The 2002 Veterans Day weekend tornado outbreak was an unusually severe and expansive severe weather event across portions of the Central and Eastern United States from the evening hours of November 9 into the early morning hours of Veterans Day, November 11, 2002. A series of troughs tracked eastward across the United States, providing strong wind shear, while anomalously warm and unstable air surged northward into the Ohio River Valley. As a result, multiple tornadoes occurred across Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri on November 9. A far more widespread and severe event occurred the following day, with three distinct tornado outbreaks focused across areas from Illinois to Pennsylvania; Tennessee and Kentucky; and areas from Mississippi to South Carolina. The most intense tornado of the outbreak was a violent F4 tornado that occurred near Van Wert, Ohio. A total of 76 tornadoes occurred during the 3-day period, collectively resulting in 36 deaths and 303 injuries. As of 2022, the event ranks as the third-largest tornado outbreak on record in November.
Meteorological synopsis
November 9
The first signs for organized severe weather became apparent on November 7, when the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) outlined a Slight risk across portions of the mid-Mississippi and western Ohio River valleys valid for November 9. On that day, a powerful and negatively-tilted upper-level trough upwards of was observed driving east-southeastward toward the U.S. Central and Southern Plains. While a shortwave trough at the leading edge of this feature progressed across the Texas Panhandle, a surface area of low pressure resided across the Central and Northern Plains. Southerly flow associated with the cyclone prompted the northward advection of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, with dewpoints rising into the lower 60s °F as far north as southern Illinois; this moisture promoted modest destabilization and mid-level convective available potential energy (CAPE) values from 500 to 1,000 J/kg. As the shortwave trough continued eastward, it aided in the formation of thunderstorms across northeastern Arkansas around 00:00 UTC. These storms resided in a strongly sheared environment, with storm relative helicity – a measure of the potential for cyclonic updrafts – around 800 m2/s2. Despite initial concern that the lower levels of the atmosphere were not quite as favorable, evening atmospheric soundings from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee, showcased an extremely favorable environment for significant tornadoes. Clusters of supercells tracked from Arkansas into Tennessee over ensuing hours, and in fact, the persistence of these storms resulted in the formation of a weak outflow boundary that further enhanced the tornado threat. A total of 10 tornadoes occurred throughout the evening of November 9, including multiple strong tornadoes and one that killed two people near Huntingdon, Tennessee. Throughout the afternoon hours, the tornado outbreak unfolded in three distinct locations. Although storms in this region were initially congealed into a squall line ahead of a cold front, the presence of strong shear and dry air in the mid-levels supported the line's breakdown into supercells and bowing segments. Ahead of this activity, additional discrete supercells overspread much of Ohio owing to a prefrontal trough. An F3 tornado near Tiffin killed one person and injured two others. The event evolved into more of a significant damaging wind episode as storms progressed farther east into Pennsylvania by the evening hours.
With the northern outbreak unfolding, a central outbreak simultaneously overspread portions of Tennessee and Kentucky, while a southern outbreak spanned areas from Mississippi into South Carolina. Surface observations and atmospheric soundings across the High and Moderate risk areas showed a very unstable environment with surface-based CAPE values in the 2,000–3,000 J/kg range. Despite the presence of a cap, this inversion was weak and expected to be eroded by warming daytime temperatures. Meanwhile, deep-layer wind shear of overspread the area. Though shear profiles were largely unidirectional initially, low-level winds were expected to become more conducive for discrete supercells and tornadoes. As expected, temperatures climbing to around and dewpoints reaching the mid-60s °F allowed for deep convective development into the afternoon. Multiple swaths of supercells developed throughout the region, including one in middle Tennessee, a second from central Mississippi into northwestern Alabama, and a third from northeastern Louisiana into central Mississippi. Fatal tornadoes occurred near Shelbyville, though a few tornadoes still occurred during the early morning hours across Georgia and South Carolina.
Confirmed tornadoes
November 9 event
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|+ List of confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, November 9, 2002
! scope="col" style="width:3%; text-align:center;"|F#
! scope="col" style="width:7%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|Location
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|County / Parish
! scope="col" style="width:5%; text-align:center;"|State
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Start Coord.
