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2020 Monroe tornado

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2020 Monroe tornado
A yellow and damaged house with few walls and furniture standing
A damaged house in Monroe after the tornado.
Meteorological history
FormedApril 12, 2020, 11:36 a.m. CST
DissipatedApril 12, 2020, 11:45 a.m. CST
EF3 tornado
on the Enhanced Fujita scale
Path length8.01 miles (12.89 km)
Highest winds140 mph (230 km/h)
Overall effects
FatalitiesNone
InjuriesNone
Damage$250 million (2020 USD)
Areas affected
Monroe metropolitan area, Louisiana
[1]
Part of the 2020 Easter tornado outbreak and Tornadoes of 2020

During the late morning hours of April 12, 2020, a short-lived but damaging tornado struck Monroe, Louisiana, as part of a historic tornado outbreak. The tornado touched down at 10:36 CST (15:36 UTC) and dissipated nine minutes later at 10:45 CST (15:45 UTC). The tornado reached EF3 intensity on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with a total track length of 8.01 miles (12.89 kilometres) and a width of 300 yards (270 metres). It damaged numerous houses, mostly their roofs. The Ouachita Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness estimated a total of 458 houses were damaged by the storms, with the damage from the tornado that struck Monroe amounting to $250 million (2020 USD).[note 1]

Meteorological synopsis

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Background

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A satellite image showing a storm hovering over the Southeastern United States
Satellite image of the 2020 Easter tornado outbreak over the Southeastern United States at 21:56 UTC on April 12, 2020, as imaged by the GOES-16 satellite

In March and April, an expansive area of high pressure expanded across the Southeast United States,[2] causing warm temperatures in many areas in the United States,[3] with calm weather due to the high-pressure area inducing rapid warming of the Gulf of Mexico waters to high values.[2][4] Increased instability and different weather from the Gulf of Mexico led to higher risk of tornado activity.[5] On April 1, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) outlined a "marginal," level 1-out-of-5 risk for severe weather in its day 3 weather outlook for eastern Louisiana and most of the central United States.[6] Several days before the tornado, the SPC noted a possible severe weather event within Louisiana and Mississippi. Through April 11 and 12, warm air rushed through East Texas, North Louisiana, and Southern Arkansas, associated with a warm front and an upper-level low, which produced multiple rain showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms were severe, containing strong winds and hail. These storms amounted to a total of nine tornadoes across Louisiana.[1][7] At 16:30 UTC, most of Mississippi and Alabama had a 15% chance for tornado formation.[8] At approximately 11:00 CDT (17:00 UTC), these storms were moving Northeast, approaching the Ouachita Parish. From these conditions, the Monroe tornado formed.[1][7] The SPC outlined a "moderate" level 4-out-of-5 for most of Louisiana and Alabama in its Day 2 Outlook on April 11.[9] Before the Monroe tornado, 10 other tornadoes happened on April 12 in Louisiana, seven rated as EF1, one rated EF2, and two rated EF3.[1]

Tornado summary

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The 105th tornado watch of 2020, published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In Louisiana, specifically Monroe, NOAA noted the possibility of a tornado formation in 5:50 a.m., April 12, 2020. The storm was predicted to advance towards Monroe.

On April 12, 2020, at 10:36 CST (15:36 UTC), the tornado touched down between Fern Street and Brown Street within Brownsville-Bawcomville, Louisiana. Just after it touched down, it snapped hundreds of trees around the Brownsville-Bawcomville area at EF1 intensity. Some of the remains of the trees then fell onto homes. The tornado crossed Sandal Street, where EF1-intensity damage to homes and a tipped trailer were found, and it then crossed LA 34 and blew a conveyor belt onto a train at the Graphic Packaging International Paper Mill. Two minutes after its formation, it briefly strengthened to EF2 intensity, snapping wooden power poles before weakening back to EF1 strength. It crossed the Ouachita River twice, where it again reached EF1 strength before turning sharply to the Northeast, strengthening to EF2 intensity over Riverbend Drive. It then crossed the river again before avoiding Downtown Monroe by a mile, crossing South Grand Street. Past the Ouachita River, the tornado broke multiple trees and ripped off a roof from a home at EF1 intensity. It also inflicted minor damage to the Masur Museum of Art before damaging the roofs of homes inside Monroe, and it damaged a structure and tipped multiple poles at EF1 intensity as well. It then crossed over I-20 at the US 165 interchange and then crossed Milhaven Road.[1][10] The peak intensity of the tornado occurred at Orchid Drive, where the tornado caused the collapse of both interior and exterior walls in a residential single-story house at EF3 intensity;[11][10] three roofs were damaged, with one home partially damaged. Shortly after, it intensified back to EF2 strength. The tornado then went near Monroe Regional Airport, where it destroyed a hangar at EF2 intensity, and it then dissipated at 10:45 CST (10:45 UTC), the same day, with a total duration of nine minutes. It had an intensity of EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with a track length of 8.01 mi (12.89 km) and a width of 300 yd (270 m).[1][10] Just after the tornado's dissipation, at 11:44 CST (16:44 UTC), a tornado emergency was declared over Monroe and Northeast Ouachita Parish.[7][10]

