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1984 Carolinas tornado outbreak

Natural disaster in the Southeastern US

Natural disaster in the Southeastern US

FieldValue
name1984 Carolinas tornado outbreak
imageNC march 28 1984.png
captionA map of confirmed tornadoes from this outbreak
durationMarch 28, 1984

On March 28, 1984, a deadly and destructive tornado outbreak impacted the Southeastern United States, lasting about seven hours. Striking mainly the Carolinas, it was the most damaging to hit the two states since the Enigma outbreak, which struck a century and a month earlier. Individual storms traveled at up to 65 mi/h, producing many large and strong tornadoes, several of them 3/4 to wide; a long-lived supercell tracked more than 250 mi across both states, generating a dozen intense tornadoes. Prior to the outbreak, the National Severe Storms Forecast Center, now the Storm Prediction Center, issued a high risk for parts of eastern North Carolina—the first such severe weather prognosis for the Carolinas before April 16, 2011. Several tornadoes were long-tracked and paralleled an intense low-pressure area, prompting comparisons to the 1925 Tri-State tornado. One of the tornadoes reportedly reached a width of 2 + 1/2 mi as well.

Summary

On the evening of March 27, upper-air plots identified a broad and powerful upper-level trough exiting the southern Rocky Mountains into the Great Plains. Winds in the upper reaches of the troposphere accelerated upwards of 140 kn across Texas and Mississippi. In the mid-levels of the atmosphere, the trough detached into a cut-off low, while a potent shortwave trough rounded the base of this feature into the Gulf Coast of the United States. Winds at this level increased to 95 kn, and notably, became increasingly diffluent across the Southeastern United States. Early on March 28, a surface area of low pressure developed over eastern Texas and reached a minimum barometric pressure of 987 mb as it pushed into western Tennessee later that day. Winds in the lower levels of the atmosphere intensified to 50 – and likewise increased at the surface, contributing to significant warm air advection to the south of a warm front draped across the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. By 15:00 UTC, surface dewpoints had surged in excess of 60 F across Georgia and South Carolina, at which time forecasters at the National Weather Service Severe Local Storms Unit (SLSU) – equivalent to the modern-day Storm Prediction Center – outlined a Moderate risk of severe weather from southwestern Georgia northeastward into southern Maryland. Within three hours, these moist dewpoints surged well into eastern North Carolina as the surface low pushed into southern Kentucky.

To the south of the original area of low pressure, a distinct mesolow developed along the warm front across northern Alabama. This feature first began to form around 18:00 UTC, and within three hours, it had rapidly deepened to a barometric pressure of 976 mb. This system moved rapidly northeast at speeds up to 55 kn, thus crossing into eastern North Carolina during the evening hours. As it did so, low-level winds across the eastern Carolinas originated from a southerly direction instead of a southwesterly direction; this shift in flow created a strongly sheared environment across the region. Meanwhile, afternoon temperatures climbed above 80 F, contributing to significant destabilization. Convective available potential energy values rose between 2,000 and 3,000 J/kg into North Carolina, with locally higher values observed in northeastern South Carolina.

These environmental conditions bore strong resemblance to the idealized tornado setup across the Carolinas, and they prompted the SLSU to upgrade areas from eastern Alabama into the Outer Banks of North Carolina to a High risk of severe weather, the first occurrence on record in this portion of the United States. As the mesolow moved across the Carolinas, it was supported by a surface trough to its east-northeast which likely formed as a result of differential heating. Strong low-level convergence associated with this feature led to vigorous thunderstorm development in close proximity to the low, where low-level helicity was maximized and highly supportive of supercell thunderstorms. These supercells first began producing tornadoes across Upstate South Carolina around 19:15 UTC and continued to do so as they moved northeast, passing between Columbia and Charlotte around 22:00 UTC, near Fayetteville around 00:00 UTC on March 29, and finally ending north of the Albemarle Sound in northeastern North Carolina around 02:00 UTC. In total, 24 tornadoes were confirmed, with 11 each in the Carolinas and 2 in Georgia. The size and scope of the event drew parallels to the 1884 Enigma tornado outbreak and tornado outbreak on April 16, 2011, and it held the record for number of tornadoes in the Carolinas until that 2011 event. Comparisons were also drawn to the 1925 Tri-State tornado outbreak given the progression of an intense collection of tornadoes located near the mesolow.

