2013 U.S Severe Weather: Videos / Photos / Stats / Forecasts

[Texas Snowman]

Remarkable that you could have a 20 mile long path with EF-3 and EF-4 damage, have 80+ injuries, and no fatalities.

[CrazyC83]

Remarkable that you could have a 20 mile long path with EF-3 and EF-4 damage, have 80+ injuries, and no fatalities.

I think it came down to a few things:

1) It was very well warned by the NWS and local media. There was plenty of warning. Most importantly, they listened.

2) In most well-built houses, EF-3 is survivable if you know what you are doing even without a basement. Once you get well into EF-4 territory, that is when you absolutely need to be underground. While a few houses sustained EF-4 damage, they may have had good luck (i.e. not home at time, rare basement available). It is the high 4s and 5s with large areas of such damage (i.e. Joplin, Tuscaloosa) that have the high death tolls normally in populated areas.

3) It was a Sunday afternoon, so a lot of people were likely not home at the time - perhaps shopping, church activities, other families, etc.

4) Southern Miss was on break for Mardi Gras, so a lot of students were not on campus at the time. That meant fewer walking around or in the residences.

[Texas Snowman]

I wonder what the building codes are like there. Hattiesburg is in Camille/Katrina country.

[cycloneye]

Discussion this evening of the Hattisburg EF-4 Tornado by Dr Jeff Masters.

The strong tornado that swept through Hattiesburg and Oak Grove in Lamar County, Mississippi, on Sunday has been rated an EF-4 with 170 mph winds, making it the first violent EF-4 tornado of 2013. The tornado hit Hattiesburg at 5:12 pm CST February 10, injuring 82 people and causing widespread damage over a 20-mile-long path. Miraculously, there were no deaths.The only other violent EF-4 tornado ever to hit Lamar County occurred on April 24, 1908, according to NWS Jackson.



Figure 1. Oak Grove High School football field near Hattiesburg, MS after Sunday's tornado. Damage was rated EF-4 near the high school, and there was clear evidence of the tornado being multi-vortex over a portion of its path. Image credit: NWS Jackson Facebook page.

The 2013 tornado season is off to an unusually busy start--a pattern we also saw last year. The January 29 - 30, 2013 tornado outbreak now has 56 confirmed tornadoes, including the only EF-3 tornado of the year, which hit Adairsville, GA, on January 30, killing one person. The outbreak is now ranked as the second largest January tornado outbreak since records began in 1950 (the largest: 128 tornadoes on January 21 - 22, 1999 .) NOAA's Storm Prediction Center logged twelve preliminary reports of tornadoes on Sunday, from Mississippi and Alabama. This brings the tally of preliminary tornado reports for the year to 100. On average, we've had just 72 preliminary tornado reports by February 10 during the previous seven years, 2005 - 2011.

[CrazyC83]

I wonder what the building codes are like there. Hattiesburg is in Camille/Katrina country.

Not sure to be honest. Katrina was a strong Cat 1/weak Cat 2 when it hit Hattiesburg (still extremely impressive for inland!), and I don't know what the winds there during Camille were. It's about 70 miles from the coast.

[Crostorm]

New video OMG

One of the most intense, up-close tornado videos I have ever seen! Footage of the Hattiesburg, EF4 tornado on February 10, 2013, as BaseHunters chaser Scott Peake is calling in the exact location of the tornado for issuance of "tornado emergency". Miraculously, no one lost their lives from this tornado, but caused extensive damage to University of Southern Mississippi campus as well as the mayor's residence in Hattiesburg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdmTpsy ... e=youtu.be

[cycloneye]

New video OMG

One of the most intense, up-close tornado videos I have ever seen! Footage of the Hattiesburg, EF4 tornado on February 10, 2013, as BaseHunters chaser Scott Peake is calling in the exact location of the tornado for issuance of "tornado emergency". Miraculously, no one lost their lives from this tornado, but caused extensive damage to University of Southern Mississippi campus as well as the mayor's residence in Hattiesburg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdmTpsy ... e=youtu.be

Impressive video. Also,is a miracle that all those stores and fast food restaurants were spared.

