Southern Tornado Outbreak

Losses, 2024 dollars

$1.4 billion

Losses at the time

$1.3 billion

Deaths

2

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.

• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Texas, March 29 to 30, 2022$590,000 · EF1 · 5 eventsA messy complex of storms moved through the region during the overnight hours. The storms were largely below severe limits but a bowing segment produced wind damage |and a brief tornado in Rockwall County.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, March 29, 20221 in hail · 11 eventsScattered thunderstorms moved across south central Kansas during the evening into early overnight hours of March 29th, 2022. Some of the storms produced mainly gusty and damaging winds.
• Hail and High Wind in Nebraska, March 29, 20221 in hail · 3 eventsA strong storm system brought strong winds and an isolated severe thunderstorm to portions of south central Nebraska during the afternoon and evening hours of March 29th.
• Damaging Winds in Iowa, March 29, 202261 kt wind · 2 eventsSevere hail and wind gusts were observed as storms developed ahead of a surface low as it progressed eastward across Nebraska into Iowa.
• Tornado and Flash Flood in Kansas, March 29, 2022EF1 · 8 eventsA line of severe thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and moved across northeast Kansas producing sporadic wind gusts very heavy rains and one tornado. The tornado was rated EF1 with an intermittent path of around 9 miles.
• Damaging Wind in Nebraska, March 29, 202265 kt wind · 1 eventSevere hail and wind gusts were observed as storms developed ahead of a surface low as it progressed eastward across Nebraska into Iowa.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Missouri, March 29, 2022EF1 · 3 eventsA line of thunderstorms formed in eastern Kansas and pushed eastward into northwest Missouri. There were a couple mesovortex tornadoes within the line, one of which caused damage in St. Joseph.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, March 29, 20221.75 in hail · 7 eventsThe combination of an upper level disturbance and some instability resulted in the thunderstorms across southern portions of west central Texas. A few storms were severe.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, March 29, 20221 in hail · 4 eventsA spring storm system brought a variety of weather hazards to the area, with high winds and fire across western Oklahoma and numerous thunderstorms with hail and wind across central and eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon and evening of the 29th.
• Tornado in Arkansas, March 30, 20227 injured · $20 million · EF3 · 1 eventStrong to severe thunderstorms developed across western Oklahoma during the evening of the 29th, along and ahead of a dry line. The storms moved east across northwestern Arkansas during the early morning hours of the 30th.
• Tornado and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, March 30, 2022$75,000 · EF0 · 2 eventsStrong to severe thunderstorms developed across western Oklahoma during the evening of the 29th, along and ahead of a dry line. The storms moved east across eastern Oklahoma during the early morning hours of the 30th.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, March 30, 2022$40,000 · EF1 · 15 eventsA closed upper low pressure system entered the Four Corners Region on March 29th, before opening up into a trough which lifted through the Southern Rockies during the evening through the early morning hours of the 30th.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, March 30, 2022$10,000 · EF1 · 3 eventsStorms made their way into western Arkansas during the early morning hours of the 30th with one storm producing EF1 tornado near the Harmony community (Johnson County). Storms formed into a line and moved east across the state through the afternoon hours.
• Damaging Winds and Strong Wind in Alabama, March 30, 20221 death · 3 injured · $7.8 million · 81 kt wind · 24 eventsA powerful low pressure system moved northeast from the central Plains into the Great Lakes, bringing a strong cold front through the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys.
• Damaging Winds and Strong Wind in Tennessee, March 30, 2022$17,000 · 52 kt wind · 6 eventsA powerful low pressure system moved northeast from the central Plains into the Great Lakes, bringing a strong cold front through the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys.
• Damaging Winds in Texas, March 30, 2022$10,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 eventsThere was some wind damage as morning thunderstorms moved across the area.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, March 30, 2022$28,000 · EF1 · 26 eventsA closed upper low pressure system entered the Four Corners Region on March 29th, before opening up into a trough which lifted through the Southern Rockies during the evening through the early morning hours of the 30th.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, March 30 to 31, 202219 eventsShowers and thunderstorms developed along a cold front from the late evening of the 29th through the afternoon of the 30th.
• Tornado and Damaging Wind in Texas, March 30, 2022$150,000 · EF1 · 2 eventsA vigorous short wave and associated cold front moved into the region spawning a round of thunderstorms. One tornado occurred along with isolated severe weather.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, March 30, 2022$19,000 · EF1 · 4 eventsA vigorous upper level disturbance and associated cold front moved into the region spawning showers and thunderstorms. One tornado occurred along with isolated severe weather.
