Summary[]
The 2023 Dixie Alley outbreak was one of the worst in the area's history, with over 357 people losing their lives. It affected the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia. It had lasted 4 days from May 10th through May 14th with an estimated total of 127 tornadoes over the 4 states, with the most powerful being the Atlanta EF-5. It had estimated wind speeds of up to 260 MPH. This tornado caused extensive damage throughout the suburbs and damaged or destroyed 2,562 buildings. The estimated cost of damage was $5.9 Billion dollars, making it one of the costliest tornadoes in history. It had claimed the lives of 147 people, making it one of the deadliest ever.
Meteorological Synopsis:[]
A huge decrease in wind sheer along with a low pressure system coming from the Midwest set up the perfect environment for severe storm development in those areas. On May 8th, the Storm Prediction Center issued an Enhanced risk of severe weather stretching from Georgia into a small part of Kentucky with a 10% of powerful storms. However, the next day they increased it to a High risk with a 40% chance of storms and moved the area out of Kentucky. On May 10th, the day of the outbreak, they now had changed to a 55% chance of severe storms. At 6:40 Am, the first round of storms developed in Arkansas, strengthening in Tennessee and Alabama. They reported the first Supercell at 7:10 Am, over the small town of Alburg, Alabama. About 5 minutes later, Doppler indicated rotation, and the NWS issued a tornado warning at 7:16 AM. Over the next 4 days, over 324 tornadoes were reported, with about 302 of them being confirmed. They confirmed 5 EF-5's placing it above the 2011 Super Outbreak.
| Confirmed Total |
Confirmed EF0 |
Confirmed EF1 |
Confirmed EF2 |
Confirmed EF3 |
Confirmed EF4 |
Confirmed EF5 |
| 296 | 112 | 79 | 53 | 34 | 13 | 5 |
Notable Tornadoes:[]
Nashville: EF -2[]
This was the first deadly tornado of the outbreak, killing three people. The tornado was approximately 98 Yards wide with an estimated wind speed of 130 MPH. It started out over Western Nashville as a funnel cloud, causing minor damage to trees and cars. Once it touched down, the tornado ripped off part of the roof's of 18 homes in the Clearwater Neighborhood. It flipped a car 8 feet down the street and overturned an additional 4 cars. It ripped up a tree and tossed it into a home, causing the death of two people, however the tree had been rotting out and therefore had substantially weakened. The tornado was on the ground for another 4 minutes, and towards the end weakened into a strong EF-1 with 108 MPH wind speeds. Along the way it picked up a moving car, throwing it 12 feet, killing the driver. Overall, the tornado damaged 55 homes and 37 vehicles causing 8 injuries, and 13 Million in damages.
Birmingham EF-5[]
This tornado was first spotted in a field outside of Birmingham, Alabama, on May 10th at 6 AM. It was around 1440 yds or 4320 Ft wide. It first struck a barn, ripping it into pieces and tossing a tractor 200 Feet away, ripping its frame off. It then struck 2 homes, sweeping them away and breaking the foundation of one in half. A truck was supposedly carried 3 miles, but it never ended up being confirmed. The tornado eventually moved into Birmingham, first hitting the Townshend Apartments, leveling two and severely damaging the other 3. It tossed cars hundreds of feet, and ripped them off their frame. 24 people perished as the buildings collapsed on them. It then hit a Walmart, shredding the building and bending a piece of steel, 280 degrees. It threw trucks around, and it sucked away people inside, which resulted in 42 fatalities. The tornado moved into downtown, leveling homes and hit a dealership, destroying all the cars on the lot and making them into missiles. A semi was lofted over 1 mile away into an office building, damaging it and killing three. The tornado moved onto I-20 and chucked unsuspecting cars into the air. The tornado had become rain wrapped, making it even more dangerous, but fortunately, it died soon after hitting I-20. It costed a total amount of 2.9 Billion and killed 72 people. It scorched the ground up to 4 feet deep and ripped asphalt off the surface. It was one of the deadliest tornadoes of the outbreak.
Atlanta EF-5[]
The same storm that produced the Birmingham EF-5 also produced this monster. At around 11:30 AM, a strong Hook Echo appeared on Doppler Radar. They issued a tornado warning as storm spotters saw a multi vortex funnel touching down over Longdale Estates. It was around a Mile wide. The tornado was ripping up homes and even some foundations. However, this was because of the houses being built in the 70s and barely at all to tornadoes. They spotted a sister tornado 1 mile away, however it only caused minor damage. As the Ef-5 was moving throughout the suburbs, it hit the local paper factory. It lofted the machines over a mile and workers were being crushed by the debris. Cars were picked up and ripped off their frame. It then shifted and smashed directly into the hospital. Most inside were killed instantly as the building collapsed on them. 156 people were inside and 87 of them died most from injuries. It then moved on and hit the airport. It chucked a Boeing 747 200 feet into a terminal, causing massive damage and a fire to ignite. It ripped up other planes and thrown around. It hit the ATC resulting in it collapsing and being torn to pieces. The tornado shifted and missed downtown but caused damage from debris being thrown there. The tornado hit a power-plant causing a massive explosion which generated enough heat to weaken the tornado until it dissipated just 30 seconds after. Overall, 147 people perished and 5.9 Billion was done in damages, making it one of the costliest tornadoes in history. They estimated the wind speed at 260 MPH.
