The tornado outbreak of October 17–19, 2007 was a widespread tornado outbreak that took place across much of the eastern half of North America starting on October 17, 2007, and continuing into the early hours of October 19. The outbreak was also responsible for five deaths; three in Michigan and two in Missouri, plus many injuries (including some from non-tornadic events). At least 64 tornadoes were confirmed including 16 on October 17 across six states including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Missouri with wind damage reported in Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Arkansas and Mississippi. On October 18, at least 48 tornadoes were confirmed across eight states including Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, plus widespread straight line wind damage. Until 2010, this event held the record for largest tornado outbreak ever recorded in the month of October according to NOAA.
Meteorological synopsis
A deep low pressure system (with a pressure of 977 mbar at its peak) moved across the Pacific Coast on October 15 and then crossed the Rockies during the following day and touched out some moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, a major source for storm development and intensification. Not part of the main outbreak, 3 tornadoes were reported, during the overnight hours of October 16 towards October 17, across Randall County, Texas south of Amarillo on October 16 with one of them confirmed as a high-end EF1; that tornado caused damage to trees, fences, power poles, steel pipes, trailers, and barns.
The next day, a dry line, which separates the drier air from the more moist and humid air, formed ahead of the cold front across the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles and tracked eastward. The high humidity levels with dew points in the 70s°F (low 20s°C), temperatures that in many areas were near , strong wind shear, and the presence of the dry line helped develop the instability to produce severe thunderstorms across both the Midwest and the Southern Plains on October 17.
A moderate risk for severe weather was issued by the Storm Prediction Center two days prior to the event. The storm then moved across most of the Midwest on October 18, where a moderate risk was in effect, also for two days for most of Illinois, Indiana, and parts of Kentucky; however, the moderate risk was revised further to the south and the east to include western Ohio, western Tennessee, southeastern Missouri, northeastern Arkansas, and a larger portion of Kentucky. Both Michigan and Wisconsin were no longer under a moderate risk. A slight risk of severe weather was forecast for a large area from beyond the Canada–US border to the Florida Panhandle and the Mobile Bay area. Dew points above were reported well into the Ohio Valley, and those over were reported as far north as northern Ontario.
The outbreak was expected to continue into October 19 east of the Appalachian Mountains, but extensive cloud cover prevented any significant severe storms from developing; even though, several wind reports were reported in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The storm then moved out into the Atlantic Ocean on October 20.
Tornadoes confirmed
October 17 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, October 17, 2007EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary EF0SW of BunaJasperTX15:32–15:34A brief tornado downed a few trees. EF0W of CenterviewJohnsonMO21:05–21:06A brief tornado caused no damage. EF0NE of Fort TowsonChoctawOK22:14A brief tornado remained over open country and caused no damage. EF1FranklintonWashingtonLA22:45–22:47A tornado moved directly through Franklinton, where three businesses sustained major roof damage and had windows blown out. EF2N of Verona to SSW of ChesapeakeLawrenceMO22:46–23:04Nine houses were damaged or destroyed, along with a lumber mill and several barns. EF1N of FranklintonWashingtonLA22:55–22:57A tornado moved a car , uprooted trees, and caused major roof damage to a mobile home. EF1SSW of Feenyville to W of YorktownLincolnAR23:07–23:14Six mobile homes were damaged or destroyed and four houses sustained minor damage. Widespread tree and power line damage occurred. EF1SSW of CarsonJefferson DavisMS00:30–00:31A storage building was destroyed while another had its roof torn off. An addition to a house had a portion of the roof blown off, and several trees were downed. EF1W of Cave SpringGreeneMO00:35–00:40Two houses and a barn were damaged. EF1ENE of Mammoth Springs to NNW of GlendaleForrestMS01:10–01:12Tornado began at Exit 69 on Interstate 59, where a car was blown off the roadway, injuring the occupant. A garage had its roof blown off and a house sustained minor roof damage. Additionally, two metal buildings had their metal doors torn off. EF0TolarvilleHolmesMS03:03–03:05Several trees were downed and limbs were snapped in Tolarville. EF0N of MorganLacledeMO04:35–04:36A tornado damaged trees, telephone poles and moved a mobile home off of its foundation. EF0SE of HattonCallawayMO04:55–04:56A horse stable, a double wide mobile home, a large garage, and several trees were damaged. EF0NW of Tulip to SSW of HollidayMonroeMO04:55–05:00Two machine sheds were damaged as the tornado tracked across mostly farmland. Corn was flattened in farm fields and trees were damaged as well. EF2SE of GranvilleMonroeMO05:05–05:092 deaths - A high-end EF2 tornado obliterated a mobile home, barn, and a machine shed. The frame of the mobile home was found 1/3 of a mile away, and the two occupants were thrown hundreds of yards into a field and killed. Pieces of debris from the mobile home, barn, and shed were found up to 4 miles away. EF0WSW of North ForkMonroeMO05:07–05:09Trees and a machine shed were damaged.
October 18 event