April 2, 2006 Tornado Outbreak

April 2, 2006 Tornado Outbreak

Infobox tornado outbreak|name=April 2 2006 Tornado Outbreak
date=April 2, 2006
image location=Tornado_southofKennett.jpg

Kennett, Missouri
duration=6 hours, 43 minutes
fujitascale=F3
tornadoes=66 confirmed
total damages (USD)=$1.1 billioncite news| url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/reports/billion/billionz-2007.pdf |title=Billion Dollar US Weather Disasters|publisher=NOAA |date=2008-01-01 |accessdate=2008-05-08|format=PDF]
total fatalities=27 + 2 non-tornadic
areas affected=Mississippi and Ohio Valley regions
The April 2, 2006 Tornado Outbreak was a series of tornadoes that occurred during the late afternoon and evening of April 2 2006 in the central United States. It was the second major outbreak of 2006, in the same area that suffered considerable destruction in a previous outbreak on March 11 and March 12, as well as an outbreak on November 15 2005.Fact|date=February 2007 The most notable tornadoes of the outbreak struck northeastern Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel and West Tennessee, where several communities - including Marmaduke, Arkansas, Caruthersville, Missouri and Newbern, Tennessee suffered devastating damage from several tornadoes triggered from a supercell. In total, sixty-six tornadoes touched down across seven states, which is the most in a single day in 2006. In addition, there were over 850 total severe weather reports, including many reports of straight-line winds exceeding hurricane force and hail as large as softballs, which caused significant additional damage in a nine-state region. [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/060402_rpts.html Storm Prediction Center 20060402's Storm Reports ] ]

The outbreak was a deadly one; there were a total of twenty-seven tornado-related deaths plus two other deaths from straight-line winds. [ [http://www.wave3.com/global/story.asp?s=4723780 WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY :: Massive Cleanup After Deadly Storms As Towns Mourn 28 Victims ] ] [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~622094 NCDC: Event Details ] ] It was the deadliest tornado outbreak in the United States since the May 2003 tornado outbreak sequence in the first week of May 2003, which killed forty-eight people. Twenty-five of those deaths were caused by a single supercell thunderstorm which produced damaging and long lived tornadoes from north central Arkansas into northwest Tennessee.

Meteorological synopsis

The outbreak took place as a result of a cold front that tracked across the central United States, triggered by a deep low pressure area in the Upper Midwest. The warm humid air mass ahead of the cold front, along with high upper-level wind shear, allowed for the production of supercells across the region. [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2006/day1otlk_20060402_1200.html Storm Prediction Center Apr 2, 2006 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook ] ]

The outbreak was expected to have started the previous day in the High Plains as the cold front tracked across that region. The supercells did not fire up as expected and only one small tornado was reported on April 1, in Pawnee County, Kansas. Severe weather that day was largely restricted to significant microbursts and large hail. [ [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/060401_rpts.html Storm Prediction Center 20060401's Storm Reports ] ]

A moderate risk of severe weather was issued by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) for April 2, with the main risk being tornadoes and large hail. The primary risk area was the central Mississippi Valley and lower Ohio Valley up to central Illinois, which is where most of the tornadoes touched down. Many tornado watches - although no PDS watches - would be issued across the region. While a significant severe weather event was expected, the extreme nature caught many forecasters by surprise, based on the risk levels and probabilities estimated by the SPC in the main area affected. [ [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/watch/ww0132_prob.html SPC Watch Hazard Probabilities Table: Tornado Watch 132 ] ]

Farther north, the initial thunderstorm development in eastern Missouri quickly developed into a squall line, eventually becoming a derecho that produced many embedded - and generally weak - tornadoes and widespread wind damage across Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. Springfield, Illinois, struck by two tornadoes less than a month earlier, was hit again by tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds of up to convert|80|mph|kn km/h, as was the St. Louis, Missouri area.Fact|date=February 2007 The storm quickly tracked through Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky with a peak wind gust of convert|82|mph|kn km/h in Lexington, Kentucky.Fact|date=February 2007 Wind damage was reported in and around Cincinnati, Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana among other cities.

The line of storms would slowly weaken as it traveled eastward, and the severe weather came to an end late that evening.

Confirmed tornadoes

Tri-State Supercell tornadoes

The most prolific tornadoes of the outbreak took place in a supercell in extreme northeastern Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel and extreme northwestern Tennessee, north of Memphis. It involved four tornadoes - all of them F3 on the Fujita scale - along a line over 140 miles (225 km) long.Fact|date=February 2007

The first and longest-lasting tornado began in Randolph County, south of Pocahontas, at just after 5:30 p.m. CDT (2230 UTC). The tornado then tracked across Greene County. The tornado was fairly weak at first. Numerous houses were damaged in Randolph County, but as it approached the town of Marmaduke at about 6:00 p.m. CDT (2300 UTC), the tornado quickly intensified.Fact|date=February 2007