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Time (UTC)
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Path length
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Max width
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style="width:48%; text-align:center;"|Summary
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|N of Parkin, AR to NE of Covington, TN
|Cross (AR), Crittenden (AR), Mississippi (AR), Tipton (TN)
|AR, TN
|
|03:15–04:30
|
|
|In Arkansas, two farm houses and a mobile home were destroyed while a church, five homes and three mobile homes were damaged. Several other farm buildings were damaged along with trees and power lines being blown down. In Tennessee, 28 mobile homes, 5 houses, and 1 business were destroyed. Over 275 other structures were damaged, and 1 injury was recorded when a man was hit by falling bricks in downtown Covington.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|NE of Bells
|Crockett
|TN
|
|04:15
|
|
|Six mobile homes and four houses were destroyed. Over 60 other structures were damaged as well.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|SW of Huntingdon
|Carroll
|TN
|
|04:26–04:44
|
|
|2 deaths – The two fatalities were recorded in a mobile home park that was hit by a tornado. In addition to destroyed mobile homes, three houses, two businesses and a farm building were destroyed. Forty other structures were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|N of Jackson
|Cape Girardeau
|MO
|
|04:58–04:59
|
|
|A trailer was destroyed while one metal barn and a few homes sustained roof/shingle damage.
|-
|}
November 10 event
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|+ List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, November 10, 2002
! scope="col" style="width:3%; text-align:center;"|F#
! scope="col" style="width:7%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|Location
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|County / Parish
! scope="col" style="width:5%; text-align:center;"|State
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Start Coord.
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Time (UTC)
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Path length
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Max width
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style="width:48%; text-align:center;"|Summary
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|NW of Jackson
|Madison
|TN
|
|06:10–06:20
|
|
|A tornado moved through Union University, heavily damaging several buildings and about 500 cars on campus. It also hit a subdivision, destroying a home and inflicting damage to 140 others.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|SW of Adams
|Montgomery
|TN
|
|06:50–?
|
|
|2 deaths – The fatalities were inside one of three mobile homes that were blown or lifted off of their foundations. Sixty homes and one building were damaged as well. The National Centers for Environmental Information erroneously lists this tornado as three separate entries.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|Portland
|Robertson, Sumner
|TN
|
|07:48–?
|
|
|Major damage occurred in Portland. Seven homes, one business, and seven mobile homes were destroyed. A total of 18 outbuildings, 16 barns, 29 homes, 8 mobile homes, 2 churches and 1 business suffered minor to major damage. Vehicles were tossed and damaged as well, including a truck that was rolled . A building in an industrial park near Portland was also heavily damaged. Six injuries were recorded. The National Centers for Environmental Information erroneously lists the details of this tornado.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|SW of Hartford City
|Blackford
|IN
|
|19:30–19:36
|
|
|One home and two mobile homes were destroyed, while a supermarket and a motel were damaged. Three people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|N of De Soto
|Jackson
|IL
|
|19:32–19:40
|
|
|Minor shingle damage to a barn and trees were also damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|W of West Frankfort
|Franklin
|IL
|
|19:41–19:42
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|S of Bluffton
|Wells
|IN
|
|19:46
|
|
|Two outbuildings were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F3
|NE of Berne
|Adams
|IN
|
|19:59–20:05
|
|
|Several well-built Amish homes and barns were severely damaged along the path. A mobile home was destroyed as well.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F4
|SW of Van Wert to SE of Napoleon
|Van Wert, Paulding, Putnam, Defiance, Henry
|OH
|
|20:15–21:25
|
|
|4 deaths – See article on this tornado – 17 people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F3
|E of Bellefontaine
|Logan, Union
|OH
|
|21:38–21:49
|
|
|In Logan County, two semi-trailers were damaged along with the roof of shed. In Union County, four houses were destroyed and nine others were damaged. Several barns and vehicles were destroyed as well. A metal high-tension truss tower was toppled and two people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|W of Richwood
|Union
|OH
|
|21:51–21:53
|
|
|A barn and a house were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|Jerry City
|Wood
|OH
|
|21:54–22:01
|
|
|Three garages, one barn, and a city maintenance garage were destroyed in and around Jerry City. Nine homes were also damaged, including one home that was moved off of its foundation. Vehicles were destroyed and hundreds of trees were downed.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|Fostoria
|Hancock, Seneca
