Tornado outbreak of March 26, 2023

**Tornado outbreak of March 26, 2023**
 **Duration1**:
 **Maximum rated tornado2**:
 **Tornadoes caused**:
 **Total Damages**:
 **Total Fatalities**:
 **Areas Affected**:

1Time from first tornado to last tornado
2Most severe tornado damage; see wikipedia:Enhanced Fujita Scale

The **tornado outbreak of March 26, 2023** was a significant tornado outbreak that affected parts of the Midwestern United States and lower Great Plains.

## **Meteorological synopsis**

At 7 AM CDT on March 26, a surface low pressure system was located in western Kansas with a dry line extending southward into west Texas. A 850 mb jet of 35 to 50 knots was evident and extended from north-central Texas northward into central Nebraska. Dew point temperatures in the lower to middle 60s (F) covered much of Oklahoma and Kansas, while dew points lowered into the 20s behind the dry line. A warm front extended from the low in Kansas southeastward through Oklahoma into northeastern Texas. During the morning, the dry line moved rapidly eastward into northern Texas and central Oklahoma but slowed its progression considerably during the afternoon. The moist air 10° C or greater dew points, extended from west-central Texas into northern Kansas. Drier air in western Texas and southwestern Kansas was beginning to push east and northeast on the heels of brisk west to southwest winds. The atmosphere over the central United States was extremely unstable with a strongly sheared environment. Sounding-based stability indices indicated very unstable conditions and supported severe thunderstorm development. Lifted Index values (LI; at 7 AM CDT on 26 March) ranged from -5 to -7. Daytime heating warmed the lower layers of the atmosphere and by afternoon, LIs reached -12 with the axis of greatest instability extending from Northern Texas into central Oklahoma.

The final ingredient which helped to initiate this severe weather out break was a embedded band of maximum winds within the jet stream near the top of the troposphere, known as a jet max. This jet max was rotating northeastward through western Kansas and the Oklahoma/Texas Panhandles around an upper level low located in Wyoming. Most cumulus clouds along the dry line were unable to develop into thunderstorms during the early afternoon. Convection developed rapidly once the upper level jet streak moved into a favorable position to support the upward motion in the atmosphere near the dry line. By 4 PM CDT on 26 March, the surface analysis indicated that the dry line had pushed eastward into central Oklahoma and Texas. By 6 PM CDT, the axis of warmest 850 mb temperatures extended from western Texas into western Kansas, east of Dodge City. The moist axis was located across north Texas and eastern Oklahoma, just east of the warm air. The 850 mb dew points ranged from 13° to 17° C, an increase from the 7 AM CDT observations. The axis of maximum winds at 850 mb extended from north-central Texas through eastern Oklahoma.

## **Notable tornadoes**

### **Celeste–Wolfe City–Roxton, TX tornado**

Among the first tornadoes of the outbreak, this tornado touched down in the far-eastern reaches of Collin County, Texas around 5:36 pm. After traveling over rural farmland for one and a half mile, the storm entered Hunt County about 2.25 miles north of Merit. Tracking to the northeast, the tornado quickly gained strength, exhibiting a multiple vortex structure as it impacted four homes and their outbuildings in the vicinity of Farm-to-Market Road, causing EF2 damage. Moving in a more easterly direction, the tornado encountered little more than forested areas for the next three miles, flattening many trees and leaving some bare of bark and branches. Five homes and seven trailers were damaged in the outer reaches of Celeste city limits on CR 1562, with EF3 damage noted as all but one of these trailers were destroyed and two of the homes lost their entire roofs. 74 houses were seriously damaged as the tornado entered the residential section of town from the west along 9th street. Many lost their roofs and suffered the loss of their external walls. In addition, hundreds of outbuildings were destroyed, trees were uprooted, and several vehicles were thrown a quarter mile from their original location. The Celeste Elementary school was broadsided, losing some of its sheet-metal roof, and several brick buildings over a century old were damaged in downtown. Also damaged was the United Methodist Church and the Hickory Creek Water Supply, the latter of which led to water issues for several days following the tornado.

The tornado continued northeast, striking five more homes and three outbuildings on the eastern edge of town along Adkins Acres. Widening to .75 mi in size, the storm paralleled Country Road 272 and the Northeast Texas Trail. Twelve homes were damaged in this section of the path before it crossed CR1028. Around this interchange, a set of railroad tracks was bent horizontally by the force of the tornado, indicating EF4 damage. The storm encountered half a dozen structures in its outer fringes as it traversed open farmland for the next five miles, causing varying degrees of damage. Also noted in this area was asphalt peeling, ground scouring, and the total denuding of trees, indicating a violent tornado. Entering Wolfe City limits from the west, the massive tornado cut a wide swath of damage through the center of town. Hundreds of homes were flattened, and at several locations, entirely swept away. The Wolfe City Middle School suffered a direct hit, and sustained extreme damage. The old brick buildings that lined downtown were obliterated, and other buildings that were leveled included a church, a gas station, a funeral home, a Dollar General, and the city's public library. Debris from the city showered down into the Wolfe City Reservoirs, halting the area's water supply for weeks while structural and organic remains were removed from the water. After exiting the city limits, the tornado tracked to the north-northeast for the remainder of its life. It entered Fannin County and skirted the outer sections of Ladonia, causing high-end EF4 damage to homes lining SR 50. This was the only structural damage in the county aside from a dozen widely-spaced rural residencies. Curving to the northeast, the tornado crossed the Sulphur River near Baker Creek before entering Lamar County from the southwest. It tracked for eight miles over farmland and forested areas, only encountering three residences along this section of the path. The narrowing tornado then moved through the far northwestern reaches of town, damaging four homes and ten associated outbuildings. One of these homes suffered a direct hit along County Road 24900, causing high-end EF3 damage. After traveling through Roxton, the tornado crossed Cane Creek and struck its two final homes along FM 38, causing EF2 damage as a mobile home was leveled. Continuing northeast, the tornado finally dissipated in a open field just after crossing FM 1506; 5 miles southwest of Paris, after having been on the ground for 45 miles for over an hour.

This was the first tornado to attain a damage rating of '5' on either tornado damage scale since the F5 Jarrell tornado that occurred on May 27, 1997.

### **Colbert–Calera–Durant, OK tornado**

Forming about 1 mile southwest of Colbert, damage was produced immediately upon touchdown by this tornado as it paralleled Franklin Street; mostly to mobile homes and trailers. Several instances of EF1 damage occurred in the southwestern reaches of downtown as the tornado struck several businesses. Entering the residential sections of town, 45 homes were impacted. While most of these were mobile homes or trailers, a few frame homes were in this area, and had their roofs torn off, indicating EF2 damage. Exiting town, the tornado continued northeast and destroyed several mobile homes as it paralleled US Highway 69. Crossing the highway, a gas station suffered heavy damage, as well as numerous trailers and a tattoo parlor. Little was encountered by the storm for the next several miles, aside from 9 homes at the intersection of Smeiser and 3690 Road as it passed Calera to the northwest. One of these homes was of very well construction, and had its outer walls felled, indicating EF3 damage. Ground scouring became apparent as the damage path dramatically widened to a width of 1300 yards (1188 m). Shortly thereafter, the tornado crossed over US Highway 75 as it entered Durant city limits and paralleled US Highway 75.

WIP