This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks that occurred in 2007, primarily (but not entirely) in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally, particularly in parts of neighboring southern Canada during the summer season. Some tornadoes also take place in Europe, e. g. in the United Kingdom or in Germany.
Preliminary reports suggest that there were 1,305 reported tornadoes in the U.S. (of which 1,097 were confirmed), with 82 confirmed fatalities. It was the deadliest year for tornadoes in the U.S. since 1999, when 95 deaths were reported. In addition, 25 fatalities took place in China, 23 in Chad, seven in Bangladesh, three each in Mexico and Vietnam, and one each in South Africa and the Philippines for a worldwide known total of at least 145.
Notably, the system for classifying tornado damage in the United States changed from the Fujita scale to the Enhanced Fujita Scale on February 1, 2007.
Synopsis 2007 started quickly in terms of tornadoes, with the first tornado fatalities taking place in the first week of January. After few other significant events in the rest of January, a deadly period took place in the latter part of the winter. Two deadly outbreaks and several other major tornado events marred February and March, especially in the southern US.
The spring was also fairly active, with several significant tornado events in April and May, including a major outbreak in the first weekend of May that produced the first ever EF5 tornado, using the then-new Enhanced Fujita scale (as well as the first F5-equivalent tornado on any scale in the 21st century). While June was not as active, with fewer tornadoes, it produced Canada's first F5 tornado.
The tropics in the Western Hemisphere produced few significant tornadoes in 2007, but Typhoon Sepat produced a deadly tornado in China. Otherwise, the summer and early fall were fairly quiet, with a few local exceptions. The most severe outbreak in the second half of the year took place in October, when the largest outbreak ever recorded in that month took place.
The year ended slowly with no major outbreaks in November or December and only a few isolated tornadoes, mostly related to larger winter storms.
Events
United States Yearly Total
Note: January tornadoes were rated using the old Fujita scale, but are included in the chart above by matching the F rating to the related EF scale rating. Note: An F4 tornado from Mexico crossed into the United States, where that portion of the track was rated EF3. This is counted as an F4 tornado since it is one continuous tornado.
Month Number of confirmed tornadoesby month January 21 February 52 March 171 April 165 May 250 June 128 July 69 August 73 September 51 October 87 November 7 December 19
January
There were 29 tornadoes reported in the U.S. in January, of which 22 were confirmed.
January 1 (Indonesia) The first Indonesia tornado of 2007 occurred on New Year's Day 2007, a waterspout touched down and went ashore causing damage in Anyer Beach and Cinangka, Serang, Banten. Several houses collapsed and several trees were downed. Nobody was hurt or killed by this tornado.
January 3 (Indonesia) Just two days after the first Indonesia tornado, two separate tornadoes touched down in South Sulawesi. The first tornado touched down at 10 AM, damaging 7 houses and 2 rice factories in Jenetaesa village. The second tornado touched down at 2:30 PM destroying several houses. 12 houses were damaged in Batubasi Hamlet and 1 house in Bantimurung Hamlet, located in the Jenetaesa Village Simbang Sub-district. In the Bantimurung Sub-district, 18 houses were ruined by the tornado itself. 13 houses in both Malewang Hamlet and Mattoanging village were destroyed. 3 houses in Tokamaseang Village and 2 other houses in Baruga Village were damaged.
January 4–5
The first severe weather event of 2007 was a scattered but deadly tornado event in the U.S. Gulf Coast region on January 4. Two people were killed in New Iberia, Louisiana, and 15 were injured. It was confirmed to have been an F1 tornado as all the severe damage took place to mobile homes. At least four other tornadoes have been confirmed, including an F2 tornado near Blackwater, Mississippi that injured nine people.
The activity continued farther east into Georgia and the Carolinas on January 5, with at least one, and likely more, possible tornadoes. At least 15 people were injured in a tornado in Liberty, South Carolina.
January 13 An F1 tornado struck southwest of San Marcos, Texas, causing severe structural damage. Although it wasn't very notable, it was the final tornado in the United States rated using the Fujita Scale.
January 17 (Indonesia) The first tornado in Indonesia to cause injuries in 2007 touched down in Lainea Sub-district, South Konawe District, Southeast Sulawesi Province causing damage to 210 houses and 2 people were injured when their house collapsed on top of them. The worst damage was in Laeya Village, Lanea District, South Konawe District where 20 houses were flattened.
January 18 (Europe)
The cold front of severe winter storm "Kyrill" spawned tornadoes in Germany, three of which were confirmed as of February 22. The first one caused severe damage in the city of Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt. It hit at about 6:40 p.m. local time (1740 UTC). Roofs were blown away and trees virtually torn apart. It is estimated to have been an F2 or F3 tornado. Two more tornadoes were confirmed from Brandenburg—one T6/F3 tracked through Brachwitz and Kemnitz, two small villages southwest of Berlin. The strongest tornado that day, T7/F3, took place in Lauchhammer in southern Brandenburg, which leveled massively built barns and snapped high tension poles. This twister tracked a distance of about .
