From Sunday, April 19, to Monday, April 20, 2020, a significant severe weather and tornado outbreak took place across the Gulf states of the southeastern United States, resulting in widespread damage and two people getting killed, with an additional three people being injured. A total of 22 confirmed tornadoes occurred across the two days. In southern Mississippi, one supercell thunderstorm after dark put down a long-lived and deadly EF4 tornado that traversed across five counties, with one person killed near Sandy Hook, and another being injured near Camp Shelby. Across Alabama, several tornadoes, some significant, struck the southern portion of the state. One of these tornadoes, a lethal EF2 tornado, directly impacted the community of Tumbleton, killing one person who was inside a mobile home during the event. Multiple tornadoes on Sunday also occurred in Louisiana. The following day, April 20, featured less overall tornadoes and a couple EF0–EF1 tornadoes in Florida, with one EF2 tornado taking place in southwestern Georgia. Over in that state, a lightning strike set a house on fire, resulting in the death of the occupant. The tornado outbreak was accompanied by a strong squall line that brought damaging winds and hail to the region.

The long-track, EF4 tornado that occurred on Sunday, April 19, was the third violent (EF4+) tornado to strike Mississippi within a week in the southern region, as a more destructive tornado outbreak swept across portions of the same areas seven days prior, on April 12. During that outbreak, two deadly EF4 tornadoes inflicted severe damage across Walthall, Lawrence, Marion, Jefferson Davis, Covington, Jones, Jasper, and Clarke Counties. One of these two EF4 tornadoes on April 12, became one of the widest tornadoes in recorded history. The April 19 tornado in southern Mississippi was the fourth violent tornado to occur in the U.S. during the 2020 season, and the only EF4 tornado to take place during the April 19–20 outbreak.

Meteorological synopsis

Forecasting in advance

On Saturday, April 18, 2020, at 2:00 AM EDT (06:00 UTC) the NOAA Storm Prediction Center (NOAA SPC) outlined a large level 3/5 enhanced risk for severe weather for the southeastern United States on April 19, stretching from a sliver of eastern Texas, to eastern Georgia, and southeastern South Carolina. At surface-level, a low-pressure area was to develop across the Ark-La-Tex region by the afternoon, as a warm front going to lift up north across from southern Arkansas, to northern Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, at 2:00 PM EDT (18:00 UTC). At the same time, a cold front/dry line was to take place spanning throughout eastern Texas. Across the warm sector, lots of moisture was abundant alongside dew points reaching into the range. These in response would generate moderate levels of instability. The low-pressure system, presumed to be linked to widespread convection, translated in an eastward trajectory as it was accompanying a synoptic front overnight, reaching North Carolina by the morning of Monday, April 20, around 8:00 AM EDT (12:00 UTC). For Sunday, a 10% hatched tornado risk, spanned across the same area encompassed by the categorical enhanced risk. A progressive shortwave trough was expected to move from the southern Great Plains, toward the Lower Mississippi River Valley by the following Sunday, and the South Atlantic states by Monday. Strong westerly winds aloft blew into the region, and continued to intensify as the trough was approaching. Southwesterly 850-millibar winds also began strengthening in response to the incoming shortwave, and were reaching an altitude in excess of by 12:00 PM EDT (00:00 UTC) within an area extending from Mississippi, to the Atlantic coast.

By around 1:30 PM EDT (17:30 UTC) on April 18, the NOAA SPC upgraded the storm forecast for April 19 to a level 4/5 moderate risk, in a region from northeastern Louisiana to south-central Alabama, for the relatively high likelihood of strong tornadoes and numerous severe thunderstorms. The tornado risk was upgraded to a 15% hatched zone that was spread over parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, with 30% hatched area for damaging winds and large hail also taking place as far west as from eastern Texas, as north from southern Arkansas, and as east as western Georgia. Elevated thunderstorms, posed largely a hail threat throughout the low-level warm advection regime across the Mississippi/Alabama region, and were expected to continue the following day. The advection was to extend eastwards across Alabama, and eventually into southern and central Georgia on Monday, April 20 as a weak, low-amplitude shortwave trough. The possibility of storms becoming surface-based, was greater on the south flank of the wave across Georgia and the surrounding region. This resulted in severe hazards in all kinds becoming probable.

April 19

Past 2:00 AM EDT (06:00 UTC) on Sunday, April 19, The NOAA SPC expanded the moderate risk to span from extreme eastern Texas, to southeastern Georgia. Over an hour later, at approximately 3:20 AM EDT (07:30 UTC) a Public Severe Weather Outlook (PWO) was issued by the SPC, in regard to the expanding threat of widespread of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes being likely within parts of the southeastern U.S. A potent upper-level trough was to blow eastwards across parts of Texas and Oklahoma, as a mid-level jet-streak moved into the American Southeast, blowing in at . Alongside with other key ingredients coming into play, this set the stage for a regional tornado outbreak across the Lower Mississippi River Valley, and to the east in areas in Mississippi state, Alabama, and Georgia. The greatest threat for tornadoes was expected to be from the late morning to the afternoon, and during the evening and night hours. Later on Sunday evening, a mesoscale discussion was issued by the SPC for southern Mississippi and adjacent areas of extreme eastern Louisiana, between 7:30 PM–7:40 PM EDT (23:30–23:40 UTC). This was in response for a noticed corridor of higher tornado probabilities being set up, as a gust front moved south from central Mississippi, down to the state's southern region. Storms trailing along or within the boundary, were expected to encounter more potent levels of low-level wind shear. One of these storms an hour later, would end up producing a long-lived and violent tornado southeast of Tylertown, Mississippi.

April 20 At approximately 9:00 AM EDT (13:00 UTC) on Monday, April 20, the SPC outlined a slight risk for severe weather over central Florida, partially driven by a 2% probability of a tornado within of a point for central to north-central Florida. Additionally, a 15% probability of thunderstorm winds or greater in strength within of a point was outlined for the same area. A large trough extended from the Great Lakes region to as far southeastward as Florida, and a well-defined and strong atmospheric disturbance over Georgia, the Florida panhandle, and southern portions of the Appalachians was expected to weaken and move northeastward into the Carolinas. A line of thunderstorms was ongoing, and favorable low-level wind shear alongside increasing instability from daytime heating and favorable amounts of atmospheric moisture were present within the region. Into the afternoon hours, favorable wind shear and Mixed Layer Convective Available Potential Energy (MLCAPE) values of around 2000–2500 J/kg were expected, likely allowing severe weather to persist until the evening. As the day progressed, a broken squall line tracked southward across central portions of Florida, with intermittent supercellular and bowing structures being present, creating a risk of brief tornadoes and damaging winds. This threat declined throughout the day as atmospheric structures supporting the development of convection shifted offshore, with wind shear, CAPE values, and dew points all lowering and becoming less favorable for severe weather. By 4:00 PM EDT (20:00 UTC), the SPC completely removed the 2% tornado probability from the newest outlook.

Confirmed tornadoes

April 19 event