Texas Tornadoes

Losses, 2024 dollars

$1.4 billion

Losses at the time

$1.0 billion

Deaths

0

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 in North Carolina, March 31, 20120.88 in hail · 1 eventAn isolated thunderstorm produced a single report of small hail over western North Carolina.
• Hail in North Carolina, March 31, 20121 in hail · 2 eventsA small cluster of storms developed along and behind a cold front passing slowly through northwest North Carolina. The few of the storms became briefly severe with hail up to quarter size.
• Hail in South Carolina, March 31, 20120.75 in hail · 1 eventA few isolated thunderstorms developed over Edgefield, McCormick, and Aiken counties and produced penny size hail.
• Hail in Iowa, March 31, 20122.5 in hail · 20 eventsShowers and thunderstorms moved eastward across much of eastern Iowa during the evening of March 31, as a warm front lifted through the region. Some of the storms surpassed severe thresholds producing large hail.
• Hail in North Carolina, March 31, 20121.75 in hail · 1 eventAs a shortwave trough advanced east across the area, convection developed along a stalled boundary near the North Carolina/Virginia border. An isolated storm moving from west to east became severe as it moved across Wake County, including the city of Raleigh.
• Flash Flood and Hail in Mississippi, April 1, 2012$50,000 · 1.75 in hail · 4 eventsA cold front moved into the Mid-South during the afternoon and evening hours of March 31, 2012. Showers and thunderstorms developed along and out ahead of the front. Some storms became severe producing large hail.
• Hail in Illinois, April 1, 2012$1,000 · 1.75 in hail · 9 eventsA cluster of thunderstorms developed across Iowa during the late evening of March 31st, then tracked southeastward along a stationary frontal boundary into north-central Illinois during the early morning of April 1st.
• Hail in Tennessee, April 1, 20121 in hail · 2 eventsA boundary across the area triggered diurnal thunderstorms across east Tennessee. A few of the storms produced large hail. Up to quarter-size hail was reported.
• Damaging Winds in North Carolina, April 1, 201260 kt wind · 2 eventsThunderstorms moved into the North Carolina mountains from eastern Tennessee. Some of the storms produced areas of wind damage.
• Hail and Heavy Rain in Ohio, April 1, 20121.25 in hail · 13 eventsA cold front dropping south across the Ohio Valley helped to trigger thunderstorm development in an unstable environment with deep shear. Some of these storms became severe with large hail and heavy rainfall being the main threats.
• Damaging Wind in South Carolina, April 1, 201255 kt wind · 1 eventA small cluster of thunderstorms produced a localized area of wind damage over the southern part of the South Carolina upstate.
• Hail in Indiana, April 1, 20122 in hail · 25 eventsOn the evening of April 1, two small supercells developed north of Indianapolis in the vicinity of a frontal boundary.
• Hail in South Carolina, April 1, 20120.75 in hail · 1 eventClusters of thunderstorms with embedded isolated severe storms produced pea to dime size hail across the area.
• Hail in Texas, April 1, 20121 in hail · 2 eventsA short wave upper level trough moved across northern Mexico and initiated thunderstorms over the mountains. These storms moved across the Rio Grande Plains and into Texas dropping severe hail over Maverick County.
• Hail in Indiana, April 1, 20120.88 in hail · 2 eventsA cold front dropping south across the Ohio Valley helped to trigger thunderstorm development in an unstable environment with deep shear. Some of these storms became severe with large hail and heavy rainfall being the main threats.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 2, 2012$280,000 · 1 in hail · 3 eventsDuring the late evening of April 1st, 2012 and the early morning hours of April 2nd, a strong to severe squall line developed across Mexico and then later moved through South Texas.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, April 2, 2012$37,000 · 1 in hail · 4 eventsScattered showers and thunderstorms formed due to a weak upper level disturbance with some isolated severe weather.
• Tornado and Hail in Texas, April 2, 2012$420,000 · EF1 · 4 eventsAn upper level disturbance crossed southeast Texas while a front remained in the area. This resulted in severe thunderstorms, including a tornado in Newton.
• Hail in North Dakota, April 2, 20120.75 in hail · 1 eventA strong thunderstorm produced one report of large hail over Logan County in south central North Dakota.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, April 2 to 5, 2012$1.2 million · 2.75 in hail · 14 eventsMultiple upper level disturbances crossed Louisiana during early April while a front remained in the area. This resulted in severe weather occurring from the 2nd through the 5th.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 2, 2012$151,000 · 54 kt wind · 26 eventsAn MCS developed across Southeast Texas during the overnight and early morning hours of April 2nd.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, April 2, 2012$195,000 · 1 in hail · 23 eventsAn MCS developed across Southeast Texas during the overnight and early morning hours of April 2nd.