Confirmed tornadoes

A preliminary reanalysis by meteorologist Jonathan D. Finch uncovered many unconfirmed and/or possible tornadoes, including the following:

Georgia

  • A possible tornado hit Lithonia at 3:13 p.m. local standard time (20:13 UTC), significantly damaging the roof of a business, while also causing roof damage to a nearby apartment. A piece of roofing fell onto an automobile, badly damaging the latter.
  • A tornado was seen north of Statham around 3:30 p.m. (20:30 UTC), but without damage.
  • A 15 mi tornado formed on Nowhere Road near Sanford around 3:45 p.m. (20:45 UTC), hitting trees and various structures. 35 homes incurred moderate to severe damage, including partial roof loss, breakage of windows, and the destruction of carports. 50 more received slight damage. A few trailers were wrecked, and half a dozen others were knocked off their foundations; 35 more were damaged to varying degrees. Six chicken coops were destroyed, and 17 others had roof damage. Additionally, five utility buildings and barns were destroyed, while 28 others sustained roof damage. 3 ft trees were downed and thrown across roads, striking buildings.
  • A likely tornado hit Point Peter around 3:57 p.m. (20:57 UTC), collapsing a brick building.
  • An apparent tornado occurred south of Elberton, where fallen trees hit a home and automobile.
F#LocationCounty / ParishStateStart Coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax widthSummary
cat1}}F1SW of Winder to Fort Yargo State ParkBarrowGA20:2512 mi50 ydHundreds of trees were downed. Thirty chicken houses, a manufactured home, a golf course, and more than one hundred buildings sustained minor roof damage. A child in the manufactured home sustained minor injuries.
storm}}F0N of McDonoughHenryGA21:300.5 mi20 ydtitle=Georgia Event Report: F0 Tornadourl=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=9996046publisher=National Centers for Environmental Informationyear=1984accessdate=April 3, 2022}}
cat1}}F1NE of Ware ShoalsLaurensSC21:303 mi177 ydAn F1 tornado tracked to the northeast of Ware Shoals. It was embedded within a larger area of downburst winds that also moved across Anderson and Abbeville counties. In the latter, more than 18 homes were damaged or destroyed and 24 people were injured.
cat2}}F2N of LaurensLaurensSC21:4018 mi700 ydA large and significant tornado destroyed 19 manufactured homes and damaged another 13 others. It also damaged or destroyed 5 community buildings and {{convert500acre
cat2}}F2NewberryNewberrySC22:2023 mi1000 yd1 death – A large F2 tornado moved northeast through downtown Newberry, which reportedly resembled a "war zone" after the tornado struck. It damaged or destroyed 80 businesses, including a church lost its roof and a wall, as well as a dance academy building that partially collapsed. The fatality occurred when an automotive shop was destroyed. An additional 38 people were injured. The tornado hit near the Broad River.
cat3}}F3New HopeNewberry, FairfieldSC22:40–22:5334 mi870 yd1253}}
cat4}}F4Winnsboro to Lake WatereeFairfield, KershawSC23:0021 mi1000 yd6 deaths – An F4 tornado moved east through the northern edge of Winnsboro before crossing Interstate 77, parallel to the previous tornado along much of its path. A private school was severely damaged, where witnesses reported buses thrown into the air. A church and several masonry retail buildings collapsed as well. In total, the violent tornado damaged or destroyed 40 houses, 24 manufactured homes, 5 communities, and 4 businesses. It killed 6 people, of which 5 were in mobile homes and 1 died from a heart attack, and injured 49 others. Strong downburst winds accompanied this tornado and three subsequent ones. A 1/4 mi swath of damaged trees was discernible "for years", and 39 boats were damaged near Lake Wateree.
