From August 4–8, 2023, an unusual late-season severe weather and tornado outbreak sequence impacted multiple regions of the United States. Throughout the five-day period, numerous tornadoes struck the Eastern United States, the Plains, the South and the Midwest. Some of the tornadoes were strong and caused major damage. This included an EF3 tornado formed in Lewis County, New York, causing severe damage to homes, barns, forested areas, a ski resort, and a motel. Another EF3 tornado touched down near Yuma, Colorado, causing significant damage to a home and several farm structures in Yuma County. In Baring, Missouri, a strong nocturnal EF2 tornado caused extensive damage throughout the town, where the local post office was destroyed, homes and businesses were damaged, and two people were injured. A long-tracked EF2 tornado moved through Sangamon and Christian counties in Illinois, destroying a house, damaging several other homes, and resulting in extensive tree damage along its path. The third EF2 tornado of the outbreak struck western portions of Knoxville, Tennessee, damaging multiple houses and an apartment complex. This severe weather outbreak sequence left approximately 1 million residents without power and led to over 1,000 preliminary wind reports. Additionally, heavy rainfall prompted a rare flash flood emergency in Cambridge, Maryland. Two non-tornadic fatalities (one in South Carolina and the other in Alabama) occurred as well.

Meteorological synopsis

A moist and unstable air mass and very strong winds aloft were present on August 7, with a shortwave trough progressing towards northern portions of Appalachia, and convective available potential energy in the 2500-3500 values yielded for severe thunderstorm development. Thermodynamic and kinematic energy in and east of central portions of the Appalachian Mountains also contributed to thunderstorm development. A level 4/moderate risk for severe weather, along with a 10 percent tornado risk, a significant 45 percent wind risk, and a 15 percent hail risk was issued by the Storm Prediction Center on August 7, including the Washington, D.C. metro area, the first moderate risk in decades for the DC area. Several severe thunderstorms formed ahead of a cold front in eastern Ohio, eastern Kentucky and West Virginia and later congealed into a quasi-linear convective system while approaching Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and Charlotte, North Carolina, bringing widespread damaging winds.

Confirmed tornadoes

August 4 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, August 4, 2023EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0MillvileRayMO22:57–23:11A weak tornado passed through Millville, causing roof damage to homes, including one that had its chimney knocked down. Outbuildings and trees were also damaged, and hay bales were tossed as well. EF0E of Malta BendSalineMO00:17–00:20A high-end EF0 tornado moved eastward along US 65, damaging trees and power poles. EF2BaringKnoxMO04:13–04:15This damaging tornado touched down southeast of Baring, quickly becoming strong and striking a farmstead as it moved along an unusual northwestward path. A house on the property had its roof and some exterior walls removed, a machine shed and a large outbuilding were completely destroyed, and grain bins were thrown up to a half-mile away. Trees and power poles were snapped nearby before the tornado moved directly through Baring, where significant damage occurred. The local post office was destroyed with only a few walls left standing, a mobile home was completely destroyed, and a few other mobile homes were heavily damaged. A restaurant was unroofed, vehicles were damaged, and shipping containers and anhydrous ammonia tanks were tossed around. A couple of one-story apartment buildings had partial to total roof loss, and frame homes in town sustained considerable roof, siding, and window damage. Sheds, garages, and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed, and many large trees were snapped or uprooted. A total of 7 businesses and 62 homes were damaged or destroyed in Baring before the tornado exited town and moved to the north-northwest. An outbuilding and some trees sustained minor damage before the tornado dissipated. Two people were injured.

August 5 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, August 5, 2023EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF1 SW of Marcelline to NW of MendonAdamsIL07:24–07:31A low-end EF1 tornado inflicted heavy roof and siding damage to a home, while another house suffered a broken window. Multiple outbuildings were damaged or destroyed, crops and power poles were damaged, and many trees were snapped or uprooted. EFUENE of Gleneagle to NW of PeytonEl PasoCO19:40–19:44A trained spotter observed a tornado. No damage occurred. EF0NNW of MauriceSiouxIA19:30–19:33A highly visible and slow-moving tornado damaged several hardwood trees. EFUSSW of Sioux CenterSiouxIA19:42A very brief tornado was photographed. No damage occurred. EF0NE of Grand TowerJacksonIL22:15–22:16A brief tornado occurred in a field. No damage was observed. EFUENE of Willow HillJasperIL22:30–22:31A brief tornado touched down in an open field, causing no damage. EFUE of SnyderDodgeNE00:53A brief tornado caused no damage. EFUE of ArcadiaCarrollIA02:24–02:25A brief tornado occurred, causing no damage. EF0SSW of AuburnSacIA02:29–02:31An outbuilding was damaged by this brief tornado, with debris being thrown into a farm field. EFUSW of AuburnSacIA02:30–02:31High resolution satellite imagery revealed a tornado path through open agricultural fields. Only crop damage occurred.

