January 29–30, 2013 tornado outbreak

January 29–30, 2013 tornado outbreak

Significant damage, rated high-end EF3, to a facility in Adairsville, Georgia High-end EF3 damage at a facility in Adairsville, Georgia
Type	Tornado outbreak
Duration	January 29–30, 2013
Tornadoes confirmed	83 reported, 65 confirmed
Max rating1	EF3 tornado
Duration of tornado outbreak2	1 day, 10 hours, 24 minutes
Highest winds	160 mph (260 km/h) (Adairsville, Georgia EF3)
Largest hail	1.75 in (4.4 cm) in diameter (Dixon, Missouri)
Damage	$86 million
Casualties	2 fatalities total (1 tornadic, 1 non-tornadic); 25 injuries
1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado

The January 29–30, 2013 tornado outbreak was an early-season tornadic event that affected portions of the Midwestern United States and Southern United States. The first signs of the outbreak came on January 23 as the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) detailed the eastward progression of a shortwave trough into an increasingly unstable air mass across portions of the lower Mississippi Valley; however, considerable uncertainty in the placement of severe thunderstorms caused the SPC to remove their threat outline. Succeeding many changes in the forecast, a Day 1 Moderate risk was issued for January 29, warning of the potential for widespread/significant damaging winds and a few strong tornadoes. The threat shifted eastward on January 30, encompassing a large section of the Southeastern United States. By late that day, the shortwave trough tracked northeastward into New England, ending the severe weather threat.

Between January 29–30, a total of 65 tornadoes were confirmed, making the event the fourth-largest winter tornado outbreak and third-largest January tornado outbreak on record. It was also the largest January tornado outbreak in Middle Tennessee on record and the second-largest tornado outbreak for any calendar month there. The strongest tornado, an EF3, impacted portions of Adairsville, Georgia, causing significant damage to an industrial building and several homes. One man was killed after a tree was downed on his mobile home, ending the longest-running streak without a tornado fatality in the United States which began on June 25, 2012. Another man who was taking shelter in a shed was killed by straight-line winds when a tree landed on the structure. A total of 25 people sustained injuries. Overall, the tornadoes resulted in an estimated $86 million (2013 USD) in damage.

Meteorological synopsis

The final days of January brought a major tornado outbreak. In preparation for the event, the Storm Prediction Center outlined a rare Day 7 outlook region for portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley and Ark-La-Tex region. This region was subsequently removed by January 25 due to significant model differences, but was once again introduced in Day 4 and 5 convective outlook regions the following day. A Day 3 slight risk of severe weather was issued on January 27 from western Indiana down to central Texas, with the SPC warning of the potential for a significant severe weather event. A moderate risk of severe weather was forecasted in the afternoon January 28 Day 2 outlook, making it the fifth Day 2 moderate outlook issued in January over the past 15 years. While the main threat was expected to be damaging winds, produced by a potent squall line, the SPC also warned of a few strong, long-lived tornadoes. Numerous tornado watches were issued throughout the day as a squall line developed and worked eastward into the morning hours of January 30. In addition, a few semi-discrete supercells formed in the Lower Mississippi Valley. Multiple tornadoes touched down ahead of and along the squall line.

Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita rating

EF0	EF1	EF2	EF3	EF4	EF5	Total
28	26	10	1	0	0	65

January 29 event

List of reported tornadoes

EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Start Coord.	Time (UTC)	Path length	Max width	Damage	Summary	Refs
EF1	NW of Orlando	Logan	OK		1248 – 1249	2.4 mi (3.9 km)	400 yd (370 m)	$200,000	A farmstead was damaged, with a nearby pole barn partially destroyed. Wood debris was scattered across the property, with splintered boards driven several inches into the ground. Substantial tree damage was observed, with some trees partially debarked. Heavy farm equipment was moved or overturned.
EF1	SSE of Cedar Springs to NNW of Caplinger Mills	Cedar	MO		1700 – 1703	2.66 mi (4.28 km)	200 yd (180 m)	$100,000	A carport was destroyed and several outbuildings and barns were either damaged or destroyed. Several homes sustained minor roof damage and numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF1	NW of Gerster to NNE of Quincy	St. Clair, Hickory	MO		1715 – 1725	8.58 mi (13.81 km)	400 yd (370 m)	$225,000	The tornado touched down in St. Clair County before crossing into Hickory County. At least four barns and outbuildings were destroyed, and another barn had its roof removed. Several homes sustained minor roof damage and numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF2	N of Short to N of Natural Dam	Sequoyah (OK), Crawford (AR)	OK, AR		2055 – 2104	9 mi (14 km)	700 yd (640 m)	$20,000	The tornado touched down in Sequoyah County, Oklahoma and quickly crossed the Oklahoma–Arkansas border into Crawford County. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted in both counties. Power poles were also snapped and a house sustained minor damage.
EF1	NW of Marthasville	Warren	MO		2114 – 2115	1.17 mi (1.88 km)	40 yd (37 m)	$0	The roof of a small barn was carried 80–90 yd (73–82 m) and lifted into trees, and supporting poles from the barn were uplifted approximately 8 in (20 cm). Several pieces of wood were driven into the ground. A two-story residence was damaged.
EF1	WSW of Harris to S of Goshen	Washington	AR		2134 – 2139	4.2 mi (6.8 km)	400 yd (370 m)	$500,000	Chicken houses, outbuildings, and barns were destroyed, approximately 40 to 50 homes were damaged, and numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF0	NW of Chain of Rocks	Lincoln	MO		2136 – 2137	1.6 mi (2.6 km)	30 yd (27 m)	$500,000	Homes sustained roof damage and trees were snapped.
EF1	NW of Rockhouse	Madison	AR		2157 – 2159	2 mi (3.2 km)	350 yd (320 m)	$250,000	Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed, a couple of homes were damaged, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, and power poles were blown down. Several cows on a farm were killed by flying debris.
EF0	NW of Mineola	Wood	TX		0015 – 0016	0.19 mi (0.31 km)	325 yd (297 m)	$5,000	A few trees were snapped or uprooted. Some tins from boatsheds were removed.
EF0	NW of Stringtown	Bolivar	MS		0048 – 0049	0.45 mi (0.72 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$5,000	A large tree was uprooted and three homes sustained minor shingle damage.
EF0	S of Bredlow Corner to E of Wampoo	Pulaski	AR		0201 – 0206	5.25 mi (8.45 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$10,000	Part of the roof was ripped off an old barn and trees were blown down.
EF1	WNW of Flatwoods	Ripley	MO		0214 – 0216	0.27 mi (0.43 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$100,000	Two homes sustained moderate roof damage. A porch was lifted over the house and a small boat was blown approximately 150 ft (46 m). A barn was heavily damaged and approximately 40 large trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF2	ESE of Junland to NNE of Fisk	Butler	MO		0245 – 0247	3.39 mi (5.46 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$60,000	A small, poorly-constructed home was leveled. A mobile home was blown several hundred yards. A few trees were snapped and several small structures were blown over.
EF0	NNE of Monticello to S of Old Union	Drew	AR		0251 – 0256	3.57 mi (5.75 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$20,000	A mobile home lost part of its roof and shingles were blown off several houses. A few trees were blown down. One carport was blown away and another was blown into a tree line. Several outbuildings sustained damage.
EF1	Delta to W of Blomeyer	Cape Girardeau	MO		0313 – 0319	5.45 mi (8.77 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$250,000	Several homes in Delta had their shingles blown off. One home sustained major damage, and the roof was torn off a convenience store. A semi and trailer were overturned, and tree damage was observed.
EF1	S of Jackson	Cape Girardeau	MO		0313 – 0320	6.79 mi (10.93 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$80,000	Trees were blown down, shingles were blown off multiple structures, and outbuildings and barns were partially or totally destroyed.
EF2	Goodwill	West Carroll	LA		0336 – 0341	5.37 mi (8.64 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$250,000	The roof of a home was removed and most of its walls were knocked down. Several outbuildings were destroyed, several travel trailers were flipped, and a few other buildings sustained minor roof damage. Trees and power lines were knocked down.
EF0	E of Mulkeytown	Franklin	IL		0338 – 0339	0.58 mi (0.93 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$0	No reported damage.
EF2	Galatia	Saline	IL		0416 – 0418	0.97 mi (1.56 km)	125 yd (114 m)	$200,000	One unsturdy home lost its roof and most of its exterior walls, and several others sustained roof, window, and chimney damage. A poorly-constructed garage and awning were destroyed. A machine shed was leveled, and another had its doors blown out. Numerous large trees throughout the town were uprooted and snapped, and a hay bale feeder was thrown 250 yd (230 m). One person sustained critical injuries and another sustained minor injuries.

