A significant early spring tornado outbreak occurred throughout the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, with the most significant impacts occurring in Indiana and Ohio. More than two dozen tornadoes occurred, eight of them strong to intense. National Weather Service offices issued multiple 'Particularly Dangerous Situation' tornado warnings. Strong tornadoes produced major damage in the communities of Selma and Winchester in Indiana, and Fryburg and Lakeview in Ohio. One person died in Winchester, and three people were killed in Lakeview. Other significant tornadoes caused damage in Kansas, Arkansas, and Kentucky, with scattered weak tornadoes confirmed in several other states.

In addition to tornadoes, severe weather occurred across the West and East South Central U.S. Damaging winds and large hail was reported in Oklahoma, Missouri, and parts of the Deep South. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding was reported in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Meteorological synopsis

The weather system responsible for the outbreak was evident multiple days prior, but the area that received the worst tornadoes was not expected to be the main threat. On March 9, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) highlighted a 15% probability area of severe weather on March 14 for areas in northeast Texas and far southeast Oklahoma, indicating numerical weather models agreed that severe weather would occur. Over the following days, model runs began to highlight favorable parameters for severe weather, mainly towards very large hail, damaging winds, and a potential for tornadoes across a corridor that expanded northeast.

On March 11, a Day 3 marginal risk was highlighted from central Oklahoma into eastern Kansas, as well as the Lower Missouri Valley. Forecasters identified deep troughing, as well as possible zonal flow, especially around southeast Kansas for March 13.

On March 12, a Day 3 slight risk was issued for the March 14 event, extending into Arkansas, central Missouri, southeastern Iowa, and western Illinois. Given moderate moisture, strong atmospheric buoyancy, and an unstable airmass ahead of convective initiation preceded by a warm front, supercells were possible, with a risk for all severe hazards. A slight risk was also issued for Day 2 around northeastern Kansas.

By 3:54 p.m. CDT on the 13th, storms began to initiate along a warm front in eastern Kansas as forecast. A shortwave trough was also noted nearby on water vapor imagery, highlighting large-scale ascent favorable for all severe hazards. At around 6:00 p.m. CDT, storms began to mature, and an EF2 tornado produced near Alta Vista, Kansas. Following the tornado in Alta Vista, another EF2 produced in Rossville, before storms began to downtrend through the night.

On March 14, a particularly favorable corridor for severe weather was placed along eastern Oklahoma, northwestern Arkansas, and southern Missouri, with intense supercells capable of tornadoes, damaging winds, and very large hail. The aforementioned area was given a level 3/enhanced risk for severe weather, with a 10% risk for EF2+ tornadoes situated mainly in the area within Oklahoma and Arkansas. In this area, convective available potential energy (CAPE) values reached 2,500–3,000 J/kg, favorable wind shear was present, and elongated, curved hodograph values were expected, allowing any mature supercell to rotate.

During the early morning hours of March 14, the system produced severe weather across areas of Kansas to Ohio. After the initial storms passed, the atmosphere was predicted to stabilize, as the temperature gradient throughout experienced vertical mixing. Because of this, an elongated, wide corridor that extended into Indiana and western Ohio was given a 5% risk for tornadoes, however, the Storm Prediction Center noted that if supercells were able to develop in this region, they could be long-tracked. Supercells were able to develop by the late afternoon near west Indiana and began tracking east and southeast through Ohio, prompting a tornado watch for the states.

Confirmed tornadoes

March 13 event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, March 13, 2024EF#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax width EF2E of Alta Vista to NE of VollandWabaunseeKS00:45–01:15 The tornado remained mostly over rural areas, causing low-end EF2 damage to hardwood trees and outbuildings. EF2WNW of RossvilleShawneeKS01:27–01:46 Homes and outbuildings were damaged.

March 14 event