[cycloneye]

Found more photos of the extensive damage caused by the EF-4 Hattisburg Tornado. Look at the bricks how scattered they are showing how powerful this Tornado was.

[cycloneye]

Updated stats by SPC. Look how fast the map is filling with severe reports as of Febuary 13. The number of Tornadoes reported so far in the 2013 season is up to 102.

Code: Select all

TORNADO TOTALS AND RELATED DEATHS...THROUGH MON FEB 12 2013
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0842 AM CST WED FEB 13 2013

       ...NUMBER OF TORNADOES...    NUMBER OF       KILLER
                                    TORNADO DEATHS  TORNADOES
    ..2013.. 2012 2011 2010 3YR               3YR             3YR
    PREL ACT  ACT  ACT  ACT  AV 13  12  11 10  AV  13 12 11 10 AV
JAN  87    -  79   16   30   42  1   2   0  0   1   1  2  0  0  1
FEB  15    -  57   63    1   40  0  15   1  0   5   0  7  1  0  3
MAR   -    - 154   75   33   87  -  42   1  1  14   - 10  1  1  4
APR   -    - 206  758  139  368  -   6 363 11 127   -  1 43  2 15
MAY   -    - 121  326  304  250  -   0 178  7  62   -  0  9  4  4
JUN   -    - 110  160  324  198  -   4   3 12   6   -  2  1  6  3
JUL   -    -  37  103  146   95  -   0   0  2   1   -  0  0  1  0
AUG   -    -  38   57   55   50  -   0   2  1   1   -  0  2  1  1
SEP   -    -  39   51   57   49  -   0   0  2   1   -  0  0  2  1
OCT   -    -  37   23  108   56  -   0   0  0   0   -  0  0  0  0
NOV   -    -   7*  44   53   35  -   0   5  0   2   -  0  2  0  1
DEC   -    -  51*  15   32   33  -   0   0  9   3   -  0  0  4  1
---  --   -- ---  ---- ---- ---- -  -- --- -- ---   - -- -- -- --
SUM 102   -  936* 1691 1282 1303 1  69 553 45 222   1 22 59 21 34

* PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF ACTUAL TORNADOES. FINAL VALUES WILL
BE ENTERED WHEN STORM DATA IS PUBLISHED LATER IN 2013.

COMPARISONS BETWEEN 2013 PRELIMINARY COUNTS AND ACTUAL COUNTS FROM
PRIOR YEARS SHOULD BE AVOIDED.


[Cyclenall]

New video OMG

One of the most intense, up-close tornado videos I have ever seen! Footage of the Hattiesburg, EF4 tornado on February 10, 2013, as BaseHunters chaser Scott Peake is calling in the exact location of the tornado for issuance of "tornado emergency". Miraculously, no one lost their lives from this tornado, but caused extensive damage to University of Southern Mississippi campus as well as the mayor's residence in Hattiesburg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdmTpsy ... e=youtu.be

Excellent footage there! That is certainly the best of 2013 in the tornado department thus far. I've been absolutely astounded by the tornado footage of the last few years, its a new era in tornado filmography. It seems like the blockbuster clips just keep rolling . I'm not so much of a fan of Micheal's nervous and junior reactions to everything but on to the flip side it adds to the entertainment.

Found more photos of the extensive damage caused by the EF-4 Hattisburg Tornado. Look at the bricks how scattered they are showing how powerful this Tornado was.

I remember before the report most were estimating between EF2-EF3. I don't know why anyone would think EF2.

Updated stats by SPC. Look how fast the map is filling with severe reports as of Febuary 13. The number of Tornadoes reported so far in the 2013 season is up to 102.

We are off to a very active start. I hear a lot about the drought affecting the tornado numbers but that doesn't mean there can't be extreme activity in the eastern areas of tornado alley where the highest death tolls and damage occurs. It doesn't appear the drought is having any effect whatsoever on early season activity.

[Ntxw]

Updated stats by SPC. Look how fast the map is filling with severe reports as of Febuary 13. The number of Tornadoes reported so far in the 2013 season is up to 102.

We are off to a very active start. I hear a lot about the drought affecting the tornado numbers but that doesn't mean there can't be extreme activity in the eastern areas of tornado alley where the highest death tolls and damage occurs. It doesn't appear the drought is having any effect whatsoever on early season activity.