January 30 event

List of reported tornadoes

EF#	Location	County / Parish	State	Start Coord.	Time (UTC)	Path length	Max width	Damage	Summary	Refs
EF1	S of Skene to WNW of Cleveland	Bolivar	MS		0510 – 0516	5.53 mi (8.90 km)	150 yd (140 m)	$175,000	Many homes sustained damage to their awnings and roofs. Small trees were snapped and power poles were blown down.
EF0	SSE of Lynn Grove to NNW of Wiswell	Calloway	KY		0536 – 0539	2.12 mi (3.41 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$25,000	A dog kennel and carport were destroyed, several outbuildings were damaged or destroyed, several trees were snapped or uprooted, and several homes sustained minor shingle damage. The porch columns to a home were shifted and a power pole was snapped.
EF1	NE of Orlando	Orange	IN		0647 – 0648	0.37 mi (0.60 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$25,000	The roof of a home was severely damaged and the associated porch was thrown several feet. Several twigs were driven through the house's siding.
EF2	WNW of Garretsburg to SE of Herndon	Christian	KY		0736 – 0738	2.06 mi (3.32 km)	200 yd (180 m)	$150,000	Three homes sustained major damage. A two-story Amish home had a window blown out and its entire roof system removed. A barn was completely leveled, a milk barn was almost completely leveled, and a machine shop had its roof torn off. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF1	S of Hopkinsville to NNW of Pembroke	Christian	KY		0739 – 0746	7.92 mi (12.75 km)	225 yd (206 m)	$250,000	Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. A grain bin was blown 150 ft (46 m). Several barns or sheds were leveled, and at least two power poles were broken.
EF2	SE of Rosewood to SE of Penrod	Muhlenberg	KY		0800 – 0806	5.14 mi (8.27 km)	325 yd (297 m)	$250,000	A home lost a large portion of its roof and several other homes lost a varying number of shingles. A few porches were destroyed and siding was damaged on several homes. Two mobile homes were completely destroyed, with one overturned. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF1	Hurricane Mills	Humphreys	TN		0812 – 0814	2.32 mi (3.73 km)	150 yd (140 m)	$250,000	Approximately 500 trees were snapped or uprooted. A barn was destroyed, and several homes and structures in town sustained significant roof damage.
EF2	Coble	Hickman	TN		0826 – 0828	2.98 mi (4.80 km)	300 yd (270 m)	$600,000	Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted in and around Coble. Several brick homes in town sustained considerable damage. A mobile home was completely destroyed, with its debris scattered and metal frame partially wrapped around a nearby tree. A cinder block garage and at least three barns were demolished; an RV was flipped on its side.
EF1	NW of Moccasin to ESE of Shubert	Wayne, Lewis	TN		0832 – 0845	15.23 mi (24.51 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$650,000	The tornado touched down in Wayne County, destroying one barn and heavily damaging two others. After moving into Lewis County, five power poles were snapped and nine mobile homes were heavily damaged. Hundreds of trees were snapped in both counties.
EF0	E of Bakersworks to S of Shacklett	Dickson, Cheatham	TN		0845 – 0852	7.25 mi (11.67 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$175,000	The tornado touched down in Dickson County before moving into Cheatham County. Several homes sustained minor roof damage and hundreds of trees were snapped and uprooted.
EF0	Ashland City	Cheatham	TN		0852 – 0853	0.24 mi (0.39 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$65,000	Minor roof damage occurred and several trees were snapped and uprooted in town. One person was injured.
