flood in Oklahoma, April 22, 2020An upper level trough ejected east-northeast across the Oklahoma/Texas Panhandles during the morning of April 22nd, before shifting across much of Oklahoma during the afternoon.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Mississippi, April 22 to 23, 2020An upper level storm system moved across the region overnight on April 22nd into 23rd. Abundant moisture and wind energy was in place to bring severe thunderstorms to the region. Damaging winds occurred along with some tornadoes.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, April 23, 2020A strong cold front associated with a potent shortwave trough moved through the region. It brought many supercells which produced widespread hail and damaging winds as well as a couple tornadoes.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, April 23, 2020A strong cold front associated with a potent shortwave trough moved through the region. It brought many supercells which produced widespread hail and damaging winds as well as a couple tornadoes.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, April 23, 2020A strong spring storm system moved across southern states. High values of wind shear and instability combined to generate numerous severe thunderstorms that produced tornadoes and wind damage across southeast Mississippi.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 23, 2020Two waves of severe weather occurred on April 23rd, one during the early morning hours and another in the afternoon. The first event was characterized by a stable low level air mass, with strong shear and moderate instability aloft.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Alabama, April 23, 2020A strong spring storm system moved across southern states. High values of wind shear and instability combined to generate numerous severe thunderstorms that produced tornadoes and wind damage.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, April 23, 2020A strong spring storm system moved across southern states. High values of wind shear and instability combined to generate numerous severe thunderstorms that produced tornadoes and wind damage.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 23, 2020Another in a series of strong upper level troughs pushed through the southeast states, resulting in another enhanced risk of severe storms from the Storm Prediction Center.
- Tornadoes and Flooding in Georgia, April 23, 2020Another in a series of strong upper level troughs pushed through the southeast states, resulting in another enhanced risk of severe storms from the Storm Prediction Center.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Florida, April 23 to 24, 2020Another in a series of strong upper level troughs pushed through the southeast states, resulting in another enhanced risk of severe storms from the Storm Prediction Center.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Georgia, April 23, 2020A very active weather pattern occurred across the area during the afternoon and lasted overnight as a couple of pre-frontal troughs pivoted across the local bringing a couple rounds of severe storms as the surface low pressure center tracked over the mid-Mississippi Valley…
- Hail in Georgia, April 23, 2020Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across Southeast Georgia as a strong shortwave helped push a cluster of storms into an area of moderate instability along a warm front.
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, April 23 to 24, 2020A very active weather pattern occurred across the area during the afternoon and lasted overnight as a couple of pre-frontal troughs pivoted across the local bringing a couple rounds of severe storms as the surface low pressure center tracked over the mid-Mississippi Valley…
- Hail in Georgia, April 23, 2020Isolated thunderstorms developed across northeast Georgia during the late afternoon and evening. One of the storms produced brief hail in Franklin County.
- Damaging Wind in Wyoming, April 23, 2020Strong thunderstorm outflow wind from an early season storm produced wind gusts in excess of 60 mph across the Laramie Valley in southeastern Wyoming. The Laramie Regional Airport ASOS sensor measured the outflow at 66 mph.
- Damaging Winds in Florida, April 24, 2020A squall line pushed through West Central Florida on April 24th producing damaging wind gusts and minor damage across the area.
- Damaging Winds in Florida, April 24, 2020A cluster of severe storms moved across Brevard County, producing several severe wind gusts along the coast.
- Hail in Oklahoma, April 24, 2020A cold front sparked severe thunderstorms during the afternoon of the 24th, with numerous large hail reports received.
- Tornado in Missouri, April 24, 2020On the afternoon of April 24, 2020 scattered convection formed across central Missouri. Early in the storm formation period one of these storms produced a brief landspout that was photographed by some passers-by. No damage was reported with this tornado.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, April 24, 2020Scattered severe thunderstorms associated with low pressure and a cold front produced damaging winds and large hail across portions of central and southeast Virginia.
- Damaging Wind in Kansas, April 24, 2020A severe thunderstorm moved through Chautauqua, Elk, Montgomery and Wilson counties. The most significant damage occurred to a National Weather Service CO-OP observers residence, where damage occurred to a couple of out buildings and some trees.
- Hail in North Dakota, April 24, 2020During the afternoon of April 24th, a cluster of showers and thunderstorms over southwest Manitoba tracked southeast into the Devils Lake region. One storm west of Devils Lake intensified and dropped some hail.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, April 24, 2020Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 24th, as an upper level disturbance and associated surface low pressure system translated across the region from the west.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, April 24, 2020Another evening of thunderstorms took place on the 24th as a low pressure system moved east along the Red River and a cold front pushed southward into an unstable airmass. Hail up to baseball size fell across parts of Lamar County, while 3 tornadoes touched down in Fannin County.
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 24, 2020A southerly return flow commenced throughout the day on April 24th, in wake of a cold frontal passage that had occurred a couple of days prior on the 22nd.
More
Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2020Tornadoes in 2020
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.