Frente Al Tornado (2021)
This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2021. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Argentina, 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, Australia and New Zealand. Tornadic events are often accompanied by other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail.
Frente Al Tornado (2021)
There were 1,377 preliminary filtered reported tornadoes,[1][2] and 1,313 confirmed tornadoes in the United States in 2021. Worldwide, 150 tornado-related deaths were confirmed with 103 in the United States, 28 in China, six in the Czech Republic, four in Russia, three in Italy, two in India, and one each in Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Turkey. The year started well below average with the lowest amount of tornado reports through the first two months in the past 16 years and remained below-average for most of the year due to inactivity during April, June, September, and November.[3][4] Despite this, several intense outbreaks occurred in March, May, July, August, and October. The year ended on a destructive note, however, as December was incredibly active, more than doubling the previous record, which pushed 2021 above average. Additionally, 2021 had the most tornado fatalities in the United States since 2011.[5]
A tornado touched down in Slangit Village within the Cirebon Regency, flattening three small houses, and destroying or heavily damaging eight others. The tornado also downed several trees, some of which landed on houses and caused minor damage.[31]
Following a period of inactivity, the Storm Prediction Center issued a slight risk for severe weather for a broad area in northwest Alabama, northeast Mississippi, and southern Tennessee on January 25. This included a 5% risk for tornadoes.[32] Isolated to scattered severe weather occurred throughout the afternoon into the evening, including an EF0 tornado that caused some tree damage in Fayette County, Tennessee.[33][34] Later that evening, an isolated severe storm developed in Central Mississippi near Interstate 55. The storm then tracked northeastward into Alabama, approaching the northern Birmingham metro area by 10:20 p.m. (04:20 UTC), exhibiting consistent, but broad, rotation. At 10:40 p.m. (04:40 UTC), the storm unexpectedly produced an intense and destructive tornado that struck the suburbs of Fultondale and Center Point. Significant structural damage occurred in Fultondale, with numerous homes, vehicles, and businesses being severely damaged or destroyed. A Hampton Inn sustained major structural damage, and Fultondale High School was significantly damaged as well. Considerable damage to homes and trees was also noted farther to the northeast in Center Point along the 10.4-mile (16.7 km) long damage path, which was up to 900 yards (820 m) wide. The tornado, which was rated mid-range EF3 with maximum winds of up to 150 mph (240 km/h), killed one person and injured at least 30 others.[35][36]
After no tornadic activity on January 26, two weak EF1 tornadoes touched down southwest of Tallahassee, Florida the next day.[37][38] The second of the two tornadoes caused damage to the Tallahassee International Airport and narrowly missed the National Weather Service NEXRAD radar site at the airport, although functionality of the radar was disabled for about an hour after the tornado struck the airport grounds due to communication issues. Several planes and structures were damaged, but no injuries were reported.[39] The tornado continued east, causing additional sporadic tree and property damage before lifting after tracking for 21.4 miles (34.4 km). It was given a rating of low-end EF1 based on tree damage in the employee lot of the airport.[40]
A brief, but strong F2 tornado touched down in Yildirim, Bursa Province, damaging at least 20 structures and killing one person. Industrial buildings were damaged, some significantly, and vehicles were flipped and damaged by the tornado as well, one of which was tossed onto the roof of a building. The fatality occurred when a man was struck by flying debris.[41][42]
On February 15, the Storm Prediction Center issued an Enhanced risk for severe weather. Multiple tornadoes, two of which were strong and destructive, struck the states of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. One supercell produced a tornado family of three tornadoes in the Florida Panhandle and Southwestern Georgia, with the final one being a large, strong EF2 tornado that caused major damage to homes and injured five people just outside of Damascus, Georgia. Around midnight, a destructive high-end EF3 tornado heavily damaged or destroyed dozens of homes in the Ocean Ridge Plantation subdivision near Sunset Beach, North Carolina. A community garden center and two homes were leveled at that location, one of which was swept completely away. A large metal building, several vehicles and RVs, and many trees sustained significant damage as well. Three fatalities and 10 injuries occurred as a result of this tornado. It was the deadliest tornado in Southeastern North Carolina since an F3 tornado killed eight in Riegelwood in November 2006. A total of six tornadoes were confirmed.[43][44][45]
On the morning of March 13, the Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk with severe weather outlook for the Texas Panhandle, including a 15% risk for strong tornadoes.[46] Multiple tornadoes touched down across the Panhandle, mainly areas between Lubbock and Amarillo and points eastward.[47][48][49][50] A large EF2 wedge tornado moved from southwest of Happy in Swisher County to east of Canyon in Randall County, toppling a cell tower, inflicting major roof damage to homes, and snapping trees and power poles. As the tornado dissipated, a new tornado, rated EF1, formed and moved into Armstrong County, passing over Palo Duro Canyon, where several RVs were tossed and a cabin had its roof blown off. A third tornado was spawned just northeast of the second one, also crossing from Randall County to Armstrong County and lifting near Washburn, just before crossing into Carson County. Another EF2 tornado caused minor damage in Clarendon before strengthening and causing major damage to power poles and a mobile home near the Greenbelt Lake Reservoir.[51] Farther to the north, an EF2 tornado moved through a rural area near Ensign, Kansas, snapping power poles and causing damage to grain bins and pivot irrigation sprinklers, although no tornado warning was issued for the storm. Several other tornadoes touched down very briefly and received ratings of EFU because they did not cause any damage. A total of 21 tornadoes were confirmed.[52]