EF2	NNW of Chestnut Grove to E of Courtland	Robertson	TN		0859 – 0905	4.97 mi (8.00 km)	200 yd (180 m)	$1,000,000	Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. A gas station roof was partially ripped off and a gas pump awning was damaged. An outbuilding was destroyed, with its debris tossed 100 yd (91 m) into a water tower. Many homes sustained varying levels of damage. A warehouse had half its roof blown off and an exterior door blown in. A metal TVA high-transmission truss tower was toppled, and several outbuildings sustained moderate damage.
EF0	WNW of Joelton	Davidson	TN		0900 – 0906	5.55 mi (8.93 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$25,000	Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted and a barn sustained damage.
EF0	NW of Bending Chestnut	Williamson	TN		0901 – 0902	0.92 mi (1.48 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$70,000	Approximately 30 trees were snapped or uprooted and one outbuilding lost a portion of its roof.
EF0	NE of Buck Grove to SSE of Brandenburg	Meade	KY		0905 – 0906	1 mi (1.6 km)	200 yd (180 m)	$50,000	Several homes were damaged. One house had its front door pulled off, and a small shed was damaged.
EF1	SE of Oakland to NNE of Baggettsville	Robertson	TN		0905 – 0911	5.75 mi (9.25 km)	150 yd (140 m)	$350,000	Several homes and barns sustained varying degrees of roof damage. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF0	ENE of Ivy Point to NNW of Ocana	Davidson, Sumner	TN		0910 – 0923	11.65 mi (18.75 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$240,000	The tornado touched down in Davidson County, destroying an old barn. After entering Sumner County, numerous homes in Millersville sustained minor roof and exterior damage and two garage buildings were destroyed. Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted in both counties.
EF0	East Nashville	Davidson	TN		0912 – 0915	3.2 mi (5.1 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$160,000	Tornado struck the eastern part of Nashville. Several mobile homes were heavily damaged by downed trees, resulting in one injury. Numerous homes and a few health department buildings sustained minor roof and exterior damage. Numerous trees and fences were blown down before the tornado lifted near the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.
EF1	SSW of Cross Plains to SW of Clearview	Robertson, Sumner	TN		0912 – 0917	5.98 mi (9.62 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$884,000	The tornado touched down in Davidson County, before entering Sumner County. Several barns and homes sustained varying degrees of damage. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF0	E of Elizabeth to Southwestern Louisville	Harrison (IN), Jefferson (KY)	IN, KY		0917 – 0918	2.67 mi (4.30 km)	215 yd (197 m)	$115,000	The tornado touched down in Indiana before crossing the Ohio River into Kentucky. In Indiana, four homes and two barns were damaged, a porch was thrown 40 ft (12 m), and several trees were downed. At a residential area in southwest Louisville, trees were uprooted and homes sustained roof and siding damage.
EF0	E of Franklin to NNW of Mudsink	Williamson	TN		0918 – 0919	2 mi (3.2 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$110,000	Four businesses and numerous houses in Franklin sustained roof and exterior damage, with their debris blown into adjacent fields and forests. A pavilion at Liberty Elementary School was damaged by a downed tree.
EF0	NE of Avondale to NE of Cairo	Sumner	TN		0923 – 0935	10.61 mi (17.08 km)	125 yd (114 m)	$265,000	Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. The roof and a side of a mobile home were blown off, and numerous houses sustained minor roof and siding damage as well. Several docks were damaged.