Impact

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A beige house with only few walls standing
The tornado's effects in a residential home on Milhaven Road
A collapsed airport hangar with a couple planes scattered above it
The tornado approached the Monroe Regional Airport, heavily damaging airplanes and completely destroying the hangar

Estimates from the Ouachita Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness showed that a total of 458 homes were affected from a combination of at least two other tornadoes. From these, twenty-three homes were totally damaged, 108 had major damage, 243 had minor damage, and another 84 homes were barely affected.[1] Of these, 20 houses were destroyed in Monroe's Sunflower Subdivision.[12] Mayor Jamie Mayo gave an estimate of 200 to 300 houses destroyed, but no fatalities were reported.[13] Seven distribution lines were damaged, with $25-30 million defaced from the airport alone,[1] along with a few cancelled flights.[14][15] An estimated 25,600 residents had no electricity with 260 poles, 600 spans of wire, and 75 transformers being damaged due to the tornado.[16] Gas leaks were also reported in multiple neighborhoods.[17]

Aftermath and response

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At 14:30 CST (19:30 UTC) on April 12, police officers and rescuers checked on resident's houses to see if they were okay, and the city secured two hundred hotel rooms to house the people that were affected by the severe weather.[18] On Twitter, Mayo posted: "By the grace of God, early reports show only a few minor injuries. Pray for our city!"[14] He announced that people should not touch the downed power lines, adding that they already had emergency aid.[19] Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards published a statement on Twitter, stating: "The images and reports of major tornado damage in the Monroe area are heartbreaking, and my prayers are with the people there. We are in contact with local officials in the area to provide support."[18]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ All amounts of money are in 2020 USD unless stated otherwise.

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Storm Events Database - Event Details". National Climatic Data Center-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Summerlike Heat Will Set Record-High Temperatures in Parts of the South Into This Weekend". The Weather Channel. March 23, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  3. ↑ Bob Henson (April 8, 2020). "U.S. Stays on a Warm, Mostly Wet Track in March". Weather Underground. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  4. ↑ Bob Henson (April 12, 2020). "Severe Outbreak to Rip from Texas to Mid-Atlantic Sunday into Monday". Weather Underground. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  5. ↑ Matthew Cappucci (March 31, 2020). "Abnormally warm Gulf of Mexico could intensify the upcoming tornado and hurricane seasons". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Storm Prediction Center Apr 1, 2020 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. April 1, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 Wheeler, Don (April 12, 2024). "Easter Sunday Tornado Outbreak 4/12/2020" (PDF). Bayou State Weather.
  8. ↑ "Apr 12, 2020 1630 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. April 12, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Storm Prediction Center Apr 11, 2020 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. April 11, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Damage Assessment Toolkit". Damage Assessment Toolkit by NOAA. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
  11. ↑ Murphy, Todd A.; Stetzer, Tessa M.; Walker, Lauren; Fricker, Tyler; Bryant, Brad; Woodrum, Charles, eds. (September 13, 2021). "Analysis of the 12 April 2020 Northern Louisiana Tornadic QLCS" (PDF). Journal of Operational Meteorology. 10 (4).
  12. ↑ "Report: Tornado touches down in Monroe, causing damage to homes, buildings, airport". NOLA.com. April 12, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  13. ↑ Chinchar, Allison (April 12, 2020). "Deadly tornadoes in the South cause 'catastrophic' damage". CNN. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  14. 1 2 Neuman, Scott (April 13, 2020). "Easter Tornadoes Kill At Least 6, Cause Damage In Several Southern States". NPR. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  15. ↑ Pettus, Emily Wagster. "Easter storms sweep South, killing at least 20 people". Phys.org. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  16. ↑ Mott, Ashley. "What we know about damage done by an Easter tornado and plans for recovery in Monroe". Motorsports Wire. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  17. ↑ Leader, Barbara; Hilburn, Greg; Mott, Ashley (April 12, 2020). "Ouachita Parish homes 'leveled', airport closed: Officials describe tornado damage". The News-Star. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
  18. 1 2 "Storms Turn Deadly in Mississippi; At Least 300 Homes Damaged or Destroyed in Louisiana". The Weather Channel. April 12, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Photos, video show tornado damage in Monroe, Louisiana". WVTM-13. April 12, 2020. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
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