• Hail in Louisiana, April 2, 20121 in hail · 5 eventsAn upper low over the northern Gulf of Mexico aided in the development of severe thunderstorms over southeast Louisiana during the afternoon hours.
• Damaging Winds and Strong Wind in Louisiana, April 2, 2012$141,000 · 60 kt wind · 8 eventsThe combination of a strong upper level disturbance, rich gulf moisture, and good instability helped to develop a strong squall line that moved north out of southeast Louisiana causing scattered hail and thunderstorm wind damage across portions of northeast Louisiana.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, April 2 to 3, 2012$728,000 · 1.75 in hail · 39 eventsThe combination of a strong upper level disturbance, rich gulf moisture, and good instability helped to develop a strong squall line that moved north out of southeast Louisiana causing scattered hail and thunderstorm wind damage across portions of central Mississippi.
• Damaging Wind in Mississippi, April 2, 2012$1,000 · 55 kt wind · 1 eventAn upper low over the northern Gulf of Mexico aided in the development of severe thunderstorms over southern Mississippi during the afternoon hours.
• Damaging Winds in Arkansas, April 2, 201253 kt wind · 6 eventsAn MCS developed across Southeast Texas during the overnight and early morning hours of April 2nd.
• Damaging Wind in South Carolina, April 2, 201250 kt wind · 1 eventAn isolated thunderstorm produced a little wind damage over the northwest piedmont of South Carolina.
• Damaging Winds in Arkansas, April 2, 20121 injured · $155,000 · 60 kt wind · 2 eventsThe combination of a strong upper level disturbance, rich gulf moisture, and good instability helped to develop a strong squall line that moved north out of southeast Louisiana causing scattered hail and thunderstorm wind damage across portions of southeast Arkansas.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, April 2 to 4, 2012$35,000 · 2.25 in hail · 14 eventsA slow-moving upper level low pressure system to the west of Arkansas periodically ejected smaller areas of low pressure into the state. Each of these set off some thunderstorms, and several of these storms were severe.
• Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in Tennessee, April 2, 2012$13,000 · 50 kt wind · 2 eventsA boundary lingered across east Tennessee triggering isolated thunderstorms. A few of the storms downed a few trees and produced flash flooding.
• Hail in Kentucky, April 2, 20121.75 in hail · 1 eventA backdoor cold front stalled across central Kentucky along a northwest to southeast orientated line from just west of Louisville to Clinton County, which is located next to Tennessee's Cumberland Plateau.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Kansas, April 2 to 3, 20121.75 in hail · 29 eventsA weak warm front lifting north provided the necessary lift to produce thunderstorms during the late afternoon and evening.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, April 2, 20121.5 in hail · 16 eventsAn upper level storm system closed off over parts of west Texas, and very slowly moved east toward the southern Plains. Disturbances rotating around the system aided in the development of thunderstorms during the late afternoon and evening hours.
• Hail in Oklahoma, April 2, 20121 in hail · 4 eventsSevere thunderstorms developed and moved across the central and eastern Oklahoma Panhandle during the evening hours producing hail. There were no reports of damage or injuries.
• Hail in Kansas, April 2, 20120.75 in hail · 1 eventFor much of this Monday evening and lasting into the overnight hours, a few rounds of scattered thunderstorms affected this six-county portion of North Central Kansas.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 2 to 3, 2012$3,000 · 1 in hail · 15 eventsAn upper level storm system closed off over parts of west Texas, and very slowly moved east toward the southern Plains. Disturbances rotating around the system aided in the development of thunderstorms during the late afternoon and evening hours.
• Hail in Texas, April 2, 20121.75 in hail · 10 eventsSevere thunderstorms developed and moved across portions of the northern and eastern Texas Panhandle during the evening hours producing hail. There were no reports of damage or injuries.
• Hail in Minnesota, April 2, 20121 in hail · 7 eventsThunderstorms developed late Monday evening, April 2nd, across the southern portions of the Twin Cities Metro Area.
• Hail in Wisconsin, April 3, 20120.75 in hail · 1 eventThunderstorms developed late Monday evening, April 2nd, across the southern portions of the Twin Cities Metro Area in eastern Minnesota. Low freezing levels and an inverted trough of low pressure that extended across eastern Minnesota, allowed for the formation of thunderstorms.