EF2	SSE of Green Hill to N of Beckwith	Wilson	TN		0925 – 0930	4.53 mi (7.29 km)	150 yd (140 m)	$1,100,000	Tornado caused major damage in the town of Mt. Juliet. A newspaper distribution warehouse was nearly completely destroyed and an adjacent three-story building, Dollar General, and automotive building were heavily damaged. Dozens of other structures sustained minor to moderate structural damage. Significant damage to outbuildings, fences, and power poles was observed, and numerous trees were blown down. Many homes sustained minor roof damage, and large amounts of insulation and roofing material was stuck in trees throughout town.
EF0	N of Castalian Springs	Sumner	TN		0934 – 0937	3.63 mi (5.84 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$90,000	An apple market sustained minor roof damage. Several trees were snapped and uprooted, and several homes sustained minor roof damage.
EF0	NNW of Rogana to N of Templow	Sumner, Trousdale	TN		0937 – 0943	5.84 mi (9.40 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$80,000	The tornado touched down in Sumner County before moving into Trousdale County. Several homes and outbuildings sustained minor roof damage and a small shed was destroyed. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF2	ESE of Oakland to E of Smiths Grove	Warren	KY		0938 – 0941	2.96 mi (4.76 km)	250 yd (230 m)	$400,000	Several outbuildings were destroyed and four grain bins were destroyed, with their debris tossed several hundred yards, and a semi-trailer was overturned. Two barns, one with poor construction and the other well-built, were completely destroyed; steel I-beams were ripped out of their concrete bases, portions of roofing were scattered, and a few cinder block walls were collapsed in association with the latter.
EF1	NE of Oakland to NW of Providence	Wilson, Trousdale	TN		0940 – 0950	10.03 mi (16.14 km)	150 yd (140 m)	$1,260,000	The tornado touched down in Wilson County, moved into Trousdale County, re-entered Wilson County, and entered Trousdale County for a second time before dissipating. Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted, several outbuildings were destroyed, and many homes sustained minor to significant roof damage.
EF1	SSW of College Grove to S of Cedar Grove	Williamson, Rutherford	TN		0941 – 0946	4.59 mi (7.39 km)	150 yd (140 m)	$655,000	The tornado touched down in Williamson County, destroying an outbuilding and damaging farm buildings. After crossing into Rutherford County, two farm buildings were heavily damaged, a couple of homes sustained minor roof and siding damage, and at least four barns were damaged. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted in both counties.
EF1	Rocky Hill	Edmonson	KY		0942 – 0944	2.77 mi (4.46 km)	100 yd (91 m)	$80,000	Several trees were snapped, a house lost half of its roof, and a nearby barn was destroyed.
EF0	S of Phillipsburg	Marion	KY		0944 – 0945	0.12 mi (0.19 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$25,000	A mobile home was destroyed, injuring the two residents inside. A shed was slid off its foundation.
EF0	NNW of Horsleys	Macon	TN		0947 – 0948	0.97 mi (1.56 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$120,000	A couple of older barns were destroyed, an outbuilding was damaged, and dozens of trees were snapped.
EF1	E of Rocky Hill	Barren	KY		0949 – 0950	0.34 mi (0.55 km)	50 yd (46 m)	$0	A well-built barn was destroyed and several trees were knocked down.
EF0	NE of Friendship to SSE of Sunrise	Macon	TN		1001 – 1003	1.53 mi (2.46 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$250,000	An older home sustained significant damage and a barn lost a considerable portion of its roof. A few trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF1	SSW of Greenwood Springs to WSW of Crews	Monroe (MS), Lamar (AL)	MS, AL		1025 – 1036	10.82 mi (17.41 km)	300 yd (270 m)	$50,000	The tornado touched down in Monroe County, Mississippi, damaging barns, outbuildings, and homes. After crossing into Lamar County, Alabama, it caused minor damage to a house and outbuilding. Many trees were downed in both counties.
