A significant tornado outbreak affected much of the southern United States on November 23^rd and early November 24^th.  Across our region, the western and northern portions of the NWS Lake Charles area of responsibility bore the brunt of the impact.  Several severe, rotating thunderstorms called supercells produced tornadoes, large hail up to golf ball size, and damaging winds in excess of 60 mph across areas of Hardin, Tyler, Jasper, and Newton counties in southeast Texas, and across Vernon parish in central Louisiana.  These tornadoes injured several people and resulted in one death in Hardin County, which was the first tornado fatality for that county in recorded history.

All of the ingredients for a severe weather outbreak came together by the afternoon of November 23^rd.  A powerful storm system was moving out of the southwestern United States into the Gulf Coast region.  At the surface, a very warm, moist air mass was in place across the area, characterized by temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s with dewpoints in the 60’s and 70’s.  This warm, moist air mass created a very unstable atmosphere, leading to the potential for explosive thunderstorm development.  Very strong wind speeds were found at all levels of the atmosphere, and these winds had significant turning with height.  This wind profile created a favorable environment for rotation in any thunderstorms that developed.  As it turned out, numerous severe thunderstorms developed, producing damaging winds, large hail, and several tornadoes.

FUJITA TORNADO INTENSITY SCALE

 F0 - Gale Tornado (40-72 mph)

Some damage to chimneys; breaks branches off trees; pushes over shallow-rooted trees; damage to sign boards.

 F1 - Moderate Tornado (73-112 mph)

The lower limit is the beginning of hurricane wind speed; peels surfaces off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos pushed off roads.

 F2 - Significant Tornado (113-157 mph)

Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated.

 F3 - Severe Tornado (158-206 mph)

Roofs and some walls torn off well-constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted; heavy cars lifted off ground and thrown.

F4 - Devastating Tornado (207-260 mph)

Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown off some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated.

F5 - Incredible Tornado (261-318 mph)

Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distance to disintegrate; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 yards; trees debarked;
 

In all, two supercell thunderstorms produced 12 tornadoes across southeast Texas and central Louisiana.  The strongest tornadoes were rated F2 on the Fujita Scale, with the worst damage around Kirbyville, TX in Jasper County, and near Hutton, LA in Vernon Parish.  In addition to the tornadoes throughout our area, numerous other tornadoes tore through portions of central Texas, northern and eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Indiana, causing 3 other deaths and numerous injuries.  In total, this tornado outbreak produced over 50 confirmed tornadoes.