Texas Tornadoes and Midwest Flooding

Losses, 2024 dollars

$2.6 billion

Losses at the time

$2.0 billion

Deaths

50

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.

• Hail and Damaging Wind in Louisiana, December 24, 201553 kt wind · 2 eventsA warm front moved northward across Northern Louisiana during the late evening hours of December 24th.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, December 25 to 28, 2015$340,000 · EF1 · 27 eventsA slow moving storm system approached Arkansas on Christmas Day, bringing several rounds of rainfall and some severe weather to the state from the 25th to the 28th. Northwest sections of the area saw several inches of rainfall, which resulted in many reports of flash flooding.
• Flash Flood in Arkansas, December 25, 20151 eventShowers and thunderstorms continued to train southwest to northeast along a nearly stationary frontal boundary that extended from Northeast Texas into Northwest Louisiana and Southwest Arkansas.
• Tornado and Flash Flooding in Tennessee, December 25, 2015$60,000 · EF1 · 8 eventsBarely over one day after a major tornado outbreak affected Tennessee and surrounding states, another round of severe storms with one tornado, wind damage, large hail, and flooding impacted Middle Tennessee on Christmas Day.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, December 25, 2015$19,000 · 19 eventsHeavy rain and flooding affected portions of eastern Kentucky on Christmas day 2015. Several locations received between 1.5 and 2.75 inches of rain during this event.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, December 25, 2015$1.3 million · 50 kt wind · 7 eventsWidespread showers and thunderstorms occurred along a stationary boundary across North Mississippi on Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms trained over the same areas for several hours with Monroe County taking the brunt of the rainfall.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Alabama, December 25 to 27, 20151 death · 25 eventsNumerous systems affecting the Tennessee valley earlier in the month set the stage widespread flash flooding and areal flooding across much of the region during the final week of 2015.
• Flash Flood in Arkansas, December 25, 2015$4,000 · 1 eventAnomalously warm and moist conditions continued over the ArkLaMiss region. This, combined with another upper level disturbance, brought severe storms and flash flooding to the region.
• Flash Flood and Flooding in Tennessee, December 25 to 26, 20151 death · $553,000 · 18 eventsAnother unseasonably warm and moist air mass was prompted by deep upper level troughing over the Central Plains states, and a slow moving cold front over middle and western Tennessee. Heavy rain falling upon nearly saturated soils resulted in widespread flooding.
• Flash Flood in Tennessee, December 25 to 26, 20151 eventNumerous systems affecting the Tennessee valley earlier in the month set the stage widespread flash flooding and areal flooding across much of the region during the final week of 2015.
• Flash Flooding in West Virginia, December 25, 2015$825,000 · 8 eventsA mesoscale convection system rode east and northeast out of Kentucky during Christmas morning. Support for the rain was aided by a stalled out front in southern West Virginia, just south of Charleston, on into southeast Kentucky. Abundant moisture was available.
• Flash Flooding in Kentucky, December 25, 2015$35,000 · 3 eventsA mesoscale convection system rode east and northeast into eastern Kentucky during Christmas morning. Support for the rain was aided by a stalled out front in southern West Virginia, just south of Charleston, on into southeast Kentucky.
• Hail in Louisiana, December 25, 20150.88 in hail · 1 eventAn unseasonably warm airmass engulfed the Lower Mississippi Valley on Christmas Day and weak disturbances embedded in a strong southwest flow aloft pattern across the Southern Plains resulted in the development of a few strong thunderstorms across portions of Northwest…
• Flash Flooding and Flood in Maryland, December 25, 20153 eventsA warm front moved through the Mid-Atlantic region and showers and thunderstorms led to very heavy rain capable of flooding across Central Maryland.
• Flash Flood in Louisiana, December 26, 2015$4,000 · 1 eventAnomalously warm and moist conditions continued over the ArkLaMiss region. This, combined with an upper level disturbance, brought showers and thunderstorms to the region. Some of these storms resulted in flash flooding.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, December 26 to 28, 201515 deaths · $45 million · 1 in hail · 128 eventsA slow moving and strong weather system caused several rounds of very heavy and record breaking rainfall to occur across the Missouri Ozarks which led to historic and deadly flooding.
• Tornado and Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, December 26, 2015$5,000 · EF0 · 4 eventsWith abundant moisture in place and strong cold front moving south on the 26th, numerous storms developed across the central and southern parts of Oklahoma and parts of western north Texas.