|OH
|
|21:57–22:10
|
|
|Eight homes were destroyed and many others severely damaged as the tornado moved through the city. One fertilizer plant southwest of town was completely destroyed. Two businesses were heavily damaged and several barns were either destroyed or damaged as well. Two railroad cars were blown over and derailed, and a storage tank was also damaged. Also in Fostoria, the hospital sustained damage while at the airport, an administrative building and a hangar were damaged. The tornado left cycloidal marks in farm fields outside of town.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|Marion
|Marion
|OH
|
|22:10
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|SE of Perrysburg
|Wood
|OH
|
|22:10
|
|
|Law enforcement officers reported a brief tornado; it did not cause damage.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F3
|SE of Tiffin to Fireside
|Seneca
|OH
|
|22:15–22:38
|
|
|1 death – A strong tornado touched down near Tiffin and moved into the town, resulting in major damage, especially in the Honey Creek subdivision. A total of 8 homes in Tiffin were destroyed, 5 were heavily damaged, and 25 others sustained lesser damage. A retirement community was also impacted and a business near Ohio State Route 231 was leveled. Near Republic, one person was killed when a house was swept off of its foundation, and other nearby houses were completely destroyed as well. Across Seneca County, a total of 32 homes and businesses were destroyed and nearly 80 others were damaged by this tornado. Hundreds of trees and power lines were downed, and dozens vehicles were damaged or destroyed. The tornado left cycloidal marks in farm fields. Two people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|NW of Millbury
|Wood
|OH
|
|22:19–22:20
|
|
|Five homes sustained roof damage.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|Fremont
|Sandusky
|OH
|
|22:20–22:25
|
|
|Several homes had minor to moderate damage, while a motor home and seven barns were destroyed. Several antique cars inside a barn were also destroyed. Many trees and power lines were downed as well.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|NW of Macon
|Bibb, Monroe
|GA
|
|22:21–22:24
|
|
|Minor shingle damage to homes, although some homes were damaged by falling trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|Port Clinton
|Ottawa
|OH
|
|22:30–22:45
|
|
|Major damage occurred throughout Port Clinton. A total of 24 homes and 16 apartments were destroyed while 140 others structures were damaged, some of them significantly. Two condominiums were blown off of their stilts into Lake Erie. The Port Clinton hospital and high school were also damaged, and hundreds of trees and power poles were downed. A total of 10 people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|W of Norwalk to Milan
|Huron, Erie
|OH
|
|22:42–22:50
|
|
|A few barns were destroyed while a few homes also sustained damaged. The Lyme Township hall was heavily damaged as well, as its garage and several trucks and heavy equipment inside were destroyed. A high-voltage power pole was toppled, and many trees were downed as well.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|SW of Ontario
|Richland
|OH
|
|22:45–22:46
|
|
|A cinder block building was leveled and there was extensive damage to one home. Hand tools from the cinder block building were found impaled into a nearby car. Many trees were downed along the path.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|SW of Polk to NE of Homerville
|Ashland, Medina
|OH
|
|22:48–23:05
|
|
|A total of 5 homes were destroyed along the path, and about 40 others were damaged as well, with additional damage to other structures. A couple of public buildings were damaged in Polk, and two homes in town were heavily damaged as well. A church outside of town lost its steeple, and a small boat left tethered in a pond was found a quarter-mile away. In Medina County, an auto shop and a barn were destroyed in Homerville. Several homes in town sustained minor to moderate damage, and many cars were damaged as well. Dozens of trees were also downed along the path, and four people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|St. George Island
|Franklin
|FL
|
|23:15
|
|
|A waterspout moved onshore, causing damage to an unoccupied home.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|SE of West Salem
|Wayne
|OH
|
|23:20–23:27
|
|
|Two homes were destroyed, and three others were severely damaged. Several other homes had minor damage, and outbuildings were destroyed. Twenty power poles were snapped, many vehicles were damaged, and hundreds of trees were downed along the path.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|Massillon
|Stark
|OH
|
|23:26–23:32
|
|
|A tornado moved through downtown Massillon, causing roof and window damage to several businesses. A semi-truck and several large signs were blown over in this area as well. Many cars, including one with a board driven through its door, were damaged or destroyed by trees and flying debris in this same area. A total of 23 properties sustained either roof and siding damage or downed trees on List Street alone.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|N of Sunbright
|Morgan
|TN
|
|23:35–23:37
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|SE of Milan
|Carroll
|TN
|
|23:40–23:42
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|SW of Huntsville
|Scott
|TN
|
|23:40–23:45
|
|
|Several homes were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|N of Manchester
|Coffee
|TN
|
|23:32–?
