A strong upper level low pressure system emerged out across the Southern Plains during the morning and afternoon hours of January 21st. Ahead of this system, unseasonably warm, humid, and unstable air spread northward across much of the Ark-La-Tex from the Gulf of Mexico in advance of this system and associated Pacific cold front. A surface low pressure system also developed along the advancing cold front, with low level winds backing more southeast ahead of the upper level low. Coupled with strong wind shear and instability, scattered severe supercell thunderstorms rapidly developed during the mid and late afternoon hours across portions of extreme Eastern Texas, Southern Arkansas, and Northern Louisiana. The considerable wind shear contributed to rotating updrafts, such that twelve tornadoes touched down across the aforementioned areas. Instances of large hail was also reported with these supercells, given the very cold temperatures aloft. These severe thunderstorms exited the region during the mid evening hours into the Ark-La-Miss region where additional tornadoes and instances of severe thunderstorm damage was reported.

Hail in HARRISON, TEXAS
From 21-JAN-17 16:20:00 to 21-JAN-17 16:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: SCOTTSVILLE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Quarter size hail fell in Scottsville.

Hail in MARION, TEXAS
From 21-JAN-17 16:50:00 to 21-JAN-17 16:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRAY
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

A video was posted to the KSLA-TV Facebook page of half-dollar size hail that fell in the Gray community east of Smithland.

Hail in CASS, TEXAS
From 21-JAN-17 17:20:00 to 21-JAN-17 17:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: MC LEOD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Quarter size hail fell in the McLeod community.

Hail in BOWIE, TEXAS
From 21-JAN-17 17:48:00 to 21-JAN-17 17:48:00 (CST-6)
Location: NEW BOSTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Quarter size hail fell in New Boston.

Tornado in HARRISON, TEXAS
From 21-JAN-17 16:18:00 to 21-JAN-17 16:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: SCOTTSVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-2 tornado with winds estimated near 120 mph touched down along Highway 80 near Scottsville, snapping and uprooting numerous trees and downing power lines along its track as it crossed Farm-To-Market Road 1998. Much of the tornado's destructive damage occurred along Trammel Lane (Haggerty Road) where trees were snapped/downed on several homes. One home had much of its roof removed, with a small mobile home nearby completely blown away. The tornado continued north northeast along Harkins Lane where more trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado finally lifted on Cowpen Road.

Tornado in MARION, TEXAS
From 21-JAN-17 16:19:00 to 21-JAN-17 16:23:00 (CST-6)
Location: KELLEYVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-1 tornado with winds estimated near 100 mph touched down along Kellyville Cutoff Road south of Farm-To-Market Road 729 in the Kellyville community. This tornado travelled north and crossed FM 729 along Kellyville Cutoff Road, snapping and uprooting numerous trees and downing power lines along the tornado's path. Much of the damage occurred along Kellyville Cutoff Road between FM 729 and Highway 49, where one home was damaged and the roof removed from a single wide mobile home. One large tree also fell on a metal workshop near Highway 49 before lifting just shy of the Berea community.

Tornado in MARION, TEXAS
From 21-JAN-17 16:50:00 to 21-JAN-17 17:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: SMITHLAND
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 800.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF-2 tornado with maximum winds estimated near 130 mph touched down near Highway 49 just west of the Smithland community, snapping and uprooting numerous trees and downing power lines as it tracked northeast across Highway 43 just north of its intersection of Highway 49. As it crossed Highway 43, the tornado moved several vehicles, completely debarked 3-4 trees about 25-30 feet above the ground, and threw a party barge about 200 yards into a grove of trees. Trees were also downed on a few homes and a travel trailer was flipped over. The tornado continued northeast crossing County Road 3300, where it removed a roof of a home and shifted the home slightly off of its pad. A 75 year old woman inside this home took shelter inside a bathtub before the tornado ripped the tub out of the home and deposited it into some nearby woods. The woman suffered only some cuts and bruises but was able to walk away. The tornado continued northeast crossing County Road 3306 two different times, before entering far southeast Cass County on County Road 4455. This tornado remained on the ground as it entered western Caddo Parish Louisiana.

Tornado in CASS, TEXAS
From 21-JAN-17 17:17:00 to 21-JAN-17 17:23:00 (CST-6)
Location: BOGUS SPGS
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is a continuation of the EF-2 tornado that initially touched down just west of the Smithland community in Marion County. This tornado continued northeast across County Road 4455 in extreme Southeast Cass County, snapping and uprooting numerous trees as it crossed Cass County Line Road along the Cass County Texas/Caddo Parish Louisiana line. The tornado intensified as it approached Cass County Line Road, where it snapped numerous trees and only removed a few shingles off of a home on the Texas side. Winds were estimated near 115 mph in this area as it continued northeast into Western Caddo Parish Louisiana between Vivian and Rodessa.