Marmaduke was one of the hardest hit communities. Images have shown that much of the town was destroyed, and nearly every structure has at least significant damage. 137 houses were destroyed, 25 mobile homes were flattened and dozens of railroad cars were thrown into the air like toys. Most of the victims stayed in shelters in Paragould after the tornado hit. [ [http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?aid=24791&storyid=26372&bw= Today's THV - KTHV Little Rock News Article ] ] Although 47 people were injured, no one was killed. [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~609591 NCDC: Event Details ] ]

When the tornado continued eastward into Missouri, damage increased significantly. The worst of it occurred after the tornado reached the vicinity of Caruthersville in Pemiscot County at around 7:00 p.m. CDT (0000 UTC). Considerable destruction was reported in the community, with 226 homes destroyed and 542 houses damaged. The water tower in Caruthersville was destroyed, cutting water service in the area after the tornado. [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~storms NCDC Storm Events-Select State ] ] Heavy damage was also reported in Dunklin County. At least two deaths and 130 injuries were reported in the area. The tornado dissipated as it approached the Mississippi River.

More destruction took place after the supercell crossed the Mississippi River into Tennessee, where a new tornado touched down in Dyer County and crossed into western Gibson County between 7:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. CDT (0030-0100 UTC). The tornado touched down in the Newbern area. Damage was reported to have been very severe across the area, with 72 homes completely destroyed and another 182 homes damaged in the Newbern area. Electricity was also cut to much of the area. That section of the tornado there was also deadly, as at least 16 deaths were reported in the Newbern area, many of which were at the Sara Lee Foods plant in Newbern. 70 other people were injured as a result of the tornado. [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~630232 NCDC: Event Details ] ] It was the deadliest single tornado in the US since the Evansville tornado on November 6, 2005.

Despite speculation that the tornadoes would be upgraded on the Fujita scale, the ratings for both of those tornadoes were finalized at the high end of F3 with estimated maximum wind speeds of 200 mph (320 km/h).Fact|date=February 2007

The supercell as a whole continued eastward into eastern Gibson County, where a new tornado touched down near Bradford. It too was an F3 and resulted in severe damage. A new tornado touched down in the Rutherford area and went southward into the Bradford area. It was also a high-end F3 tornado that left total devastation in the area. The tornadoes also affected Obion, Weakley and Carroll Counties. The two tornadoes left 85 homes destroyed, 573 homes damaged and the complete destruction of many farm and commercial buildings and the Bradford Police Department. Cars were tossed into open fields. [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~630260 NCDC: Event Details ] ] [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~630247 NCDC: Event Details ] ] [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~630257 NCDC: Event Details ] ] [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~630258 NCDC: Event Details ] ] 8 people died and 50 were injured in the Bradford area from the two tornadoes.

The Governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, declared seven counties disaster areas due to this and other tornadoes in the state. The counties were Cross, Fulton, Greene, Hot Spring, Randolph, White and Conway. [http://www.kark.com/news/default.asp?mode=shownews&id=6111] The total damage from the three tornadoes was estimated at over $150 million.

Aftermath

Six months after the tornado, debris remained scattered throughout Marmaduke. Many homes and businesses had been rebuilt; many others remain in their tornado-damaged state. The Marmaduke water tower, which was heavily damaged, was torn down shortly after the tornado. The primary employer in the area, American Railcar Industries, rebuilt its facility and quickly returned it to operational status. [http://www.jonesborosun.com/archivedstory.php?ID=23871&Search=Marmaduke Jonesboro Sun ] ]

On August 29, 2006, Caruthersville Emergency Manager and Fire Chief Charlie Jones was awarded the StormReady Community Hero Award for his actions preventing further injuries and fatalities in the area. He summoned the sirens to ring repeatedly and used the fire department's communications availability to warn of the imminent and extreme danger that lied ahead, which saved many lives that evening. No lives were lost in Caruthersville as a result. [ [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/srnews/stories/2006/hero.htm NWS Southern Region - Caruthersville, Missouri Fire Chief Honored as StormReady Community Hero ] ] Caruthersville's reconstruction is currently underway after more than half the community was destroyed. Charitable outpouring was enormous and several key buildings, including one of the schools, has been rebuilt. [ [http://www.semissourian.com/story/1169202.html seMissourian.com: Story: Mayor says progress 'slow and steady' ] ]

Numerous FEMA trailers - intended for Hurricane Katrina victims but unused and sitting nearby - were redirected to the communities affected in Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee after the tornado hit.


=Damage

References

ee also

*List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
*Tornadoes of 2006

External links

* [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/reports/060402_rpts.html Storm Prediction Center] - preliminary storm reports log.
* [http://stormskies.com/OpenDoor/?p=48 Storm chase account with images of the Searcy, Wynne, and Parkin tornadoes in Arkansas] - Storm chase Account by Karen Politte
* [http://imageevent.com/brobert/marmaduke?n=0 Pictures from Marmaduke]
* [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/meg/events/April2006/index.htm NWS Memphis, TN] - damage surveys, storm track maps, photographs of the tornadoes and damage, radar loops
* http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ilx/?n=02apr2006 NWS Lincoln, IL] - damage surveys and track maps


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