• Hail in Texas, December 26, 20151 in hail · 1 eventWith abundant moisture in place and strong cold front moving south on the 26th, numerous storms developed across the central and southern parts of Oklahoma and parts of western north Texas.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, December 26 to 27, 201556 kt wind · 12 eventsA strong upper level storm system interacted with a cold front and a moist airmass to produce severe thunderstorms. These storms resulted in the development of a line of thunderstorms, producing damaging wind and some hail reports.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Missouri, December 26 to 31, 20151 death · $244 million · 33 eventsA prolonged period of rainfall occurred from the early morning hours of December 26th to the evening of December 28th. The heaviest rainfall occurred in a 50 to 75 mile wide swath from southwest Missouri through the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area and into central Illinois.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, December 26 to 28, 201513 deaths · 635 injured · $41 million · EF4 · 63 eventsA potent storm system brought deadly tornadoes and severe weather to North Texas on the 26th followed by waves of heavy rainfall that resulted in significant flooding across parts of North and Central Texas.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Oklahoma, December 26 to 31, 20152 deaths · $110,000 · 1 in hail · 76 eventsA strong upper level low pressure system moved from the desert southwest into the Southern Plains in late December.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Illinois, December 26 to 31, 20156 deaths · 12 eventsA prolonged period of rainfall occurred from the early morning hours of December 26th to the evening of December 28th. The heaviest rainfall occurred in a 50 to 75 mile wide swath from southwest Missouri through the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area and into central Illinois.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Arkansas, December 26 to 31, 20151 in hail · 42 eventsA strong upper level low pressure system moved from the desert southwest into the Southern Plains in late December.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Illinois, December 26 to 31, 20154 deaths · $7.2 million · 12 eventsA multi-faceted storm system brought several periods of heavy rain to central and southeast Illinois from December 26th through 28th.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Indiana, December 27, 20158 eventsA slow moving front combined with very moist air from the Gulf of Mexico resulted in moderate to heavy rain with some thunderstorms during the morning hours December 27th.
• Flash Flood in Arkansas, December 27, 2015$50,000 · 1 eventA slow moving cold front produced widespread showers and a few thunderstorms across Northeast Arkansas during the morning hours of December 27, 2016. Isolated flash flooding occurred over Northeast Arkansas.
• Flash Flooding and Flood in Kentucky, December 27 to 29, 20159 eventsA cold front lifted north and stalled over the region for a few days. A couple of areas of low pressure developed and moved northeast along the front, bringing multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, December 27 to 28, 20151 injured · $490,000 · EF2 · 32 eventsA strong negatively tilted upper level trough slowly moved into the Central and Southern Plains during the morning of December 27th.
• Hail and Winter Weather in Texas, December 27 to 28, 20150.88 in hail · 8 eventsA deep upper level trough and strong cold front moved into a near record warm airmass over South Central Texas. Initially, this caused strong convection that produced near severe size hail.
• Flash Flood and Flooding in Illinois, December 27 to 31, 2015$20,000 · 12 eventsA cold front lifted north and stalled over the region for a few days. A couple of areas of low pressure developed and moved northeast along the front, bringing multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, December 27, 201555 kt wind · 3 eventsA strong negatively tilted upper level trough slowly moved into the Central and Southern Plains during the morning of December 27th.
• Flash Flood in Texas, December 27, 20151 eventSlow moving storms caused very localized flooding in and around the College Station area.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, December 27 to 28, 2015$188,000 · EF1 · 24 eventsAnomalously warm and moist conditions continued over the ArkLaMiss region. Another upper level disturbance moved through the region on the 27th, bringing some severe weather. A stalled front finally pushed through on the 28th, which brought a final round of storms.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, December 27 to 28, 2015$145,000 · EF1 · 11 eventsA strong negatively tilted upper level trough slowly moved into the Central and Southern Plains during the morning of December 27th.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Louisiana, December 27 to 28, 2015$275,000 · EF1 · 21 eventsA strong negatively tilted upper level trough slowly moved into the Central and Southern Plains during the morning of December 27th.
• Damaging Wind and Astronomical Low Tide in Louisiana, December 28, 2015$30,000 · 60 kt wind · 4 eventsA line of showers and storms along a cold front pushed across the region. One storm caused wind damage in South Central Louisiana. Behind the front, strong north winds pushed the tide levels below normal.
• Damaging Winds in Louisiana, December 28, 2015$12,000 · 50 kt wind · 3 eventsAnomalously warm and moist conditions continued over the ArkLaMiss region. A stalled front finally pushed through on the 28th, which brought a final round of storms.
• Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, December 28, 2015EF1 · 8 eventsLow pressure moving from Texas to the middle Mississippi River Valley was instrumental in developing a squall line of thunderstorms that moved across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi in the early morning hours of the 28th.