• Damaging Winds and Strong Wind in Tennessee, March 30, 2022$121,000 · 52 kt wind · 19 eventsA QLCS moved across all of Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening hours on March 30, producing several reports of wind damage.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, March 30, 20225 injured · $3.5 million · EF2 · 93 eventsA strong weather system interacted with an unstable airmass to bring widespread severe weather to the region. There was copious amounts of wind energy in the atmosphere ahead of the squall line to bring down trees and power lines from gradient winds.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, March 30, 2022$438,000 · EF2 · 8 eventsA strong weather system interacted with an unstable airmass to bring widespread severe weather to the region. There was copious amounts of wind energy in the atmosphere ahead of the squall line to bring down trees and power lines from gradient winds.
• Damaging Winds in Arkansas, March 30, 2022$69,000 · 60 kt wind · 10 eventsOn Wednesday 03/30/2022 a strong shortwave trough and cold front moved across the region. Strong gradient winds occurred before the cold front moved across the area. Severe thunderstorms, flooding and tornadoes occurred. Damage was reported across the area.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, March 30, 20221 injured · $720,000 · EF1 · 31 eventsOn Wednesday 03/30/2022 a strong shortwave trough and cold front moved across the region. Strong gradient winds occurred before the cold front moved across the area. Severe thunderstorms, flooding and tornadoes occurred. Damage was reported across the area.
• Damaging Wind in Missouri, March 30, 2022$5,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventOn Wednesday 03/30/2022 a strong shortwave trough and cold front moved across the region. Strong gradient winds occurred before the cold front moved across the area. Severe thunderstorms, flooding and tornadoes occurred. Damage was reported across the area.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, March 30, 2022$250,000 · EF1 · 7 eventsA strong upper level disturbance and surface low produced a line of severe thunderstorms with embedded tornadoes that impacted much of Southeast Louisiana during the late afternoon and evening hours of Wednesday March 30, 2022.
• Damaging Winds in Kentucky, March 30, 2022$65,000 · 65 kt wind · 13 eventsA broken squall line of showers and thunderstorms produced scattered pockets of strong winds. The line moved rapidly east across western Kentucky. The line reformed a couple of times during its journey eastward.
• Damaging Winds and High Wind in Tennessee, March 30 to 31, 202274 kt wind · 8 eventsA potent low pressure system produced high winds across East Tennessee on Wednesday, March 30, followed by a line of damaging storms along a cold front that crossed the area Wednesday night.
• Tornadoes and Flood in Illinois, March 30, 2022$334,000 · EF1 · 6 eventsA broken squall line of showers and thunderstorms produced scattered pockets of strong winds and a few tornadoes. The strongly forced squall line was accompanied by several transient meso-vortices within an environment of very strong low level wind shear.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, March 30, 2022$1.3 million · EF1 · 25 eventsOn Wednesday 03/30/2022 a strong shortwave trough and cold front moved across the region. Strong gradient winds occurred before the cold front moved across the area. Severe thunderstorms, flooding and tornadoes occurred. Damage was reported across the area.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Indiana, March 30, 2022$37,000 · EF1 · 3 eventsA broken squall line of showers and thunderstorms produced scattered pockets of strong winds and a brief tornado. The strongly forced squall line was accompanied by a few transient meso-vortices within an environment of very strong low level wind shear.
• Tornadoes and High Wind in Alabama, March 30, 20222 injured · EF3 · 17 eventsA strong storm system approached Central Alabama on the afternoon of March 30th. A line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved west to east across the area during the evening and into the overnight hours.
• Damaging Winds in Indiana, March 30, 202257 kt wind · 3 eventsAs a cold front moved east through southern Indiana, thunderstorms produced isolated severe wind damage as trees and power lines were damaged in Dubois County.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, March 30, 2022EF2 · 8 eventsA very active severe weather season continued as an outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred across the area from the evening of the 30th into the early morning hours on the 31st. A strong spring storm system moved across the area.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, March 30, 2022$250,000 · EF1 · 4 eventsA strong upper level disturbance and surface low produced a line of severe thunderstorms with embedded tornadoes that impacted Southern Mississippi during the late afternoon and evening hours of Wednesday March 30, 2022.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 30, 2022EF1 · 13 eventsA very active severe weather season continued as an outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred across the area from the evening of the 30th into the early morning hours on the 31st. A strong spring storm system moved across the area.
• Damaging Wind in Kentucky, March 30, 202255 kt wind · 1 eventAs a cold front moved east through central Kentucky, a thunderstorm produced isolated severe wind damage in one area of Scott County.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Florida, March 30 to 31, 20222 injured · EF1 · 9 eventsA very active severe weather season continued as an outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred across the area from the evening of the 30th into the early morning hours on the 31st. A strong spring storm system moved across the area.