cat1}}F1N of MonroeUnionNC23:100.25 mi33 ydtitle=North Carolina Event Report: F1 Tornadourl=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10088979publisher=National Centers for Environmental Informationyear=1984accessdate=April 3, 2022}}
cat4}}F4SE of KershawLancaster, KershawSC23:20–23:254 mi530 ydtitle=South Carolina Event Report: F4 Tornadourl=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10109800publisher=National Centers for Environmental Informationyear=1984accessdate=April 3, 2022}}
cat2}}F2N of McBeeChesterfieldSC23:402 mi530 yd1253}}
cat4}}F4Cash areaChesterfieldSC23:457 mi700 ydtitle=South Carolina Event Report: F4 Tornadourl=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10109804publisher=National Centers for Environmental Informationyear=1984accessdate=April 3, 2022}}
cat4}}F4Northern Bennettsville, SC to Laurinburg, NCMarlboro (SC), Scotland (NC)SC, NC00:10–00:2516 mi2113 yd7 deaths – A violent tornado moved through the north side of Bennettsville before dissipating near Laurinburg. It first hit the Marlboro County Jetport, doing minimal damage there, before extensively damaging roofs and downing trees in northern Bennettsville. Barns and a large home were demolished as well, while a number of other homes were rendered uninhabitable. Leaving Bennettsville, the tornado formed multiple vortices, inflicting spotty F4 damage. Now quite large, it killed three people in the rural community of Lester and four others in Fletcher before crossing the state line. A trailer park in Lester was destroyed, along with many homes in Fletcher; four of the seven deaths were in trailers, the rest in frame homes. Near Laurinburg the tornado badly damaged two more trailer parks, just before dissipation; there it injured many people. In total, 100 people were injured.
cat4}}F4E of Bennettsville, SC to Parkton, NCMarlboro (SC), Scotland (NC),SC, NC00:20–01:3045 mi4400 yd5 deaths – Another F4 tornado touched down near Bennettsville. To the east, the tornado devastated the towns of Tatum and McColl. Near Tatum twin multiple-vortex tornadoes were reported, along with fallen trees, damage to several outbuildings, and the destruction of a 137-year-old commissary. In Tatum the tornado destroyed "several" buildings. In South Carolina 150 trailers and homes were wrecked. The tornado crossed the state line and struck the towns of Johns and Maxton before obliterating Red Springs; all of Red Springs received at least F1 or F2 damage, and parts of downtown were shorn of buildings. Barns, a few trailers, and an automobile were destroyed near Parkton. The tornado dissipated near Parkton, after injuring 395 people, and was up to 2 + 1/2 mi wide at one point.
cat3}}F3NE of Tobermory to NE of GiddensvilleBladen, Cumberland, SampsonNC00:45–01:1541 mi1407 yd12 deaths – An intense tornado, traveling at 60 mi/h, first struck Beaver Dam, north of White Oak, killing two people and leveling a large swath of pine forest. Up to 20 homes were destroyed, several of which were swept away, including a large, newly-built brick home. Trees were "shredded", sandblasted, and debarked; vehicles were moved up to 3/4 mi; and a mobile home was tossed 4 mi. In the Beaver Dam–Cedar Creek area the tornado was up to 1.3 mi wide. The tornado then killed two persons near Roseboro before striking Salemburg, killing another there. In the Roseboro–Salemburg area a farm, trailers, and several homes were destroyed or damaged; "hundreds" of trees were splintered 8 to above ground level, while dozens more were left standing at inclines. The tornado then hit Kitty Fork, destroying or damaging many homes there. Along US 701 a store was reduced to its concrete slab foundation, and a nearby hog was pierced by a 2 by board. Near Poplar Grove twin tornadoes reportedly paralleled each other, and a sign from a local farm was found 25 mi away. Six people were killed in the Clinton area before the tornado dissipated. The tornado injured 101 people and may have been the same as the Faison–Calypso–Mount Olive F4.