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees. The National Centers for Environmental Information erroneously lists the details of this tornado.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|N of Medon
|Madison
|TN
|
|23:55–23:57
|
|
|A barn was destroyed. A mobile home and a tavern were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|Macedonia to Twinsburg to Solon
|Summit, Cuyahoga
|OH
|
|00:00–00:15
|
|
|A strong tornado touched down in Macedonia, damaging 60 homes; of these structures, 2 homes were completely destroyed and 15 were declared uninhabitable. The tornado then caused major damage in Twinsburg, where 45 homes were damaged and a few were leveled in a single subdivision. The tornado then clipped the south edge of Glenwillow, where a business lost its roof and a few homes were damaged. Past Glenwillow, the tornado struck Solon before dissipating, where many additional homes were damaged and a middle school sustained $2 million in roof and structural damage. Multiple cars were damaged, and hundreds of trees and power poles were downed along the path.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|SE of Wartrace
|Bedford, Coffee
|TN
|
|00:45–?
|
|
|2 deaths – A strong tornado destroyed 24 houses and 9 mobile homes. Another 51 houses, 5 mobile homes, and 14 outbuildings were damaged. Two deaths occurred in a mobile home. A Tennessee Valley Authority tower was destroyed, trees and light poles were downed, and two loaded tractor-trailers were blown off of I-24. Twenty-four people were injured. The National Centers for Environmental Information erroneously lists the details of this tornado.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|Clark
|Mercer
|PA
|
|00:54–01:02
|
|
|1 death – A strong tornado touched down outside of Sharpsville and struck Clark. In all, 15 homes were destroyed while 42 homes sustained minor to major damage. One business was destroyed, and another one was damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|Crab Orchard
|Cumberland
|TN
|
|01:01–?
|
|
|A tractor trailer was blown onto its side at I-40 in Crab Orchard. The National Centers for Environmental Information erroneously lists the details of this tornado.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|W of West Union
|Adams
|OH
|
|01:15–01:20
|
|
|One barn was destroyed while a church, three barns, and two homes were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|N of Webster, MS to NE of Stafford, AL
|Winston (MS), Noxubee (MS), Oktibbeha (MS), Lowndes (MS), Pickens (AL)
|MS, AL
|
|01:20–02:18
|
|
|1 death – A long-tracked tornado passed near Crawford, Mississippi. Damage in Alabama was limited to trees, but several homes were destroyed in Mississippi.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|N of Liberty
|Casey
|KY
|
|01:30–01:31
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|Cochranton
|Crawford
|PA
|
|01:30–01:33
|
|
|A barn and a cottage were destroyed, while three homes and a barn were damaged. Hundreds of trees were snapped.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|E of Pickens
|Attala, Leake
|MS
|
|01:30–01:40
|
|
|One home and a barn were damaged, and hundreds of trees were snapped and uprooted.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F3
|NW of Oliver Springs
|Morgan
|TN
|
|01:31–01:42
|
|
|7 deaths – The communities of Mossy Grove and Joyner were devastated. A total of 24 homes were destroyed, and 63 others were damaged. A total of 12 mobile homes were destroyed, and 18 others were damaged as well. Severe tree damage occurred and vehicles were thrown. A total of 28 people were injured.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|N of New Hope, MS
|Lowndes (MS), Pickens (AL)
|MS, AL
|
|01:36–01:48
|
|
|Damage in both states was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|SE of Hustonville
|Lincoln
|KY
|
|01:45–01:46
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|S of Lake City
|Anderson
|TN
|
|01:54–02:05
|
|
|A total of 32 homes were damaged, of which 3 were completely destroyed; 9 mobile homes were damaged as well.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|N of Spencer
|Van Buren
|TN
|
|02:10–02:14
|
|
|A frame house was destroyed. The National Centers for Environmental Information erroneously lists the path of this tornado.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|S of Louisville
|Winston
|MS
|
|02:20–02:40
|
|
|Two mobile homes were destroyed while several homes and outbuildings were damaged. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|NW of Pikeville
|Bledsoe
|TN
|
|02:30–02:38
|
|
|Five homes were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|SE of Canton
|Madison
|MS
|
|02:34–02:36
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|S of Crossville (1st tornado)
|Cumberland
|TN
|
|02:46–02:47
|
|
|Weak tornado with no damage.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|SE of Berry
|Fayette
|AL
|
|03:10–03:15
|
|
|A lumber mill and a mobile home were damaged. Numerous trees were downed as well.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|Dora
|Walker
|AL
|
|03:38–03:47
|
|
|Several structures in Dora were damaged, including roofs of homes.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F3
|S of Crossville (2nd tornado)
|Cumberland
|TN
|
|03:33–?