More tornadoes were confirmed from Poland. In the late evening hours, a T3/F1 tornado struck a forest area near Silna in Lubuskie region (western Poland). Furthermore, two other tornadoes struck the village of Czermin near Wrocław and the small town of Andrespol near Lódz in central Poland. The confirmed intensity of the Andrespol-Tornado was T4/F2.
January 23 (Indonesia) A tornado hit Cilegon. 23 permanent buildings collapsed in Kampung Langon Baru Mekarsari market, Cilegon Banten.
February
There were 87 tornadoes reported in the U.S. in February, of which 54 were confirmed.
February 1, 2007 marked the changeover from the Fujita Scale to the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
February 2
In the early morning hours of February 2, four separate tornadoes ran across Central Florida. The most severe damage occurred in Lake County, where 21 people were killed. Two of the tornadoes were rated EF3 on the new Enhanced Fujita scale. Damage from the tornadoes totaled to US$204 million. These tornadoes were the very first to be classified under the newly implemented Enhanced Fujita scale in the United States.
February 13
Beginning in the late evening hours of February 12 and overnight into February 13, 19 tornadoes touched down across southern Louisiana and Mississippi. The most significant were around Lafayette, Louisiana and in Greater New Orleans. Some of the tornadoes produced significant damage, including an EF2 tornado in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans that killed one woman and left dozens injured. A separate EF2 tornado caused major damage in other parts of the city as well.
More tornadoes developed across Alabama in the late afternoon on February 13, with several reports of damage across the state.
Damages from the tornadoes totaled to US$8.32 million.
February 23–24
A moderate severe weather event and tornado outbreak took place on February 23 and 24 across the south-central United States. It was expected to have been much larger on February 23, as a moderate risk of severe weather was issued by the Storm Prediction Center for both days over large areas. The activity on February 23 was quite modest due to a late start and low dew points. The area primarily affected was the southern High Plains. Three weak tornadoes touched down in Kansas, along with one in Texas that day.
Tornado activity the following day was much more significant, especially in Arkansas. An EF3 passed near the town of Strong, Arkansas, heavily damaging homes and mobile homes. A brick house was mostly destroyed, and a double-wide mobile home was completely destroyed, with debris scattered up to 200 yards away. 5 people were injured. An EF2 tornado struck the Mt. Olive community in Bradley County a short time later. A house suffered major damage and a mobile home was destroyed there. An elderly woman was injured in the house, and a family of five was injured in the mobile home. Three other homes had minor damage, and several sheds and outbuildings were destroyed. Thousands of trees were blown down, as were a number of power poles and power lines. A second EF3 tornado formed and tore directly through the town of Dumas, where 25 businesses were destroyed, along with 19 homes. More than 65 additional homes sustained minor to moderate damage. Six mobile homes were destroyed, along with an athletic park. A community building sustained major damage, as well as a 20-unit assisted living center. An electrical substation was destroyed, leaving the area without power for several days. Numerous trees and power lines were also blown down. Farther to the northeast, in the community of Back Gate, 11 mobile homes were destroyed and 12 sustained minor damage. One house was destroyed, along with three that were damaged. This tornado injured a total of 28 people along its path. After the Dumas tornado dissipated, an EF2 tornado touched down and passed north of Monticello before dissipating near Garrett Bridge. That tornado snapped hundreds of trees, damaged or destroyed several shop buildings and a barn, partially destroyed one house and damaged another. Further south, two EF2 tornadoes touched down in Louisiana. Overall, the outbreak resulted in 20 tornadoes and no fatalities. Damages from the tornadoes totaled to US$48.41 million.
February 28 – March 2
A large storm system spawned a significant tornado outbreak, which began February 28 in Kansas and Missouri and continued March 1 in Alabama and Georgia. On February 28, a moderate risk was issued for both days, and on March 1 a high risk was issued for western Alabama, eastern Mississippi, the Florida Panhandle and southern and central Georgia. It was the first such issuance since April 7, 2006.
On February 28, ten tornadoes occurred, seven in Kansas, two in Missouri, and one in Florida. One tornado, the first to be rated EF4 under the Enhanced Fujita Scale, destroyed a house in Linn County, Kansas. Structural damage was also reported near Adrian, Missouri, from a different tornado. Hail as large as baseballs were also reported.
On March 1 and into the morning of March 2, 47 tornadoes occurred from Missouri to the East Coast. Significant damage was reported from an EF3 tornado near Caulfield, Missouri, and one person was killed in a mobile home there. In the early afternoon, supercells became widespread across the region. An EF4 tornado in Enterprise, Alabama heavily damaged several homes and Enterprise High School, killing nine people when the roof of the school collapsed. One other person was killed in another EF4 tornado in Wilcox County, Alabama. Nine fatalities occurred in Georgia, including six in a single EF2 tornado in Baker County. A total of 57 tornadoes were confirmed during the outbreak, which killed 20. This outbreak was part of a winter storm that affected the Midwest states, the Great Lakes, Quebec, Ontario, the Canadian Maritimes and the Northeast United States, killing an additional 19 people.
Damages from the tornadoes totaled to greater than US$580 million.
March
There were 214 tornadoes reported in the U.S. in March, of which 172 were confirmed.
March 3 (South Africa)