cat2}}F2Rocky Mount to West MountNashNC01:102 mi177 yd1254}}
cat4}}F4NE of Clinton to SW of Walnut CreekSampson, Duplin, WayneNC01:15–01:4021 mi1407 yd3 deaths – A violent tornado began northeast of Clinton, killing one person in central Sampson County. It continued into Duplin County, causing severe damage near Faison and Calypso; automobiles and trailers were flipped, homes wrecked, and tin roofing twisted around trees. In Wayne County, another two people died in Mount Olive, where the Pine Forest subdivision lost 27 of its 28 homes. A factory near Mount Olive was badly damaged as well, a house stripped of its roof, and a 6 ft pecan felled. Some homes were destroyed outside Mount Olive as well. Otherwise, 149 people were injured.
cat3}}F3SE of LaGrangeWayne, LenoirNC01:30–01:379 mi527 ydAn intense tornado injured 81 people, sweeping homes off of their foundations. Mobile homes, outbuildings, and farm equipment were wrecked as well. An automobile was left in a treetop, and a trailer was tossed into a tree, shattering upon impact; the latter was lofted 150 yd. The tornado lost force near LaGrange, where F1 and F2 damage occurred; in this area it unroofed and partly destroyed a number of buildings, including a high school.
cat4}}F4NE of LaGrange to NE of GreenvilleWayne, Lenoir, Greene, PittNC01:45–02:2046 mi1407 yd16 deaths – This violent tornado was the deadliest of the outbreak, causing fatalities and major damage in and around Snow Hill, Winterville, Ayden, and Greenville. Across southern Greene County it leveled 25 homes and damaged as many as 100 in a 12 mi swath; Scuffleton was particularly hard hit. In total, 153 people were injured and about 300 homes were wrecked.
cat3}}F3NW of LewistonBertieNC01:556 mi880 yd6 deaths – An intense tornado moved near Lewiston, demolishing a manufactured home park and killing six people; five deaths originated from the same family. Nineteen people were also injured. This and the following tornado may have been the same event, tracking for 80 to; damage in Virginia may have been related.
cat2}}F2SE of Earleys to E of AhoskieBertie, HertfordNC02:10–02:155 mi527 ydtitle=North Carolina Event Report: F2 Tornadourl=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10089006publisher=National Centers for Environmental Informationyear=1984accessdate=April 3, 2022}}
cat1}}F1E of CambridgeHertfordNC02:171 mi177 ydtitle=North Carolina Event Report: F1 Tornadourl=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10089008publisher=National Centers for Environmental Informationyear=1984accessdate=April 3, 2022}}
cat2}}F2W of Loris, SC to Tabor City, NCHorry (SC), Columbus (NC)SC, NC02:35–02:459 mi353 ydtitle=North Carolina Event Report: F2 Tornadourl=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10110596publisher=National Centers for Environmental Informationyear=1984accessdate=April 3, 2022}}
cat3}}F3S of Flat Branch to NE of Acorn HillGatesNC02:3014 mi880 yd2 deaths – Near Gatesville nine houses and seven manufactured homes were destroyed, and thirty-nine other houses were damaged. A historic plantation home, built in 1800, was leveled, along with a "solid brick" home. A trailer was reduced to chassis and its debris carried 400 yd. Entering the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the tornado felled many trees and possibly continued into Pasquotank County. Ten people were injured.
cat2}}F2Snug HarborChowan, PerquimansNC03:15–03:206 mi177 ydtitle=North Carolina Event Report: F2 Tornadourl=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=10088309publisher=National Centers for Environmental Informationyear=1984accessdate=April 3, 2022}}
StateTotalCounty**County
total**
North Carolina42Bertie6
Cumberland2
Gates2
Greene7
Perquimans1
Pitt9
Robeson2
Sampson10
Wayne3
South Carolina15Fairfield5
Marlboro9
Newberry1
Totals57
All deaths were tornado-related

