The tornado outbreak of April 9–11, 2009 was a tornado outbreak that affected large portions of the Southern United States on April 9–11, 2009. At least five people were killed by tornadoes including three in Mena, Arkansas and two in Murfreesboro, Tennessee just south of Nashville. A total of 85 tornadoes were confirmed over the two days. Three people were killed in Texas due to wildfires caused by strong winds stemming from the same storm system. This event is sometimes referred to as the Good Friday tornado outbreak of 2009.
Meteorological synopsis A storm system over the southern Great Plains region resulted in severe weather development during the late afternoon and evening along a dry line that stretched from southern Kansas across northeastern Oklahoma into southwestern Missouri and northwest Arkansas. As a result, a moderate risk of severe weather was issued by the Storm Prediction Center for eastern Oklahoma, southeast Kansas, southwest Missouri and western Arkansas. The system approached as the atmosphere destabilized as a result of daytime heating. Thunderstorms began developmenting along a dry line in Oklahoma between 2 and 3 pm CDT (1900 and 2000 UTC). More thunderstorms started forming as they approached into western Arkansas, and encountered a strong wind field around the incoming system. Winds began turning with height, which caused some thunderstorms to rotate and spawn tornadoes. Beginning at 6:20 CDT (2320 UTC), several tornadoes were produced in eastern sections of Oklahoma and Texas. The severe weather then moved into Arkansas, where a tornado killed three people in Mena. The thunderstorms that affected Texas then went into Louisiana, creating numerous tornadoes in the state, one of which tracked through downtown Shreveport.
At 1:00 a.m. CDT on April 9, 2009, the Storm Prediction Center outlined a Day 2 slight risk for much the southeastern United States, stretching from Kentucky to central Georgia. A 30% probability of severe weather within of a point was centered over portions of central Tennessee, northwestern Georgia, and northeastern Alabama, as sufficient moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, steep mid-level lapse rates, MLCAPE values of 15002000 J/KG, and strong wind shear were forecasted to be present.
At 1:00 a.m. on April 10, the Storm Prediction Center upgraded the Day 1 outlook to a moderate risk of severe weather, covering portions of Tennessee, western South Carolina, northern Georgia, and northeastern Alabama. A 10% probability for a tornado within of a point was outlined for the same area, along with a 30% probability of damaging winds and a 45% probability for large hail within of a point. A weakening surface low traveling eastward over the Ozarkscombined with increasing atmospheric moisture and dew points near , MLCAPE values around 15002000 J/KG, a southwesterly low-level jet, and westerly mid-level flow, contributing to strong and favorable deep-level shear. All these factors contributed to an environment primed for supercellular development capable of producing strong winds, large hail, and tornadoes.
At 8:00 a.m., the moderate risk was expanded southward and a 15% hatched probability for tornadoes was added over central Tennessee, northern Georgia, and northeastern Alabama, as westerly mid-level flow supported discrete and semi-discrete supercells along the cold front. At 4:00 p.m., several hours after the tornado that struck Murfreesboro had dissipated, the outlook was changed to include a high risk for severe weather over the meeting point of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, along with an increase to a 30% hatched probability for tornadoes with 25 miles of a point as an outbreak of supercells was ongoing in a favorable environment for tornadic development.
The thunderstorms moved southeast across much of South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama later that afternoon and into the evening. They produced tornadoes in northeastern sections of Alabama, damaging homes in Langston and Powell. Further south, tornadoes damaged areas in central Alabama, one of which tracked through three counties and into the Montgomery metropolitan area. One area of thunderstorms that evening produced a long-tracked tornado that moved from Grovetown, Georgia, through Augusta and ended in Ellenton, South Carolina. The tornado moved across Augusta but missed the Augusta National Golf Club where the Masters Tournament was taking place during the weekend. The storm system reached the Atlantic Coast during the early morning hours of April 11, producing one tornado in North Carolina.
Confirmed tornadoes
April 9 event List of reported tornadoes – Thursday, April 9, 2009EF# Location County/Parish Coord. Time (UTC) Path length DamageOklahoma EF0E of VinitaCraig2303Roofs were torn off several homes and a barn. Damage to two power poles. EF0SE of WilburtonLatimer2318Several houses and a gas compressor station were damaged. EF1ENE of NashobaPushmataha2342Many trees were damaged, including snapped trunks. EF1N of WisterLe Flore2355Several homes were damaged and several barns were destroyed. EF2E of Big CedarLe Flore, Polk (AR)0026Several mobile homes and a permanent home were heavily damaged or destroyed. Four people were injured, one of whom sustained broken bones. EF3Eagletown to Dierks, ARMcCurtain, Sevier (AR), Howard (AR), Pike (AR)0101Long-track tornado with significant damage, particularly in De Queen, Arkansas. At least 10 mobile homes were destroyed, with seven people injured in the park. An Army Corps of Engineers office and another reinforced concrete building were also heavily damaged in the Dierks Lake area. Howard and Sevier Counties were later declared a disaster area.Texas EF1NW of Hughes SpringsMorris, Cass0052Damage to trees and power lines along the path. EF2NW of LindenCass0105Many trees were knocked down, crushing houses and vehicles. A two-story house was severely damaged, and a portable building was blown away. EF0NE of BivinsCass0141Numerous trees were knocked down along its path. EF1NW of HallsvilleHarrison0213Several houses damaged by falling trees and windows blown out. A large shed was ripped from its foundation. EF2Waskom to Bossier City, LAHarrison, Caddo (LA), Bossier (LA)0248Continuous long-track tornado with many houses and businesses damaged along its path, some of which were nearly destroyed. Tornado tracked near Cross Lake and eventually into downtown Shreveport (with little damage there) before crossing the Red River into Bossier City. Damage was also reported at Barksdale Air Force Base. Two people were injured and overall damage was about $14 million.Arkansas EF3SW of Mena to NE of InkPolk0102–01173 deaths – See section on this tornado – 30 people were injured. EF2Center Point areaHoward0134Rare large anticyclonic tornado severely damaged a house and a barn. One person was injured. EF3N of KiblahMiller0151An outbuilding and a mobile home were destroyed, throwing debris half a mile (800 m) away. Major tree damage along its path. EF1SE of NewhopePike0153Many trees were knocked down on private timber company land. EF2S of CrossettAshley042715 houses, including some mobile homes, were heavily damaged or destroyed and 27 others were damaged to lesser degrees. Many trees were also damaged or knocked over.Missouri EF0Nixa areaChristian0120Minor damage to more than a dozen homes with additional damage to trees and fences. Several power lines were also downed by the tornado along Route 160. Louisiana EF0NNE of BolingerBossier0302Several trees were snapped in a heavily forested area. EF0NE of HeflinWebster0404Several trees were snapped or uprooted. EF1NE of LitroeUnion0421Tornado damaged trees in the Upper Ouachita Wildlife Refuge. EF1S of SimsboroLincoln0433Many trees were snapped and a house sustained minor roof damage. EF2NE of ErosJackson, Ouachita0505Several houses were damaged, one of them heavily with its roof torn off. Many trees were damaged, with some falling onto structures. EF1Delhi areaRichland, Madison0627Tornado roughly paralleled Interstate 20 with some trees down and minor damage to a few houses. Sources: SPC Storm Reports for April 9, 2009, , , NWS Springfield, NWS Jackson, , NCDC Storm Data
April 10 event