• Tornado and Damaging Wind in Arkansas, December 28, 2015$70,000 · EF2 · 2 eventsA closed upper low moved from East Central Texas into Southern Missouri during the morning hours of December 28, 2016. A strongly forced line of convection tracked southwest to northeast across the Mid-South. An EF-2 tornado occurred in East Arkansas.
• Damaging Wind in Mississippi, December 28, 201560 kt wind · 1 eventLow pressure moving from Texas to the middle Mississippi River Valley was instrumental in developing a squall line of thunderstorms that moved across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi in the early morning hours of the 28th.
• Damaging Winds in Mississippi, December 28, 2015$8,000 · 52 kt wind · 2 eventsThunderstorms moved across southeast Mississippi and produced high winds which produced damage.
• Damaging Wind in Mississippi, December 28, 2015$5,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventA closed upper low moved from East Cental Texas into Southern Missouri during the morning hours of December 28, 2016. A strongly forced line of convection tracked southwest to northeast across the Mid-South. Isolated damaging winds occurred in North Mississippi.
• Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, December 28, 2015$56,000 · EF1 · 11 eventsA powerful upper level disturbance combined with unseasonably high moisture and instability resulted in a few severe thunderstorms and one brief tornado in the western Florida Panhandle.
• Damaging Wind in Alabama, December 28, 201550 kt wind · 1 eventA powerful upper level disturbance combined with unseasonably high moisture and instability resulted in numerous strong storms and an isolated severe thunderstorm across southwest Alabama.
• Damaging Wind in Florida, December 28, 201550 kt wind · 1 eventAn anomalous upper level pattern developed across the country with a large upper level trough remaining nearly stationary west of the area for several days. Continuous southwest flow brought unseasonably warm temperatures and high moisture content across the area.
• Tornado in North Carolina, December 28, 2015$50,000 · EF0 · 1 eventScattered showers and a thunderstorm or two developed along a cold front moving from northeast to southwest across the North Carolina Piedmont during the afternoon. One shower produced a brief, weak tornado in Union County.
• Flash Flood in Georgia, December 28, 2015$2,000 · 1 eventWidespread rain with embedded showers produced heavy downpours over north and central Georgia during the evening. Isolated rainfall amounts of two inches in an hour produced a flash flood in the minor category in a portion of southwest DeKalb County.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in North Carolina, December 29, 2015$72,000 · 6 eventsHeavy rain developed during the late evening and early morning hours across the mountains and foothills along and ahead of a cold front. Two to four inch rainfall amounts occurred in just a few hours across portions of the southern mountains and foothills.
• Flash Flood in Georgia, December 29, 2015$500 · 1 eventHeavy rain developed during the evening and early morning hours across the mountains along and ahead of a cold front. Two to more than four inch rainfall amounts occurred in just a few hours near the North Carolina border.
• Hail in Alabama, December 30, 20151 in hail · 1 eventAn isolated severe storm developed across north central Alabama north of a warm front.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in North Carolina, December 30 to 31, 2015$98,000 · 10 eventsAfter a couple of days of occasional moderate to heavy rain acted to elevate stream flows and soil moisture levels, heavy rain showers and thunderstorms developing along and ahead of a cold front produced 2-3 inches of rain in just a few hours across portions of the Piedmont,…
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in South Carolina, December 30, 2015$165,000 · 7 eventsAfter a couple of days of occasional moderate to heavy rain acted to elevate stream flows and soil moisture levels, heavy rain showers and thunderstorms developing along and ahead of a cold front produced 2-3 inches of rain in just a few hours across portions of the Piedmont,…
• Flash Flooding in Georgia, December 30, 2015$2,000 · 2 eventsAfter a couple of days of occasional moderate to heavy rain acted to elevate stream flows and soil moisture levels, heavy rain showers and thunderstorms developing along and ahead of a cold front produced 2-3 inches of rain in just a few hours across portions of the Georgia…
• Flash Flooding in North Carolina, December 30, 2015$20,000 · 13 eventsAn approaching cold front triggered showers and a few isolated storms across the region. With an extremely moist air mass in place, moderate to heavy rain fell. Given the very saturated soils, flash flooding quickly developed.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in South Carolina, December 30, 2015$77,000 · 50 kt wind · 14 eventsStrong to Severe Thunderstorms produced wind damage along with heavy rainfall as cells trained over the same area.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Georgia, December 30 to 31, 2015$1.5 million · 55 kt wind · 12 eventsOnce again, persistent, deep and strong southwesterly upper-level flow across the eastern U.S. resulted in an extremely moist and moderately unstable atmosphere over North and Central Georgia.
• Flash Flooding in Alabama, December 30, 20154 eventsAdditional heavy rainfall at the end of December on top of the 10-20 inches that fell around Christmas resulted in some instances of flash flooding across southeast Alabama.

Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2015Tornadoes in 2015

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.