|
|
|4 deaths – 33 homes and mobile homes were destroyed, and 128 others were damaged. One public building was also damaged. Many trees were snapped and uprooted, and power lines were downed as well. All the fatalities occurred inside mobile homes. The National Centers for Environmental Information erroneously lists the details of this tornado.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|N of Abernant to Bessemer
|Tuscaloosa, Jefferson
|AL
|
|04:22–04:43
|
|
|This tornado struck North Johns and Sumter before dissipating in Bessemer. A manufacturing facility was heavily damaged. Several homes and businesses sustained varying degree of damage as well. A crane was toppled at a quarry in Bessemer.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|N of Steele
|St. Clair
|AL
|
|04:41–04:44
|
|
|Three homes were damaged, along with a few outbuildings. Trees were downed as well.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|SE of Centre
|Cherokee
|AL
|
|05:20–05:32
|
|
|1 death – 88 homes were damaged or destroyed. Many trees were downed and outbuildings were destroyed. The fatality occurred in a mobile home. Four people were injured.
|-
|}
November 11 event
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%;"
|+ List of confirmed tornadoes – Monday, November 11, 2002
! scope="col" style="width:3%; text-align:center;"|F#
! scope="col" style="width:7%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|Location
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;" class="unsortable"|County / Parish
! scope="col" style="width:5%; text-align:center;"|State
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Start Coord.
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Time (UTC)
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Path length
! scope="col" style="width:6%; text-align:center;"|Max width
! scope="col" class="unsortable" style="width:48%; text-align:center;"|Summary
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|S of Adairsville
|Bartow
|GA
|
|06:35
|
|
|Seven chicken houses and a barn were destroyed, killing 7,500 chickens. About 15 homes were damaged as well.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F2
|W of Dawsonville
|Cherokee, Pickens, Dawson
|GA
|
|06:48–07:25
|
|
|A total of 28 homes, 2 mobile homes, 2 businesses and several other structures were destroyed. Over 150 other homes and 2 churches sustained varying levels of damage. Several livestock were killed and 13 people were injured, including 3 at a popular restaurant.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|S of Columbia
|Marion
|MS
|
|06:50–07:00
|
|
|One mobile home was destroyed, while another mobile home and house were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|NW of Covington
|St. Tammany
|LA
|
|06:55
|
|
|Three homes and a few outbuildings were damaged.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|S of Piedmont
|Anderson, Greenville
|SC
|
|10:22–10:27
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|S of Simpsonville
|Greenville
|SC
|
|10:30–10:34
|
|
|One hotel sustained extensive damage to its roof, while outbuildings, a scoreboard, and fences were destroyed. Other structures sustained damage and two tractor trailers were blown over.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|NW of Troy
|McCormick
|SC
|
|10:45–10:55
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees, though two people were injured by a tree that crushed a vehicle.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|NW of Lincolnton
|Lincoln
|GA
|
|11:15–11:17
|
|
|Damage was limited to trees.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F0
|S of Willington
|McCormick
|SC
|
|11:20–11:25
|
|
|Damage to trees and power lines.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|W of Newberry
|Newberry
|SC
|
|11:42–11:44
|
|
|Damage to trees and power lines.
|-
|bgcolor=# | F1
|N of Little Mountain
|Newberry
|SC
|
|12:35–12:37
|
|
|A few homes sustained minor damage and a shed was blown down.
|-
|}