Following isolated tornado activity on March 16, a rare high risk outlook was issued by the SPC for March 17 in Mississippi and Alabama, including a 45% risk area for tornadoes, the first of which since May 2019.[53] Forecasters noted the potential for violent, long-tracked tornadoes to occur in the risk area, though this did not occur. However, a few strong tornadoes did touch down and cause significant damage, though none exceeded EF2 intensity. The first tornado of the day touched down west of Waynesboro, Mississippi just after 12:00 p.m. CDT and caused EF2 damage to chicken houses and trees.[54] Other strong EF2 tornadoes caused damage in and around Silas, Billingsley, and Burnsville, Alabama.[54] More severe weather occurred on March 18 along the Atlantic coast from Florida to Southern Maryland, and a moderate risk was issued from Eastern Georgia to North Central North Carolina on March 17.[55] The moderate risk was downgraded to enhanced on March 18 due to a lack of buoyancy in the atmosphere, but numerous strong to severe thunderstorms still tracked through the area during the afternoon.[56][57] Several more tornadoes were confirmed before the storms moved offshore that evening. Overall, this outbreak produced 51 tornadoes and no fatalities.[57]
A strong multi-vortex tornado hit Cimenyan in the Bandung Regency, causing significant damage to several homes, businesses, and many trees, injuring eight people. Reports indicate that the tornado was spawned by a circulation embedded within a line of severe thunderstorms.[67][68][69][70][71]
A narrow tornado touched down in Sumenep Regency, causing damage in and around the village of Pinggir Papas in the Kalianget District. Three people were injured by the tornado, which damaged 18 houses.[72]
Scattered tornado activity occurred in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Iowa from April 7 into the early morning hours of April 8, with 12 tornadoes being confirmed. An EF0 tornado in southwestern Cedar Rapids, Iowa caused minor injuries to one person from glass after their bedroom window was blown in, while an EF1 tornado injured another person in Bastrop, Louisiana.[73] More scattered severe weather occurred during the afternoon of April 8 and four more tornadoes were confirmed across the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. An EF0 tornado damaged Pleasant Hill Elementary School and a nearby nursing home in Pleasant Hill in Cumberland County, while three tornadoes, including two rated EF2, caused heavy damage in the Norma and Straight Fork communities in Scott County. Several homes sustained heavy damage, including a double-wide mobile home which was destroyed.[74][75] Damage totaled to at least $515 million.[76]
Several rounds of intense severe thunderstorms brought significant damaging winds, very large hail, and several tornadoes primarily across the Southern United States from April 9 into the evening of April 11.[78] April 9 started with several clusters of multi-cells, supercells, and bowing segments across much of the Deep South. Strong straight-line thunderstorm winds in Shreveport, Louisiana toppled a tree onto a mobile home around 6:30 p.m. (23:30 UTC), resulting in a fatality.[79] Several large hail-producing supercells then formed and moved through areas from Oklahoma to North Texas before merging into a large squall line and surging southeastward into Arkansas and Louisiana, producing widespread wind damage. Meanwhile, several tornado-producing supercells formed ahead of the line. A weak EF0 tornado was recorded by several storm spotters near Pelahatchie, Mississippi, causing intermittent tree damage. Just after midnight on April 10, a large EF1 tornado ripped roofs off of sheds and carports and knocked down trees, including some that fell on homes, near Columbia, Mississippi. To the southwest, a low-end EF3 tornado tossed vehicles and damaged or destroyed several homes and mobile homes in the rural community of Waxia near Palmetto, Louisiana just after 2:00 a.m. CDT (07:00 UTC), resulting in one fatality and seven injuries.[80][81] Later that morning, the squall line produced multiple tornadoes in the Florida Panhandle. A strong tornadic waterspout came onshore in Laguna Beach, Florida, causing severe EF2 damage to a business and damaging several homes. Another tornadic waterspout struck Gulf Lagoon Beach, located at the southeastern edge of the Panama City Beach city limits and caused EF0 damage to beach furniture. In Lynn Haven, an EF1 tornado caused considerable damage to an automotive business.[82][83] That afternoon, isolated to widely scattered severe storms formed from the Great Lakes to the Carolinas, producing sporadic wind and hail damage as well as isolated tornadoes into the overnight hours. An EF1 tornado also caused damage to businesses and a radio tower, and flipped a car near Seneca, South Carolina.[83] A brief EF0 tornado damaged a few homes near Cutlerville, Michigan, and another EF0 tornado damaged a home near Reidville, South Carolina.[84][85] Early on April 11, another EF1 tornado caused damage to homes and outbuildings near Belvoir, North Carolina.[86] That afternoon, another squall line pushed southeastward down the entire Florida panhandle, producing mainly wind and hail damage, although a brief EF0 tornado that caused minor tree damage was confirmed near Eagle Lake.[87] Another non-tornadic fatality occurred near Spring Hill when a person got out of their car after it was struck by a fallen tree and was electrocuted when they came in contact with downed power lines.[88] Overall, the outbreak generated 20 tornadoes, resulting in one fatality. Two other non-tornadic deaths also occurred as a result of the severe weather. There was also at least $635 million in damage.[76] 041b061a72