Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Heavy snow and largest Christmas tornado outbreak on record slam U.S.

Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 7:33 PM GMT on December 26, 2012

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The most impressive U.S. December snowstorm in two years is powering across the eastern third of the country today, bringing blizzard conditions to Indiana and Ohio and severe thunderstorms to eastern North Carolina. The 28 preliminary tornadoes that touched down yesterday will likely put December 25, 2012 in first place for largest Christmas tornado outbreak in U.S. history. Fortunately, the tornadoes are not being blamed for any deaths, though strong thunderstorm winds have killed two people due to falling trees. Dozens of people have been injured due to the severe weather--25 in Mississippi alone. The parent storm has dumped more than 8 inches of snow in six states--Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. According to the latest NWS Storm Summary, the greatest snowfall so far has been at Morrilton, Arkansas, where 13.5" has fallen. Tornado watches are posted today in Eastern North Carolina, where NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has indicated a "Slight Risk" of severe weather exists. This is one level of alert below the "Moderate Risk" of severe weather that existed on Christmas Day for Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. As of 2 pm EST on December 26, no tornadoes had been reported for the day, though several tornado warnings had been issued for North Carolina.

Figure 1. Winter Storm Euclid at 1:25 pm EST Wednesday, December 26, 2012. Image credit: NASA/GSFC.

Figure 2. Preliminary storm reports from Christmas Day, 2012, from NOAA's Storm Prediction Center show as many as 28 tornado reports.

History of Christmas-time tornado outbreaks
Serious tornado outbreaks in the winter are uncommon, particularly so during Christmas. According to the Tornado History Project there have been eight Christmases since 1950 with tornadoes. The most recent Christmas with tornadoes was in 2006, when six twisters touched down in Florida and Georgia. The most tornadoes ever recorded on Christmas Day was twelve, back in 1969. With 28 preliminary tornadoes reported yesterday, it appears very likely that December 25, 2012 will rank in first place for most tornadoes ever recorded on Christmas Day. It is possible that the tornado that hit Maxie, MS yesterday will be rated an EF-3, tying it for strongest Christmas tornado on record. The strongest Christmas tornadoes on record were F-3s that occurred in 1964 and 1969.

Video 1. A tornado is caught on video from the top of a Holiday Inn crossing through Mobile, Alabama on December 25, 2012. Preliminary NWS damage surveys have rated this at least an EF-1 tornado. Here is another YouTube video of the Mobile tornado.

Wunderground meteorologists Angela Fritz and Shaun Tanner are also blogging on this impressive storm, and have more info on the history of Christmas-time tornado outbreaks.

Jeff Masters

White Out (docshovel39)

Less than a week after a severe dust storm hit this area , a pretty strong winter storm hit . From 'Brown Out' to 'White Out'.

A Snowy Morning (WeatherRose)

Christmas Sunset (wildernessgirl)

After the storm

Categories: Winter Weather Tornado

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251. Tazmanian 3:43 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
Quoting GeorgiaStormz: Move that low southwest into the gulf and deepen it a lot please! I WANT SNOW!: you cant have it its mine snow Member Since: May 21, 2006 Posts: 5088 Comments: 111359

252. GeorgiaStormz 3:44 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
Member Since: February 11, 2012 Posts: 0 Comments: 7165

253. pcola57 3:45 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
Stumble Upon Current Jet Stream Member Since: August 13, 2009 Posts: 13 Comments: 3843

254. washingtonian115 3:48 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
I'm hearing from local mets that we could see some pretty good snow Saturday.I'm hoping!.BTW it feels as though a tropical storm is hitting us right now.Those winds are howling right now.I recorded a gust of 45mph in the last 20 minutes. Member Since: August 14, 2010 Posts: 5 Comments: 10665

255. GeorgiaStormz 3:51 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
Quoting pcola57: Suface Wind Current Jet Stream the windmap isnt the real one, its just an image they have on that page as an example. There currently is no southerly jet over the Eastern US or large low in TX Member Since: February 11, 2012 Posts: 0 Comments: 7165

256. Luisport 3:53 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
Quoting TropicalAnalystwx13: ECMWF has a decent snowstorm for the coastal Northeast. Widespread half a foot totals across New Jersey would occur with this, with isolated locations picking up over a foot. This one is better http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/data/satellite/goes _ecan_1070_100.jpg Member Since: October 27, 2012 Posts: 0 Comments: 1322

257. GeorgiaStormz 3:55 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
AS THE SURFACE CYCLONE DEVELOPS IN THE WESTERN GOMEX...OVERRUNNING PRECIPITATION WILL SPREAD FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY ON FRIDAY AS THE MID AND UPPER LEVEL JET CARVES INTO THE REGION. THE HEAVIEST AND MOST WIDESPREAD RAINFALL DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY SHOULD BE WEST OF INTERSTATE 65...WITH PRECIPITATION RAPIDLY COATING THE ENTIRE CWFA FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE SURFACE LOW SLIDES TOWARD CENTRAL ALABAMA. FORECASTING SOUNDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD BE LARGELY LIQUID FOR THE DURATION OF THE EVENT...HOWEVER...CANNOT COMPLETELY DISCOUNT THE POSSIBILITY OF A SMALL AMOUNT OF SLEET MIXING IN AT THE ONSET OF PRECIPITATION GIVEN THE DRY AIR IN THE LOWER LEVELS. AS THE BASE OF THE H5 TROUGH SLIDES THROUGH THE CWFA AROUND MIDDAY SATURDAY AND BRINGS COOLER PROFILES TO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY...MAY SEE A FEW FLAKES MIX INTO THE LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS FOR AREAS NORTH OF THE TENNESSEE RIVER...BUT CHANCES ARE TOO LOW TO INCLUDE ATTM. all light sleet, light flurries, lotta rain, and no snow Member Since: February 11, 2012 Posts: 0 Comments: 7165

258. washingtonian115 3:59 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
So how much snow would D.C get from this storm on Saturday according to the ECWMF? Member Since: August 14, 2010 Posts: 5 Comments: 10665

259. GeorgiaStormz 4:00 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
Typical winter down here, snow eludes, while cold rains fall: OFTEN TIMES SPLIT FLOW PATTERNS IN WINTER CAN DELIVER OUR REGION WINTRY WEATHER RISKS...BUT I HAVE SEEN NO MODEL SOLUTIONS THAT SHOW ANYTHING WORSE THAN A VERY COLD RAIN AT TIMES. Member Since: February 11, 2012 Posts: 0 Comments: 7165

260. WunderAlertBot (Admin) 4:04 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
JeffMasters has created a new entry.

261. LargoFl 4:05 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
Quoting kanshadow: Actually, the temps were in the mid-40s overnight & earlier this morning here on Long Island; we only got a few snow/sleetflakes early yesterday from the storm, and the rest has all been rain. ok TY for the update, good thing no one was injured.. Member Since: August 6, 2011 Posts: 0 Comments: 22426

262. pcola57 4:05 PM GMT on December 27, 2012
Member Since: August 13, 2009 Posts: 13 Comments: 3843

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