It was off to a wild start last year too but ended up as one of the quietest years on record in the US. Lack of tornado in traditional tornado alley killed the numbers. I don't think the drought means less, I think it just shifts east and north. I bet if we added Canada last year would've been active.

[cycloneye]

New video OMG

One of the most intense, up-close tornado videos I have ever seen! Footage of the Hattiesburg, EF4 tornado on February 10, 2013, as BaseHunters chaser Scott Peake is calling in the exact location of the tornado for issuance of "tornado emergency". Miraculously, no one lost their lives from this tornado, but caused extensive damage to University of Southern Mississippi campus as well as the mayor's residence in Hattiesburg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdmTpsy ... e=youtu.be

Excellent footage there! That is certainly the best of 2013 in the tornado department thus far. I've been absolutely astounded by the tornado footage of the last few years, its a new era in tornado filmography. It seems like the blockbuster clips just keep rolling . I'm not so much of a fan of Micheal's nervous and junior reactions to everything but on to the flip side it adds to the entertainment.

Found more photos of the extensive damage caused by the EF-4 Hattisburg Tornado. Look at the bricks how scattered they are showing how powerful this Tornado was.

I remember before the report most were estimating between EF2-EF3. I don't know why anyone would think EF2.

Updated stats by SPC. Look how fast the map is filling with severe reports as of Febuary 13. The number of Tornadoes reported so far in the 2013 season is up to 102.

We are off to a very active start. I hear a lot about the drought affecting the tornado numbers but that doesn't mean there can't be extreme activity in the eastern areas of tornado alley where the highest death tolls and damage occurs. It doesn't appear the drought is having any effect whatsoever on early season activity.

The 2013 season has started with more outbreaks than early 2012 and also that have been with many more stronger than EF-2,s that may signal a very active season ahead. There are signs that the plains drought may be slowly going down. (See Drought Monitor thread)

[Cyclenall]

What do y'll think will be in store for this springs severe weather season?
More specifically what do you think is in store for Texas and Oklahoma

I'd personally expect below normal, at least early in the season, due to the drought. Maybe more activity later if it moistens.

Well it appears this shouldn't be a problem now. Having the snowline as far south as it is now and the winter storms persisting into late winter bodes well for moisture returns during severe weather outbreaks.

[cycloneye]

NOAA will have a preparedness week about severe weather from March 3-9.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/severeweather/

[TropicalAnalystwx13]

There have been 101 confirmed tornadoes thus far in 2013. This encompasses 46 EF0s, 41 EF1s, 12 EF2s, an EF3, and an EF4.

So far, there have been 2 fatalities. The first was from the Adairsville, GA tornado (EF3) on January 30, and the second was just a few days by an EF1 in eastern Texas.

Thankfully, with a cooler pattern setting up across the country, no organized severe weather is likely to occur through the end of February and beginning of March.

[cycloneye]

Here is the latest update by SPC as of Febuary 28 where they have a preliminary total of 133 Tornadoes. That total may go up or go down later depending on the analysis that they are doing.Notice the two Tornadoes in California.





http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/mo ... mary.html#

[cycloneye]

A near average Spring season in terms of Tornadoes is forecast by Mark Elinwood.

http://www.ustornadoes.com/2013/02/28/s ... -forecast/

[Ntxw]

I would think this season might start slow due to the nature of blocking in March. This pattern favors cutoff lows which is not conducive to tornado outbreaks as the gulf is mostly shut out. This is why La Ninas are notorious for tornado activity because of the progressive nature (those long jet streaks that ribbon out). However I think as we head out to late April and May should get more active as the blocking pattern could break down. This is opposite of last year which started fast in March and went quiet.

[cycloneye]

There was an EF1 tornado in Georgia on the night of March 5th.

TWC Breaking ‏@TWCBreaking

NWS has confirmed an EF1 tornado struck near Gibson, GA last night heavily damaging a church. The tornado was assoc. w/Winter Storm #Saturn.

[cycloneye]

There has been a quiet period in the past couple of weeks without any big outbreak. It looks like the models dont forsee any big outbreak event anytime soon.