• Hail in Texas, April 3, 20121 in hail · 4 eventsA cold front moved into an unstable environment across portions of the Big Country during the early morning hours, resulting in isolated severe thunderstorms. These storms produced small hail.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, April 3, 201229 injured · $798 million · EF3 · 94 eventsA historic North Texas tornado outbreak occurred on April 3rd, with 17 tornadoes developing from the DFW Metroplex east to Hopkins County. An EF-3 tornado tore through the town of Forney, heavily damaging homes in the Diamond Creek subdivision.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, April 3, 20121 in hail · 9 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed over the North Carolina Mountains along a weak warm front during the afternoon hours. Some of the storms produced hail which ranged up to the size of quarters. Later in the evening a thunderstorm also produced some wind damage east of Charlotte.
• Hail in Virginia, April 3, 20121.75 in hail · 2 eventsA strong gradient in moisture and surface dew point existed along a nearly stationary front across southeastern Kentucky and the Virginia border with Tennessee. Afternoon convection formed just north of that boundary. One storm pulsed briefly stronger. Large hail was observed.
• Hail in Georgia, April 3, 20121 in hail · 5 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed over the mountains along a weak warm front during the afternoon hours. A few of the storms produced hail up to the size of quarters.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Florida, April 3, 20121 death · $86,000 · 1 in hail · 16 eventsA mesoscale convective vortex affected the forecast area during the afternoon hours of April 3rd.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, April 3 to 4, 2012$60,000 · 1 in hail · 9 eventsOn April 3rd, a weak front moving in from the southwest coupled with a disturbance overhead set the stage for a slow moving thunderstorm event with mostly hail as the primary threat. The slow storm motion would also allow for some flash flooding from the storm.
• Hail in Virginia, April 3, 20120.88 in hail · 1 eventUnstable northwest flow aloft combined with a stationary/warm front across the eastern portion of the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians to produce scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms in this region of the forecast area.
• Tornado and Hail in Louisiana, April 3, 2012$6,000 · EF0 · 23 eventsA deep upper level trough across the western plains lifted north and east towards the region during the afternoon and overnight hours of April 3rd and morning hours of April 4th.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Tennessee, April 3, 2012$25,000 · 1.25 in hail · 6 eventsIsolated thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and evening hours. A few of the storms produced damaging thunderstorm wind but most of the reports were for large hail. Hail as large as a Kennedy one-half dollar was seen.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Georgia, April 3, 2012$15,000 · 1 in hail · 3 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours of April 3rd along the remnants of a weak boundary that stretched north to south across eastern Georgia.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, April 3, 2012$5,000 · 1 in hail · 7 eventsA mesoscale convective vortex affected the forecast area during the afternoon hours of April 3rd. This feature locally enhanced the wind profile and with a moderately unstable airmass in place, severe thunderstorms erupted over portions of northwest Florida and southwest Georgia.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, April 3 to 4, 2012EF0 · 29 eventsA deep upper level trough across the western plains lifted north and east towards the region during the afternoon and overnight hours of April 3rd and morning hours of April 4th.
• Hail in Texas, April 3, 20121 in hail · 7 eventsAn upper level low over the four corners region pushed a Pacific cold front across Texas. This produced a line of thunderstorms that produced one severe hail report and numerous incidents of smaller hail.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Kentucky, April 3, 20121 in hail · 5 eventsModerate instability, near record high temperatures and light atmospheric winds more typical of early summer developed over the Lake Cumberland Region during the afternoon of April 4th.
• Hail in North Carolina, April 3, 20120.75 in hail · 1 eventUnstable northwest flow aloft combined with a stationary/warm front across the eastern portion of the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians to produce scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms in this region of the forecast area.
• Hail in Illinois, April 3, 20120.88 in hail · 1 eventA cold front settled southward into central Illinois during the evening of April 3rd, triggering widely scattered thunderstorms. A few of the cells produced small hail, with one storm dropping nickel-sized stones near Hopedale in Tazewell County.
• Hail in Georgia, April 3, 20121 in hail · 1 eventThe sea breeze in combination with a stalled frontal boundary supported isolated thunderstorms in SE Georgia.
• Hail in Illinois, April 3, 20120.88 in hail · 2 eventsAn isolated strong thunderstorm developed over Livingston County during the evening of April 3rd ahead of an approaching low pressure system.
