Tornadoes of 2005

Synopsis

The first half of 2005 was fairly slow when it comes to tornadoes. There were no major outbreaks in the first half of 2005, which is rather unusual. The inactivity in what is normally the peak months can be related to a stable low-pressure system that blocked the parade of storms from moving eastward.

The third quarter of 2005 was dominated by the tropics, and many of the tornadoes were related to the many hurricanes and tropical storms of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Several of the tornadoes were destructive.

November was clearly the most active month for tornado activity in the US, with four significant - and completely separate - tornado events, as the wind pattern shifted and the warm tropical Gulf of Mexico added fuel to the fire when cold fronts passed southward, initiating the development of tornado outbreaks. December was much quieter as colder Arctic air became entrenched and the cold fronts became far less active.

There were officially 1,265 tornadoes reported in the US in 2005.

January

There were 33 tornadoes reported in the US in January. A total of 30 tornadoes were confirmed.

January 13–14

A small outbreak of tornadoes occurred over a two-day period from the 13th to the 14th. On the 13th, an F1 tornado touched down near Arlington, Georgia and carried a small double wide trailer 35 feet before impacting the ground and disintegrating. Of the five people inside, two were killed and three were injured. In South Carolina, an F2 struck Laurens, where homes, businesses, and a factory were damaged. A mobile home was destroyed and one person was injured. On the 14th, an F2 near Rockwell, North Carolina snapped trees, flattened a barn, and heavily damaged two metal industrial buildings. Overall, the outbreak produced 13 tornadoes and killed 2 people.

January 28 (Southern Africa)

A storm produced strong winds, severe hail, and an F1 tornado in the southern Manzini and Shiselweni regions of Swaziland. Thirty people were killed, though it is unknown how many of these deaths are directly attributable to the tornado.

February

There were 10 tornadoes reported in the US in February. A total of 9 tornadoes were confirmed

February 21

Two tornadoes hit near Sacramento, California; one in the Natomas neighborhood and one between Southport and Woodland.

March

There were 163 tornadoes reported in the US in March.

March 21–22

A two-day tornado outbreak took place in late March 2005. The outbreak began on the 21st, producing 15 weak (F0 to F1) tornadoes across Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. The tornado activity on the following day was more significant. The Storm Prediction Center's (SPC) Day 1 Outlook at 8 am EST, Tuesday morning, March 22 showed a slight risk for severe weather across much of the Southeast U.S. A moderate risk covered northern Mississippi, most of Alabama, and southwest Georgia. The atmosphere was very favorable for tornadic supercells. The warm front was north of Tallahassee in southern Georgia. The center of low pressure was back in eastern Oklahoma with a trailing cold front extending down through Louisiana into the Gulf of Mexico. A high-end F2 passed southeast of Pansey, Alabama, destroying two homes and three barns. Numerous trees and power lines were downed, and several mobile homes were damaged as well. Four people near Pansey were injured and transported to a hospital. Another F2 tornado touched down in Seminole County, Georgia northwest of Donalsonville and moved northeast, destroying seven mobile homes and damaging 17 others. Many trees and power lines were downed, and a woman was killed when the tornado demolished her mobile home. The Donalsonville tornado continued into Miller County, Georgia, where it reached F3 intensity before dissipating near Colquitt. The tornado damaged nearly 100 homes and destroyed 25 others along its path, and downed numerous trees and power lines. The tornado also destroyed several storage buildings, a welding shop, a farrowing house, and an implement shed. Several irrigation pivots were damaged or destroyed as well. Aside from the fatality, the Donalsonville/Colquitt tornado injured 18 people, two critically. Later that evening, an F2 tornado struck the town of Screven, Georgia, where 56 homes, 12 businesses, 2 public buildings, and a church were damaged or destroyed. Despite the severity of the damage, no serious injuries or fatalities occurred in Screven. Two weak tornadoes (rated F1 and F0) also struck the Memphis suburb of Olive Branch, Mississippi, resulting in moderate damage and one injury. Overall, the outbreak resulted in 26 tornadoes and one fatality.

March 26–28

A large storm system inside a very moist and unstable airmass produced seven weak tornadoes in Mississippi and Louisiana.

April

There were 132 tornadoes reported in the US in April and 137 tornadoes confirmed.

April 5–7

A three-day tornado outbreak occurred in early April 2005. The outbreak began on the 5th, producing 15 weak tornadoes across Kansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. On the 6th, a significant outbreak of 23 tornadoes, some strong, occurred across the Southern United States. Mississippi sustained the most severe impacts. A large F3 passed near Monterey, Mississippi and destroyed or significantly damaged nearly 3 dozen homes, a dozen mobile homes, and caused 6 injuries. The tornado also damaged the new Brandon High School, which was under construction, and demolished several construction trailers as well. An F2 occurred in the Barto area and destroyed a church and a couple of mobile homes, damaged a number of houses and businesses, knocked down numerous trees, and injured two people. Further south, an F3 struck the town Mize. The top floor of the Attendance Center in Mize was almost completely taken off, and 3 portable classrooms were destroyed along with several large light poles bent or snapped. The tornado continued to the NE toward the Center Ridge community. The damage between Mize and Center Ridge, a distance of nearly 9 miles, ranged between F2 and F3. Along Providence Road, a barn was destroyed, and 2 homes were significantly damaged, along with a church. The Mize tornado then crossed State Highway 37. Here, many more trees were uprooted, along with several structures demolished or sustaining significant damage. The tornado then weakened and dissipated near Sylvarena, after injuring 8 people. Later that evening, a multiple-vortex F2 tornado developed off the Louisiana coast and moved ashore, striking Port Fourchon. The tornado caused damage to approximately 12 structures, including several port buildings and three businesses. A few buildings sustained significant damage. Two persons suffered minor injuries as well. Several hundred vehicles were damaged either by flying debris, or had windows blown out. Approximately one mile of power lines were downed along Louisiana Highway 3090. Only one tornado touched down on the final day of the outbreak, an F1 that caused moderate damage in Ocala, Florida and injured 3 people. Overall, the outbreak produced 39 tornadoes and resulted in 14 injuries.

May

There were 123 tornadoes reported in the US in May.

May 12

A small outbreak of nine tornadoes occurred in Texas. The majority of the tornadoes were rated F0, however, three of them were significant. An F2 tornado struck the town of South Plains, destroying vehicles and power poles. Two strong tornadoes, an F2 and an F3, struck the town of Ralls about 2.5 hours later, causing almost $800,000 in damage.

June

There were 316 tornadoes reported in the US in June. The South Dakota supercell and tornado was very destructive.

July

There were 138 tornadoes reported in the US in July, many of which were attributed to the unusually active 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

August

There were 123 tornadoes reported in the US in August. On August 12, an F2 tornado in Wright, Wyoming killed two and injured 13.

August 19

A series of thunderstorms on the afternoon of August 19, 2005, spawned tornadoes damaging homes in the Conestoga Lake and Fergus areas in Southern Ontario, Canada. The storms morphed into heavy rain cells when reaching Toronto. The Insurance Bureau of Canada has estimated that insured losses where the highest in the province's history, exceeding $500 million canadian dollars, two and a half times Ontario's losses during 1998 ice storm and the second largest loss event in Canadian history.

September

There were 133 tornadoes reported in the US in September.

October

There were 18 tornadoes reported in the US in October.

November

There were 150 tornadoes reported in the US in November.

December

There were 19 tornadoes reported in the US in December.