Aftermath

Ultimately this outbreak was responsible for 57 deaths, 1,249 injuries, and confirmed tornado damage in 2 counties in Georgia, 8 counties in South Carolina, and 17 counties in North Carolina, according to data from the National Weather Service and the National Climatic Data Center records and statistical data.

This was an unusual East Coast outbreak both in its sustained intensity and in some of its meteorological specifics. It was noted by Grazulis and other researchers

This outbreak was also part of a larger storm system that was responsible for producing severe weather across a much wider area of the eastern U.S. On the previous day, weaker tornadoes had been reported in scattered locations from Louisiana to Alabama, and a thunderstorm-caused flash flood was suspected to be the cause of a train derailment in north Florida. The northern part of the same system first spawned additional severe (non-tornadic) thunderstorms, which caused 4 additional deaths in Maryland and Pennsylvania, before then dropping snow, sleet and ice across a wide area of the northeast. The thunderstorms which produced the tornado outbreak were also responsible (according to the same data) for numerous reports of large hail and wind damage in Appalachian southwest North Carolina, and numerous larger cities (Atlanta, Baltimore, Greenville, South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, Dover, Delaware, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, North Carolina, Suffolk, Virginia, Norfolk, Virginia) at the periphery of the outbreak, with wind damage from thunderstorms reported as far north as Delaware.

Notes

References

  • Fujita, T. T.; Stiegler, D. (1985). "Detailed analysis of the tornado outbreak in the Carolinas by using radar, satellite, and aerial survey data. Preprints". 14th Conference on Severe Local Storms, Indianapolis. American Meteorological Society. pp. 271–274.
  • Kraft, Scott; Harper, Timothy (April 1, 1984). "Wreckage, victims tell tornado's tale on 450-mile route". Herald-American (Syracuse, New York). Associated Press. p. 16.

References

  1. "Major Tornado Outbreak March 28, 1984". National Weather Service.
  2. "Carolinas Tornado Outbreak: March 28, 1984". National Weather Service.
  3. (July 1993). "Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events". The Tornado Project of Environmental Films.
  4. (2001). "The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm". [[University of Oklahoma Press]].
  5. Phillip Badgett. (March 18, 2009). "March 28, 1984 Carolina's Tornado Outbreak". North Carolina State University.
  6. (26 January 2009). "March 28 1984 Carolinas Tornado Outbreak". National Weather Service.
  7. (1984). "Georgia Event Report: F1 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  8. (March 1984). "Storm Data". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  9. (1984). "Georgia Event Report: F0 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  10. (1984). "South Carolina Event Report: F1 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  11. (1984). "South Carolina Event Report: F2 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  12. (1985). "Building Damage in South Carolina Caused by the Tornadoes of March 28, 1984". National Academy Press.
  13. (1984). "South Carolina Event Report: F2 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  14. (1984). "South Carolina Event Report: F3 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  15. (1984). "South Carolina Event Report: F3 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  16. Grazulis, Thomas P.]] (1991). ''Significant Tornadoes 1880–1989''. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: Environmental Films.
  17. (1984). "South Carolina Event Report: F4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  18. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F1 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  19. (1984). "South Carolina Event Report: F4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
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  26. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  27. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  28. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  29. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F3 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
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  32. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F2 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  33. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
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  43. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F2 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
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  45. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F1 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
  46. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F2 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
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  48. (1984). "North Carolina Event Report: F3 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information.
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  51. (2013). "Meteorological Analyses of the Tri-State Tornado Event of March 1925". e-Journal of Severe Storms Meteorology.
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