Draft:2023 Covington tornado

Draft:2023 Covington tornado

Various NEXRAD products taken of the tornado
Meteorological history
Formed	March 31, 2023, 5:48 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Dissipated	March 31, 2023, 6:29 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Duration	41 minutes
EF3 tornado
on the Enhanced Fujita scale
Highest winds	150 mph (240 km/h)
Overall effects
Casualties	1 fatality, 28 injuries
Damage	$80.05 million (2023 USD)

On the evening of March 31, 2023, an intense tornado struck the community of Covington, Tennessee, killing one, injuring 28 more, and leaving a 39.53 mi (63.62 km) path nearly 1,800 m (1.1 mi) wide in places over Tipton and Haywood Counties in western Tennessee. The tornado, which began in Tipton County, damaged over 500 structures over its 41 minute lifespan and resulted in upwards of $80 million worth of damage.

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Meteorological synopsis

Main article: Tornado outbreak of March 31 – April 1, 2023 § Meteorological synopsis

The Storm Prediction Center’s Severe Weather Outlook for March 31, 2023

An extratropical cyclone developed over Nebraska on the morning of March 31. As a result, meteorologists expected a storm mode of discrete supercells to develop. This, along with the presence of even stronger CAPE values and a more unstable environment across Illinois and eastern Missouri, led to the SPC "bridging" the two main moderate risk areas and giving a 15% hatched risk for significant tornadoes at their 1300 UTC outlook. The surrounding area, which extended into central portions of Kentucky and Tennessee, extreme southwestern Indiana, and northwestern Alabama, was given a 10% hatched risk for tornadoes. Additionally, a large 30% partially hatched contour for damaging wind gusts (with a smaller 45% risk in the northern part of the risk), and large hail were also added in this new outlook.

With increased confidence of favorable parameters for severe weather, the SPC upped the threat for strong tornadoes even further, introducing two tornado-driven high risk areas in their 16:30 UTC outlook; it was the first high risk issuance since March 25, 2021. In 2024, SPC forecaster and meteorologist Andrew Lyons stated, "we've been building up to this crescendo all week, knowing that pretty much all the parameters are there for something big and then one by one, each piece kind of fell in that morning." The first high risk area covered southeastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, and far northeastern Missouri, while the second included eastern Arkansas, southwestern Tennessee, and northern Mississippi. These two distinct areas were given a 30% hatched risk for tornadoes, given the extremely favorable environment for the development and sustainment of discrete supercells with strong to violent tornado potential. The northern high-risk area was expected to see an arcing band of quasi-discrete supercells that would initially produce large hail before becoming tornadic with the possibility of producing several long-track strong to potentially violent tornadoes. Supercells would be more scattered, but longer tracked within the southern high-risk area with multiple rounds of tornadic storms capable of producing long-lived strong to violent tornadoes expected. The large area surrounding and connecting the two high risk areas maintained a moderate risk, with an accompanying 15% hatched risk for tornadoes, as supercells that could develop in this environment could similarly sustain and rotate, although storm coverage was expected to be somewhat lower, and the environment would not be as favorable. All throughout the main risk area, an elevated risk for damaging winds and large hail was also issued, with the supercells initially capable of producing very large hail and long-tracked tornadoes expected to transition into QLCS structures capable of producing very strong straight-line winds and additional tornadoes that evening. Soon after the upgrade into a high risk, the SPC introduced their first two particularly dangerous situation tornado watches, indicating a 90-95% chance for multiple tornadoes, and a 90% chance for multiple strong to violent tornadoes.

Radar evolution of the Little Rock and Wynne–Covington supercells

Not long after these watches were issued, isolated discrete supercells began to develop across the western part of the state of Arkansas. The first tornado, which was rated high-end EF3, to touch down in this area prompted a tornado emergency as it caused catastrophic damage and dozens of casualties in the western and northern part of the Little Rock metro. Later, another deadly long-tracked intense EF3 tornado moved directly through Wynne, destroying a large portion of the community. As that tornado moved in Tennessee and started to dissipate, the same storm produced another destructive EF3 tornado, which would become the largest of the outbreak with a width of over a mile, that struck the southern part of Covington, heavily damaging or destroying numerous structures, including homes and schools, along with more casualties. Farther to the north, discrete supercell development was much more widespread with several forming in northern Missouri, producing large to very large hail and gusty winds before quickly becoming tornadic as they moved northeastward into southeastern Iowa and western Illinois. One of the first tornadoes in this area was an intense high-end EF3 tornado that passed near Martinsburg, Iowa, severely damaging homes and outbuildings. As that tornado was dissipating, the same storm produced a violent low-end EF4 tornado, the strongest tornado of the outbreak, which passed near Keota, severely damaging and destroying several homes, including one home that was completely swept away. As the afternoon progressed, numerous tornadoes, including over a dozen EF2 tornadoes, touched down across this area from both discrete supercells and from an evolving squall line that moved into southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Farther to the south, additional supercells also began to form in Northeast Texas; these storms produced occasional large to very large hail and damaging wind gusts. East of there, another PDS tornado watch was issued for northwestern Alabama, northern Mississippi, and West and Middle Tennessee, in advance of isolated tornadic supercells that were moving eastward into the area and where more tornadic supercells were expected to develop.