August 6 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, August 6, 2023EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF0NE of LimaBeaverheadMT20:12–20:19A landspout tornado was caught on video near the Lima Reservoir. No damage occurred. EFUS of BoulderJeffersonMT21:11–21:17A well-documented tornado occurred in the Whitetail Basin area. No structural damage occurred and most areas were inaccessible for surveying. This was the first ever recorded tornado in Jefferson County. EFUSE of Dallas City to E of La HarpeHancockIL22:40–23:15An intermittent multiple-vortex tornado was caught on video as it moved through open fields. No damage was reported. EF2N of Pawnee to N of Taylorville to NW of AssumptionSangamon, ChristianIL23:09–00:03A strong, long-tracked tornado touched down in Sangamon County near Pawnee, downing some trees and inflicting minor roof damage to a home before it quickly crossed into Christian County, damaging a few farm buildings and grain bins near the county line. It then strengthened as it moved across Sangchris Lake and passed between Kincaid and Sharpsburg, snapping and uprooting numerous large trees and tearing roofing and siding from a few homes, one of which was shifted off its foundation and had an exterior wall pushed in. A couple of barns were damaged along this segment of the path as well. The tornado then passed north of Taylorville and reached peak intensity near Willeys, where about two-thirds of a one-story house was destroyed, two other homes had roof damage, and a metal outbuilding was heavily damaged. Father east, the tornado rolled and destroyed a camper, damaged the roof of another house, snapped additional trees, and flattened corn in farm fields before it dissipated. EF1 W of Haysville to SSW of PaoliDubois, OrangeIN04:24–04:53This long-tracked, high-end EF1 tornado first damaged or destroyed a few outbuildings and tore fencing apart before it moved directly through Haysville. A business, some outbuildings, and a couple of homes in and around town suffered roof and gutter damage, and a greenhouse was destroyed. The tornado continued to the east of Haysville, unroofing a one-story house, inflicting minor damage to another house, and damaging or destroying multiple barns. It then struck Kellerville, damaging trees and a trailer before it passed near Dubois Crossroads, where at least 10 large poultry barns were heavily damaged or destroyed, killing numerous turkeys. Moving eastward, the tornado impacted Crystal, where homes, grain bins, and outbuildings were damaged. It then passed near Hillham, tossing and destroying a camper, damaging or destroying outbuildings and garages, and damaging several homes, one of which sustained destruction of its attached garage. As the tornado tracked south of French Lick, it rolled multiple vehicles, trailers, and mobile homes. A house and a cabin in this area had roof and siding damage, a metal carport and an outbuilding were destroyed, and some power lines were downed. Farther along the path, a few homes had significant roof and exterior damage, barns and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed, and debris was scattered across fields before the tornado dissipated near Paoli. Countless trees were snapped or uprooted along the path. EF1 Southern French LickOrangeIN04:45–04:46A brief high-end EF1 tornado moved through the south side of French Lick, snapping or uprooting numerous large trees. Several houses sustained considerable roof and siding damage, and a sand storage barn had its roof torn off. EF1 Northern PaoliOrangeIN04:53–04:55This tornado moved through the north side of Paoli, where multiple warehouses and commercial buildings had their roofs blown off, with sheet metal scattered up to away. Trees were snapped or uprooted, a few of which landed on homes. One house sustained collapse of its porch, and many power poles were downed as well. This was the first of three tornadoes that occurred simultaneously in or around Paoli. EF0SSE of PaoliOrangeIN04:53–04:54A brief high-end EF0 tornado crossed SR 37 just south of Paoli and moved through Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest, snapping or uprooting many trees. This was the second of three tornadoes that occurred simultaneously in or around Paoli. EF1 Paoli to W of LivoniaOrangeIN04:53–05:02This tornado first caused minor roof damage at the Crestwood Manufacturing facility on the west side of Paoli before it moved directly through the downtown area, where some businesses suffered roof damage or had their brick facades damaged or partially collapsed. A church sustained roof damage and broken windows, and the Orange County Courthouse had multiple large chimneys knocked over. Many trees, power poles, and signs were blown over as well, including a couple of trees that fell on houses. The tornado then exited Paoli and tracked eastward, downing more trees and power lines, peeling back the roof of an outbuilding, causing crop damage, and heavily damaging two large grain silos as it moved through areas in and around the rural communities of Stampers Creek and Mahan Crossing. A manufactured home, an outbuilding, and trees were damaged in Millersburg before the tornado dissipated. This was the third of three tornadoes that occurred simultaneously in or around Paoli.

August 7 event