• Flash Flood in Illinois, March 31, 20221 death · 1 eventA strong cold front brought widespread showers and thunderstorms to central Illinois from the afternoon of March 30th through the pre-dawn hours of March 31st. 24-hour rainfall totals ranged from 2 to 3 inches, which caused localized flash flooding of a few rural roads.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Florida, March 31, 20222 deaths · 1 injured · $615,000 · EF3 · 16 eventsThe tri-state area was on the eastern edge of a large tornado outbreak that impacted numerous areas of central and south-central Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle. One EF3 tornado touched down in Washington County, FL, resulting in two fatalities.
• Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 31, 202250 kt wind · 2 eventsThe tri-state area was on the eastern edge of a large tornado outbreak that impacted numerous areas of central and south-central Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle. One EF3 tornado touched down in Washington County, FL, resulting in two fatalities.
• Damaging Wind in Georgia, March 31, 202250 kt wind · 1 eventThe tri-state area was on the eastern edge of a large tornado outbreak that impacted numerous areas of central and south-central Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle. One EF3 tornado touched down in Washington County, FL, resulting in two fatalities.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, March 31, 2022$10,000 · EF2 · 14 eventsA broken line of thunderstorms accompanied a cold front as it crossed Western Pennsylvania during the late morning hours of March 31st. An in-place low-level jet and sufficient instability helped to transport strong wind to the surface, resulting in many wind damage reports.
• Damaging Wind and Strong Wind in North Carolina, March 31, 2022$10,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 eventsWinds gusting from the south at 30 to 40 mph developed ahead of a cold front over the Piedmont during the morning into the early afternoon. A line of heavy rain showers and isolated thunderstorms enhanced these gusty winds in isolated areas.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, March 31, 2022$124,000 · 1 in hail · 29 eventsA strong cold front pushed into an anomalously warm and humid airmass over central Pennsylvania during the afternoon of March 31, 2022, triggering a QLCS that stretched from the New York state line southward into Maryland.
• Damaging Winds in South Carolina, March 31, 2022$40 · 50 kt wind · 3 eventsA prefrontal band of showers and isolated severe thunderstorms moved across the region. One of the storms produced some wind damage.
• Damaging Winds in West Virginia, March 31, 2022$2,000 · 3 eventsA cold front approached the Ohio Valley during the afternoon of March 31st. Scattered showers and thunderstorms formed along a line ahead of this cold front, with stronger thunderstorms developing as the front pushed toward the western half of West Virginia.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, March 31, 2022$715,000 · EF2 · 4 eventsA pre-frontal band of showers and isolated thunderstorms moved into a marginally unstable but highly sheared environment leading to a couple of tornadoes, namely in Anson into Stanly counties and just west of the Raleigh Durham International Airport from Research Triangle Park…
• Damaging Winds in Virginia, March 31, 2022$3,000 · 50 kt wind · 4 eventsScattered severe thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds across portions of central and south central Virginia.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Maryland, March 31, 2022$20,000 · 1 in hail · 10 eventsA strong cold front produced supercells and bands of severe thunderstorms resulting in sporadic damage, hail, and a couple of brief tornadoes.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in West Virginia, March 31, 2022$3,000 · 1 in hail · 3 eventsA strong cold front produced supercells and bands of severe thunderstorms resulting in sporadic damage, hail, and a couple of brief tornadoes.
• Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, March 31, 2022$32,000 · 50 kt wind · 8 eventsA shortwave trough brought storms to Northeastern Pennsylvania. Some storms did become severe with strong wind gusts. Damage across the area was mostly minor with trees and wires being knocked down, though an old barn did collapse in Wayne County.
• Tornado in Pennsylvania, March 31, 20221 injured · $300,000 · EF1 · 1 eventAn EF1 tornado producing peak winds estimated at 85 to 95 mph tracked from northern Montour County into southeastern Lycoming County during the late afternoon of March 31, 2022. The path length was nearly 9 miles, with a maximum path width of approximately 500 yards.
• Hail in West Virginia, March 31, 20221 in hail · 1 eventA cold front crossed the area along with its associated showers and a few thunderstorms. One of these storms increased in intensity enough to produce quarter-size hail in Greenbrier County.
• Flash Flooding in Pennsylvania, March 31, 2022$3,000 · 2 eventsA shortwave trough brought storms to Northeastern Pennsylvania. An isolated, slow moving thunderstorm, caused areas of flash flooding near New Albany.
• Damaging Wind in New York, March 31, 2022$1,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventA shortwave trough brought storms to the area. Most of the severe activity was just south of the NY/PA border. Prior to storms weakening, one cell did have strong wind gusts that knocked over a tree in Delaware County.
• Damaging Wind in North Carolina, March 31, 202250 kt wind · 1 eventThunderstorms moved into Eastern NC during the evening. One storm became severe and produced isolated damaging winds as it moved through the region.
• Tornado and Hail in Pennsylvania, March 31, 2022EF1 · 7 eventsA warm front moved through the mid-Atlantic on the morning hours of March 31. This was associated with a strong area of low pressure moving through the Great Lakes, which had brought widespread severe weather to the Southeast US in prior days.

Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2022Tornadoes in 2022

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.