• Flash Flood in Virginia, April 3, 20121 eventIsolated thunderstorms produced flash flooding on the 3rd.
• Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, April 3, 2012$10,000 · 65 kt wind · 4 eventsDuring the late afternoon and evening on April 3, a cold front pushed into the region. A warm and moist environment was in place across southeast Oklahoma ahead of the front. A few severe thunderstorms developed over the area, resulting in damaging winds.
• Damaging Winds in South Carolina, April 3, 201250 kt wind · 2 eventsScattered thunderstorms knocked down a few trees over upstate South Carolina.
• Flash Flood in West Virginia, April 3, 2012$175,000 · 1 eventA strong gradient in moisture and surface dew point existed along a nearly stationary front across southeastern Kentucky and the Virginia border with Tennessee. Afternoon convection formed just north of that boundary.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, April 3, 2012$10,000 · 1.75 in hail · 15 eventsA deep upper level trough across the western plains lifted north and east towards the region during the afternoon and overnight hours of April 3rd and morning hours of April 4th.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Arkansas, April 3, 2012$40,000 · 1 in hail · 9 eventsDuring the late afternoon and evening on April 3, a cold front pushed into the region. A warm and moist environment was in place ahead of the front across west-central Arkansas.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, April 3 to 5, 2012$100,000 · 1 in hail · 11 eventsIsolated severe thunderstorms in the east Midlands produced some large hail and wind damage in eastern Sumter, southern Lee, and northern Clarendon counties. Main areas impacted were the Mayesville, Shiloh, and Turbeville areas.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in South Carolina, April 3, 201260 kt wind · 3 eventsA backdoor cold front was the focus for scattered thunderstorms across the Midlands and CSRA. An isolated severe storm moved across the Augusta Metro Area.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Louisiana, April 3 to 5, 2012$55,000 · 1.75 in hail · 11 eventsAn upper low centered over Oklahoma combined with a very unstable airmass which allowed numerous severe thunderstorms to develop over southeast Louisiana during the overnight hours on the 3rd into the 4th and again the following night.
• Damaging Wind in Mississippi, April 3, 2012$5,000 · 52 kt wind · 1 eventThunderstorms produced high winds that downed trees in parts of southeast Mississippi.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Georgia, April 3, 201260 kt wind · 5 eventsA backdoor cold front was the focus for scattered thunderstorms across the CSRA. An isolated severe storm moved across the Augusta Metro Area.
• Hail in Texas, April 3 to 4, 2012$26,000 · 2.75 in hail · 13 eventsA stalled surface boundary served as a focus for the development of several well organized and severe thunderstorms that produced large hail across areas south and southwest of Houston.
• Hail in Mississippi, April 4, 20121 in hail · 3 eventsAn upper low centered over Oklahoma combined with a very unstable airmass which allowed several severe thunderstorms to develop over southern Mississippi during the overnight hours.
• Lightning Strike in North Carolina, April 4, 2012$400,000 · 1 eventLightning destroyed a vacation home on Bald Head Island.
• Hail in Virginia, April 4, 20121 in hail · 1 eventIsolated diurnal thunderstorms developed with an unstable atmosphere during the afternoon hours in southwest Virginia. One of the storms produced large hail.
• Hail in Texas, April 4, 2012$15,000 · 1.75 in hail · 2 eventsIsolated severe thunderstorms developed over the Mid Coast region in the afternoon.
• Damaging Wind in North Carolina, April 4, 2012$2,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventIsolated severe thunderstorm in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds across portions of northeast North Carolina.
• Damaging Winds in South Carolina, April 4, 2012$6,000 · 60 kt wind · 4 eventsA weak surface trough east of the Appalachians combined with a sea breeze initiated scattered thunderstorms over SE SC.
• Flash Flooding in Kansas, April 4, 20123 eventsOn the evening of April 4, stationary thunderstorms brought a long period of heavy rain to portions of Coffey and Anderson Counties. A few county roads near Waverly, Harris, and Garnett had some water flowing over them as a result of the long period of rain.
• Hail in Washington, April 4, 20120.75 in hail · 2 eventsAn upper level low pressure area combined with daytime heating produced a very unstable atmosphere across southeast Washington.
• Hail in Georgia, April 4, 20121 in hail · 1 eventAn upper level ridge strengthened over the area during the day on the 4th, suppressing most of the convection. However, above-average temperatures continued, allowing instability to increase once again despite the influence of the ridge.

Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2012Tornadoes in 2012

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.