Two Lives Lost in Florida Panhandle at Hands of Tornado

Posted: March 31, 2022 2:25 pm

March Could Be Record-breaking Month for Tornadic Activity

It was another deadly night of tornadoes in the nation’s southern tier, claiming the lives of at least two people. The intense weather system stretched for almost 800 miles positioned along the Gulf Coast in Louisiana up through southern Indiana.

Town in Florida Panhandle Hit

Two people were killed early Thursday morning when a twister hit the town of Alford in the Florida Panhandle, located to the west of Tallahassee. The tornado brought down power lines and trees and completely destroyed one home as it tore a path through Washington County.

Wednesday’s severe weather system brought about at least three confirmed tornado touchdowns and up to two dozen additional reports of twister sightings. By Thursday morning, over 180,000 customers were without power in an area that spread across five states.

Jackson, Mississippi Hit Hard

Some of the worst damage from this line of storms was reported in Jackson, Mississippi. A confirmed tornado touched down in this city late Wednesday evening, overturning mobile homes and tearing trees out by their roots. One home was decimated after a tree came down through the ceiling, allowing the heavy rain to come into the home and flood it out.

Members of the Mississippi State Department of Health were forced to seek shelter as the storms pushed into the capital city. In addition, the Mississippi Senate suspended its meetings on Wednesday as the severe weather closed in.

Elsewhere in the Region

Other areas impacted by Wednesday’s severe weather included Nashville. The Nashville fire department issued an alert warning the community that dangerous debris could become airborne as damaging winds whipped the city.

The strong winds were also a factor in Louisiana, turning over tractor-trailers and sending power lines to the ground. While no tornadoes have been confirmed in the state, the winds were enough to create significant danger throughout the day and into the overnight hours.

The storms got started early on Wednesday when an EF3 tornado hit the town of Springdale, Arkansas just before daybreak. The twister is responsible for injuring seven people. According to local officials, two of these injuries were deemed critical. The town’s elementary school also sustained significant damage.

Start of Things to Come

Severe weather season is in the air. It could end up being a record-breaking March after a slew of tornadoes over the last few weeks have been reported. Before Wednesday’s rash of storms, the month of March was closing in on breaking the record for the most tornado reports in history. According to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), there were 187 preliminary reports in the books for the month so far with one day left in March.

The tornadoes recorded on March 30 and any potential twisters on Thursday will add to this total, making it likely that the month will end up in the record books. Prior to Wednesday’s tornadic outbreak, March 2022 was in third place for being the most active on record.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the year in first place is 2017 with 192 confirmed tornadoes for the month. 2021 is second on the list with 191 reports.

When looked at overall for the year, there were 286 reported tornadoes prior to Wednesday’s outbreak. This number is chugging along ahead of the 17-year mean of 216, signaling that the U.S. is in store for a record-breaking year if the trend holds over the next few months entering the height of the season.

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