Tennessee EF-5[]
At around 9 AM on May 12th, a super-cell produced a weak tornado. It damaged fences and knocked down 3 power lines before dissipating just 1 minute after it touched down. About 10 minutes later, storm chasers spotted a bigger funnel. This one was 2/4 of a mile wide and stronger. It touched down about 4 miles out of Hackleburg, a small town with 2060 residents. on the way, it destroyed a barn and two grain silos along with the farmhouse being taken completely off the foundation. It clipped the town and destroyed 8 homes and severely damaged another 25. One home had the foundation flipped onto itself and it ripped another house nearby in half. It moved on, destroying more farms and throwing a car 4 miles away, which had smashed into a barn. The tornado moved closer to a small town of 500 people called Berryville. It struck it directly, destroying everything in the town. It leveled the abandoned factory and left nothing of the town afterwards. It moved along, striking a small turnpike. It had been on the ground now for 45 minutes and was not stopping. It demolished a rest stop, sending 5 semi's and their trailers flying onto the interstate nearby. It Tore a 2 foot deep gash in the ground and smashed two gas stations and a McDonald's. They were all completely gone, except for a piece of the menu at the McDonald's. The tornado, however, had weakened into an EF-3 and hit a trailer park outside of Watertown. It destroyed the mobile homes, killing 9 stuck inside. It soon lifted but touched down again as an Ef-1, flipping a car and ripping a chunk of roof off a barn before dissipating forever. It killed 12 people and injured 23 others. It cost 836 Million in damages and had wind speeds of 255 MPH.
Mississppi EF-5[]
Just south of Ortonville, a multi-vortex funnel cloud was spotted. They issued a tornado warning for the whole county and when the tornado touched down; it ripped trees to shreds and debarked most of them. It hit its first house, an abandoned farmhouse, and swept it away. It lifted an old tractor and lobbed it, causing it to fly 4 miles. It continued along, ripping up power lines and shredding a small gas station. Unfortunately, the tornado was rain wrapped as it entered the border of Yongdale. It hit the town, leveling a Target and smashing into the nearby neighborhood. Homes at their foundation cracked, and the nearby Middle-school had a car twisted 360 degrees around a tree nearby. It leveled the school, however the tornado lifted before entering the Sunnylove Neighborhood. Due to it being rain wrapped, 45 people died overall with 44 of them being in Yongdale. The estimated wind speed was 257 MPH, and it cost 1.1 Billion in damages.
Jackson, GA EF-5[]
At 5 Am on May 14th, a Strong rotation appeared on radar outside of Jackson. A tornado warning was quickly put out as the first reports of the 1.5 mile wide beast on the ground came in. It veered right at Jackson and struck a small storage facility, chucking cars and trucks hundreds of feet and sweeping the building away. It made its way through its first neighborhood, destroying anything in its way. It hit The Local Air Force base head on and threw a jet 5 miles away. It reportedly lifted a tank and thrown 50 feet away, and it shredded any helicopters in its path. It then hit a police station, ripping one frame clean off a car and twisting it around a pole. As it moved on, it weakened a little because of an increase in sheer, however it only weakened slightly about to 230 MPH winds. An EF-1 had already damaged the next neighborhood, which made it easier for the tornado to flatten the entire community. It left the town, leaving a path of destruction and destroyed 4 more farms before lifting. It's rumoured over 100 people died, however they confirmed only 63 with over 300 injuries. Because of it hitting an Air Force Base, the total cost was 8.8 Billion, making it the costliest one of the group. This was the last EF-5 recorded in the outbreak.
Fairview EF-4[]
While it was only an EF-4, it was 2.5 miles wide tying it for second place in size. It first touched down in a rural community 14 miles outside of Fairview and leveled a house and tossed a car 200 Feet away. It debarked some trees and had a width of 2.2 miles once it entered Fairview. It's rumoured it increased to EF-5 strength as it cracked a foundation, but later, a survey concluded the foundation was already cracked before. It levelled homes and severely damaged a Walmart by Caving in the roof and destroying half of its wall before dissipating shortly after. It was on the ground for 33 minutes and did about 467 Million in damages to the area. 4 people lost their lives because of them trying to outrun the tornado in their car. They were picked up and smashed on the roof, rolling it 7 times. Many people think it should've been an EF-5, however max wind speeds were only 192 MPH.