The October 2010 North American storm complex is the name given to a historic extratropical cyclone that impacted North America. The massive storm complex caused a wide range of weather events including a major serial derecho stretching from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, a widespread tornado outbreak across the Southeast United States and Midwest and a blizzard across portions of the Canadian Prairies and the Dakotas. The cyclone's lowest minimum pressure of made it the second most intense non-tropical system recorded in the continental United States (CONUS). The lowest confirmed pressure for a non-tropical system in the continental United States was set by a January 1913 Atlantic coast storm.
Meteorological synopsis Significant snowfall was reported on the backside of the storm. The heaviest snow fell in parts of Minnesota where 9 inches (22.5 cm) of snow was reported in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Heavy snow and blizzard conditions also occurred in North Dakota, southwestern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan.
The non-tropical cyclonic storm generated wind speeds of up to 70 mph, caused by a severe low pressure zone over Nebraska on October 24.
Akron, Cleveland, Findlay, Marion, Lorain, Mansfield, Toledo, Wooster and Youngstown in Ohio all witnessed heavy winds on the 24th.
Severe weather battered Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio on the 25th and 26th of October, producing strong winds, rain, hail, and widespread tornadoes. It was the region's second strongest storm on record. The weather station in Bigfork, Minnesota, recorded a state record atmospheric pressure of 955.2 millibars (28.21 inches of pressure), typical of a Category 3 hurricane. The National Weather Service reported that a tornado with a maximum speed of 115 mph touched down about four miles east of Peotone, Illinois that morning and traveled 2.9 miles, causing downed power lines and partially destroying a home. Another tornado was reported to have landed in Racine, Wisconsin.
Heavy damage was reported in the Chicago area, particularly in Kane, Will, Kankakee, and Iroquois counties in Illinois and in Porter County, Indiana. The winds flipped single engine planes on their sides at DuPage Airport in West Chicago, and flights were delayed by 30 minutes at O'Hare and Midway airports. More than 300 flights were canceled at O'Hare International Airport, and more than 60,000 ComEd customers were without power. Several other less powerful tornadoes also occurred in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Heavy snow also fell in south western Ontario. There were no fatalities with this system. A GOES satellite image on October 26 showed what could be considered the eye of the storm over the Minnesota-Ontario border, with outlying clouds reaching as far as Alberta, southern Nunavut, Newfoundland, eastern Montana, Colorado, Louisiana, Maine, and Bermuda.
The storm developed so quickly, that it was declared to be a weather 'bomb', which is an extremely fast developing storm that drops at least one millibar of pressure per hour for 24 hours—a phenomenon more commonly seen over water than land.
On the morning of October 26, a serial derecho caused widespread damage in Kentucky, Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio. Louisville, Cincinnati, Toledo, Nashville, and Indianapolis were hit at 9 am CDT, and Detroit was hit during the midday and early afternoon hours. Other cities impacted by the storms included Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Charleston. At one point in the morning a line of tornado warnings stretched from central Michigan down to northern Mississippi.
On October 28, the storm system left the East Coast. During the next few days, the system moved eastward across the Atlantic, before stalling over the western Mediterranean on November 1. On November 5, the system dissipated over the western Mediterranean region.
Confirmed tornadoes
October 23 event List of reported tornadoes - Saturday, October 23, 2010 EF# Location County Coord. Time (UTC) Path length Comments/DamageTexas EF0Fort WorthTarrant1755unknownBrief tornado with damage to roofs and fences. Sources: SPC Storm Reports for 10/23/10 WFAA "Tornadoes touch down south and east of Dallas"
October 24 event List of reported tornadoes - Sunday, October 24, 2010 EF# Location County Coord. Time (UTC) Path length Comments/DamageTexas EF0N of DaingerfieldMorris2030Damage limited to a few trees. EF2Rice areaNavarro2255Five houses were destroyed and three others were damaged. A high school was also heavily damaged and a train was derailed. A baseball field was damaged and vehicles were flipped on the interstate. Trees were snapped and uprooted as well. Several people were injured. EF0Lone OakHunt2300Brief tornado damaged 10 houses in a residential subdivision. EF0N of Mount VernonFranklin2315Brief tornado with minor tree damage. EF0N of Mount PleasantMorris2347Damage limited to a few trees.Alabama EF1ElsanorBaldwin0210A mobile home and a metal shed were destroyed and a brick houses sustained minor damage. One person sustained minor injuries.Michigan EF0WNW of ColomaBerrien0250Brief tornado with minor damage to two houses and a roof blown off a barn.Arkansas EF0W of Crystal ValleyPulaskiunknownA barn lost its roof, and some trees were damaged. Sources: SPC Storm Reports for 10/24/10, NWS Fort Worth, NWS Shreveport, NWS Mobile, NWS Little Rock
October 25 event List of reported tornadoes - Monday, October 25, 2010 EF# Location County Coord. Time (UTC) Path length Comments/DamageTennessee EF1Pleasant HillMoore0540A hay barn was destroyed and two houses had porch damage. Trees were also knocked down.Alabama EF1S of HaleyvilleWinston0705A large barn and a shed were destroyed and three houses were damaged. Extensive tree damage along the path. EF0ArabMarshall0923Minor damage to a house and significant damage to an outbuilding. Numerous trees were snapped. EF0NE of SectionJackson0952A trailer and a shed were destroyed, a house was damaged, and several trees were downed. EF2Ider areaJackson, DeKalb, Dade (GA)1002Long track tornado with major damage to several houses and barns, one of the houses was nearly destroyed. Several people were injured. EF1Near RosalieJackson, DeKalb 1005A house, two barns, and several other structures were damaged. Numerous trees were downed. EF1MobileMobile1120Several houses and commercial buildings, including a shopping center, were damaged. Sources: NWS Mobile, NWS Huntsville, NWS Birmingham, NWS Peachtree City
October 26 event