EF0	NNE of Woodbury to W of Half Acre	Cannon	TN		1029 – 1038	6.65 mi (10.70 km)	200 yd (180 m)	$150,000	Approximately 100 trees were snapped or uprooted. A few buildings sustained minor roof and structural damage.
EF1	SE of Dellrose to SE of Pearl City	Lincoln	TN		1046 – 1053	5.28 mi (8.50 km)	250 yd (230 m)	$0	Two large irrigation systems were flipped over and two metal doors to a barn were blown in. A large metal shed was completely destroyed, a trailer was rolled on its side, and an older barn sustained significant roofing and siding damage. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF1	NW of Fayette	Fayette	AL		1118 – 1125	6.5 mi (10.5 km)	500 yd (460 m)	$0	Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. A residence sustained minor damage and a trampoline was thrown and mangled.
EF0	Manchester to ENE of Ragsdale	Coffee	TN		1126 – 1130	4.57 mi (7.35 km)	75 yd (69 m)	$60,000	Dozens of trees were snapped. A scoreboard was destroyed at Coffee County Middle School in Manchester. The roofs of several structures were damaged.
EF0	S of Ferguson	Pulaski	KY		1130 – 1131	0.5 mi (0.80 km)	150 yd (140 m)	$5,000	The tornado caused roof and siding damage. Several trees were downed, one of which destroyed a shed.
EF0	SSW of Nauvoo	Walker	AL		1142 – 1146	4.9 mi (7.9 km)	200 yd (180 m)	$0	An outbuilding was destroyed, a tree fell on a mobile home, causing moderate damage, and a house sustained shingle damage. Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted.
EF1	NE of Poplar Springs to N of Nathan	Winston	AL		1150 – 1159	10.39 mi (16.72 km)	1,000 yd (910 m)	$0	Thousands of trees were downed. The roof of a mobile home was tossed 0.25 mi (0.40 km). Dozens of residences sustained damage and several boat houses were destroyed. Some trees sustained partial debarking, though uncertainties about the affected area's condition previous to the tornado prevented a higher rating.
EF1	N of Addison to NW of Jones Chapel	Winston, Cullman	AL		1201 – 1204	6.42 mi (10.33 km)	300 yd (270 m)	$0	The tornado touched down in Winston County, snapping and downing many trees and removing portions of roofing from both an outbuilding and house. In Cullman County, a barn and mobile home were destroyed and additional trees were damaged. A hangar at the Addison Municipal Airport was heavily damaged.
EF3	SW of Adairsville to NNW of Petersburg	Bartow, Gordon	GA		1612 – 1643	21.78 mi (35.05 km)	900 yd (820 m)	$75,000,000	1 death – The tornado touched down southwest of Adairsville, Georgia before moving into the city. At least 95 structures were damaged, 31 of which were completely destroyed; 17 sustained major damage and 47 sustained minor damage. A large portion of a manufacturing plant was destroyed, and over 100 cars were overturned on Interstate 75. One car was found impaled by two large wooden beams. A tree fell on a mobile home, killing the resident inside and ending the longest-running streak without a tornado-related fatality in the United States on record. After crossing into Gordon County, numerous trees and power lines were downed. A total of 268 homes were impacted, with 30 completely destroyed and 110 heavily damaged. In total, 17 people were injured.
EF1	SW of Sugar Creek NNE of Hothouse	Gilmer, Fannin	GA		1705 – 1715	11.77 mi (18.94 km)	900 yd (820 m)	$185,000	The tornado touched down in Gilmer County, snapping eight power poles and snapping or uprooting hundreds of trees. After crossing into Fannin County, up to 100 additional power poles were snapped and more trees were damaged. One person was injured.
EF0	NW of Newton	Baker	GA		2309 – 2312	1.19 mi (1.92 km)	25 yd (23 m)	$15,000	A home sustained minor damage and trees were snapped or twisted.
EF0	E of Forrester	Lee	GA		2312 – 2314	1.51 mi (2.43 km)	25 yd (23 m)	$1,000	Trees were blown down.

See also

• List of United States tornadoes from January to February 2013
• Tornadoes of 2013