Video of the tornado that caused the collapse of the Apollo Theatre of Belvidere, Illinois

After dark, despite the absence of daylight heating, strong wind shear continued to support the squall line over northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. This led to widespread wind damage and several weak tornado touchdowns in the Chicago metropolitan area. This included a long-tracked EF1 tornado that struck the historic Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, during a Morbid Angel and Crypta concert, causing a collapse of the venue's roof, killing one person and injuring at least 40 others. Additionally, an organizing cluster of severe storms with embedded supercells orientated from southwest to northeast continued to produce tornadoes, some of which were strong, as they moved northeastward through eastern Illinois into western Indiana. Another deadly high-end EF3 tornado spawned from a rogue supercell ahead of an advancing squall line in eastern Illinois and prompted yet another tornado emergency as it passed near Robinson, Illinois, before crossing into Indiana and striking the southern part of Sullivan, Indiana, causing damaging or destroying homes and mobile homes along its track. The squall line and lone supercell continued to produce mostly short-lived tornadoes as it moved through Indiana and into Ohio, although several of these tornadoes were strong to intense. This included another EF3 tornado that killed two people and injured two others on and east of McCormick's Creek State Park, and two more EF3 tornadoes that impacted Whiteland and areas east of Gas City respectively. Farther to the south, isolated supercells continued to move eastward, producing sporadic instances of severe weather. One intense supercell spawned two strong EF2 tornadoes that impacted Hardeman County and Bethel Springs, Tennessee, respectively. Later that evening, another isolated, intense supercell following along a similar track as the previous one produced a destructive, long-tracked EF3 tornado that also impacted Bethel Springs, as well as the northern part of Adamsville and Hookers Bend. This became the deadliest and longest-tracked tornado of the outbreak, killing nine people along a path of just over 85 miles (137 km).

Tornado summary

As the EF3 Wynne tornado was occluding and dissipating, the same storm produced this very large, intense tornado that initially touched along SR 178 north of Munford in Tipton County and moved northeastward, damaging some fences, outbuildings, and small tree limbs at EF0 strength. It briefly reached EF1 strength, snapping and uprooting trees along Walker Field Lane before quickly weakening back to EF0 strength, snapping tree branches and inflicting minor roof damage to multiple homes in a subdivision. Shortly afterwards, the tornado began to rapidly intensify and grow in width, snapping multiple trees and power poles along Marshall Road at EF1 to EF2 intensity. The tornado then reached EF3 strength just northwest of Brighton, inflicting severe structural damage to a couple of well-built homes along Myron Creek Drive, one of which was left with only a few interior walls standing. The outer edge of the circulation impacted the north side of Brighton, where minor roof and tree damage occurred. As the tornado crossed Indian Creek Road and Jack Bennett Road, EF2 to EF3 damage occurred as multiple homes had their roofs torn off, a few had exterior walls collapsed, and one unanchored block foundation home was completely swept away, resulting in a fatality and an injury. It then reached and crossed US 51/SR 3 at EF3 intensity, growing to over one half-mile wide. Several homes were destroyed and left with only interior walls standing, and one poorly anchored home was leveled. Large trees were snapped and partially debarked nearby, and vehicles were tossed and destroyed. Other homes in this area suffered significant damage, and several businesses along US 51 were heavily damaged as well. A total of 53 power poles had to be replaced along the highway after the tornado. The National Weather Service in Memphis, Tennessee, then issued a tornado emergency for Covington as the tornado approached the town from the south-southwest.

NEXRAD radar scan of the Covington, Tennessee EF3 tornado.

Maintaining EF3 strength, the tornado then turned slightly more eastward and moved into the southern part of Covington. Dozens of homes were heavily damaged or destroyed in this area, especially in the Baskin subdivision along Old Memphis Road, including one poorly anchored home that was swept away with only its concrete slab foundation left behind. Businesses along SR 59 and SR 384 were significantly damaged, some mobile homes were completely destroyed, a metal electrical truss tower and metal power poles were bent to the ground, and a piece of farming equipment was thrown 150 yards (140 m). The tornado then moved through a mostly industrial area and struck a few large warehouses and factory buildings, including Mueller Fittings and Welbilt, which sustained collapse of their roofs and multiple exterior walls. Crestview Middle School and Crestview Elementary School had severe structural damage as well, with the latter building sustaining destruction of its gymnasium and collapse of multiple walls. In addition, a gas station was destroyed and a metal dumpster was thrown 1,200 feet (370 m) from that location. EF2 to EF3 damage continued to occur as the tornado exited Covington, crossing SR 179 and SR 54. More large metal power poles were bent to the ground and several homes suffered substantial damage, including one home that was completely flattened, resulting in two serious injuries. Continuing to turn more easterly, the tornado grew to over a mile wide and maintained EF3 intensity as it crossed Locust Bluff Road. Several large steel transmission poles were blown over at this location, and a home had major roof damage.

Shortly afterwards, the tornado remained large but abruptly weakened as it approached Haywood County, moving along the north side of SR 54 at EF1 strength. Damage in this area consisted almost entirely of downed trees and power poles, along with several pivot irrigation sprinklers that were overturned and twisted, though a mobile home sustained minor damage as well. After crossing the county line, the tornado continued producing EF1 damage as it began to rapidly narrow in width and turned back northeastward, causing considerable tree damage. A poorly anchored mobile home along SR 87 was destroyed, and a nearby church had roofing torn off. The tornado then weakened to EF0 strength, causing minor tree and power line damage as it crossed over SR 19

EF3 damage caused by the tornado

and passed north of Brownsville. A final isolated pocket of EF1 tree damage occurred as the tornado crossed SR 54 northeast of town, snapping a few tree trunks. Some EF0 damage to tree limbs occurred as the tornado crossed Sturdivant Road before dissipating. The tornado remained on the ground for 39.53 miles (63.62 km) and reached a peak width of 2,000 yards (1,800 m). Along with the fatality, 28 people were injured.

Aftermath

Following the tornado, nearly 700 volunteers in Tipton County assisted in recovery operations following this and the Wynne tornado, of which 545 participated in debris cleanup.