Tornadoes of 2020 (HurricaneLucas4064)

This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2020. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Eastern India, but can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also develop occasionally in southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer and somewhat regularly at other times of the year across Europe, Asia, Argentina, and Australia. Tornadic events are often accompanied by other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail.

There have been TBA preliminary filtered reports of tornadoes in the United States in 2020, of which at least TBA have been confirmed. Worldwide, 12 tornado-related deaths have been confirmed; 3 in the United States, 9 in Brazil and TBD in ???.

United States
There was 173 reports of tornadoes in the U.S., however, only 121 were confirmed.

January
There was 38 reports of tornadoes in the US in the month of January, of which 34 were confirmed.

January 3
A small tornado outbreak occurred in Mississippi and Alabama in the morning hours of January 3. The first tornado was in the early morning in Noxapater, Mississippi. It was rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale and injured three people. The most significant tornado of the morning was an EF2 tornado produced by that same thunderstorm complex in Berry, Alabama. The tornado originated just east of Palmetto, Alabama and began to demonstrate characteristics of a large wedge multiple-vortex tornado. The tornado lifted just southwest of Oakman, Alabama after killing one person in Berry. Throughout the remainder of the morning, other EF0 and EF1 tornadoes were reported, causing minor impacts to the communities they affected.

January 18–19
Early on January 18, the Storm Prediction Center highlighted an enhanced risk of severe weather, with a 10% chance of developing tornadoes in parts of east Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The possibility of a few strong, long-tracked tornadoes was noted in the report. During the afternoon of January 18, a large, long-tracked multiple-vortex EF3 tornado touched down near Rodessa, Louisiana. Shortly after, a debris ball was clearly visible on radar and a tornado emergency was issued for northern Caddo Parish in Louisiana and Miller County in Arkansas. Many homes and businesses in the path of the half-mile wide tornado were severely damaged, particularly in Rodessa and Kiblah, Arkansas. The tornado dissipated before it crossed the Red River. Overall, the tornado injured at least ten people. That same supercell moved on and produced two EF2 tornadoes near Hadley Township, Arkansas and Leake Township, Arkansas. Other EF0 and EF1 tornadoes touched down throughout the remainder of January 18 and into the early morning hours of January 19.

January 31 (Spain)
A small tornado outbreak occurred late on January 31 in Spain. A squall line of severe thunderstorms swept through the western and central part of Spain, dropping four tornadoes, including two rated F2. One F2 tornado touched down in Guisando, Spain. It was relatively short lived and was a small tornado. Where there was damage, however, many homes and businesses were heavily damaged, as high-end F2 damage was recorded. A second F2 touched down in Valdefinjas, Spain. It was a stovepipe tornado that caused substantial damage in the areas hit. An F0 and an F1 were also spawned from the storm complex.

February
There were 73 reports of tornadoes in February, of which 40 were confirmed.

February 15–16
The Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk of severe weather on February 15 from southern Kansas into north-central Texas, including a 15% chance of tornadoes in that area. During the afternoon, several supercells developed across Oklahoma and north Texas. One of those supercells produced a large, long-tracked multiple-vortex EF4 tornado that impacted Seiling, Oklahoma, Cleo Springs, Oklahoma, and Helena, Oklahoma. Numerous homes and businesses were either excessively damaged or completely destroyed. The tornado killed two people in Seiling and injured countless. This was the first EF4+ tornado in Oklahoma since 2016. Multiple EF0 and EF1 tornadoes also touched down on the 15th. February 16th saw more tornadoes touch down from the same storm system. An enhanced risk of severe weather was issued by the Storm Prediction Center from southern Illinois and southern Indiana southward into western Tennessee. A large, long-tracked EF3 tornado impacted the communities of Calhoun, Utica, and Whitesville, Kentucky. Several buildings attained major damage. The worst of the damage occurred in Utica where close to 65% of the city had at least some form of damage. Other EF2 tornadoes impacted Mt. Vernon, Indiana, Balcom, Illinois, and Coldwater, Kentucky. EF0 and EF1 tornadoes touched down throughout the day, ending the outbreak.

February 26
A small tornado outbreak occurred in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina on February 26. The strongest tornado impacted Levy, South Carolina. It was a short-lived, but strong EF2 tornado that damaged many buildings in the community. A significant EF1 tornado touched down in Dyal, Florida and injured at least fifteen people. Other EF0 and EF1 tornadoes touched down in other parts of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina throughout the day.

March
There were 62 reports of tornadoes in March, of which 47 were confirmed.

March 9
A small, weak tornado outbreak played out in Virginia and Maryland. An high-end EF1 tornado impacted the communities of Brandywine and Dunkirk, Maryland. Substantial damage was documented in these areas. One person was reported to be killed by the storm. That same storm produced another strong EF1 tornado south of Cordova and Denton, Maryland. Damage was not as severe as the previous tornado, but damage was still quite major. Other EF1 tornadoes impacted Montross, Lanexa, and Poquoson, Virginia, causing decent amounts of damage. EF0 tornadoes also touched down in parts of Virginia and Maryland.

March 17 (Brazil)
Two tornadoes touched down in Brazil. The most notable one was an F3 tornado that ravaged through the towns of Palmital de Minas and Cabeceira Grande, just outside of Brasilia. The large tornado killed eight people in those cities and left hundreds of people injured. An F1 also touched down near Matutina, killing one person and injuring around twenty.

March 23
The Storm Prediction Center highlighted a moderate risk of severe weather across parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi for March 23. A large multiple-vortex tornado struck the city of Woodville, Mississippi. The tornado killed one person there. Many homes and businesses were severely damaged and some were even destroyed. A mile-wide, multiple-vortex tornado ripped through the town of Norphlet, Arkansas. Despite being rated only EF2, the storm packed a punch. It damaged numerous buildings in Norphlet and the surrounding areas and injured three. Another strong EF2 tornado encountered the southern part of the city of Brookhaven, Mississippi. The tornado was produced by the same storm that released the Woodville EF3 tornado. Major damage occurred where the tornado passed. The last decently significant EF2 tornado affected the community of Fort Necessity, Louisiana. Many structures near the town were heavily damaged. Other EF0 and EF1 tornadoes impacted communities in parts of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama.

April
There were ?? reports of tornadoes in April, of which ?? were confirmed.

April 4–7
A large tornado outbreak occurred from April 4 through the 7th.