The passage of Hurricane Isaac generated a long-lived, nine-day tornado outbreak that affected the Central and Eastern United States from August 27 to September 4, 2012. The hurricane produced a total of 34 tornadoes, with the strongest being two EF2 tornadoes in Mississippi and Arkansas. There were 19 tornado watches were issued for Isaac over eight days and 171 tornado warnings were issued across 12 states, with 77 of them in Mississippi.[2]
2012 Hurricane Isaac tornado outbreak
The remnant low of Isaac moving into the Midwestern United States on August 31
A tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa into the Atlantic Ocean on August 16. After acquiring a well-defined center of circulation and deep atmospheric convection, the disturbance was deemed organized enough to be declared a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC on August 21 while located about 720 mi (1,160 km) east of the Lesser Antilles. Twelve hours later, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Isaac. Steered swiftly westward across the eastern Caribbean Sea by a subtropical ridge, the cyclone steadily intensified prior to making landfall near Jacmel, Haiti with winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) by 06:00 UTC on August 25; a few hours later, Isaac moved ashore near Cajobabo, Guantánamo, Cuba with winds of 60 mph (97 km/h). After moving through the Straits of Florida and into the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the system initially struggled to organize as its wind field expanded. By 12:00 UTC on August 28, however, data from an aircraft reconnaissance flight supported designating Isaac as a Category 1 hurricane. The cyclone attained peak winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) prior to making two landfalls, one at the Southwest Pass over the Mississippi River and the second near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Once inland, Isaac steadily weakened and dissipated over Missouri early on September 1.[3]
On August 22, the Storm Prediction Center noted the potential for severe weather to evolve in association with Isaac; however, considerable model uncertainty precluded the addition of a threat area.[4] Three days later, a severe threat area was outlined across southern Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and northern Florida as the outer bands of the hurricane were forecast to rotate into the region.[5]
An abandoned mobile home was destroyed and shingles were removed from a mobile home. Another home had a broken window and shrub and fence damage on the property. The tornado also passed through citrus groves, knocking down several trees.[6]
A weak tornado on a discontinuous path caused damage to 95 structures, most of which were mobile homes. Approximately 62 received minor damage with an additional 33 sustaining major damage. Carports and awnings were damaged as well.[7]
Impact to homes was largely confined to minor structural damage, with the exception of one home that lost the entirety of its roof. Trees were downed.[15]
Several structures were either damaged or destroyed, including numerous outbuildings and two mobile homes. Light poles, trees, and a fence were downed as well.[16]
A tornado struck Fort Zumwalt North High School where it downed several trees, blew debris onto the tennis court, broke the window out of a nearby truck, knocked over a set of standalone aluminum bleachers at the football field, and blew soccer goals against a line of trees. It then left the high school property and knocked down several more trees, blew playground equipment from a preschool into a parking lot, and knocked over a small set of bleachers and a portion of a 4-foot high chain-link fence that surrounded a nearby baseball diamond.[24]
Two hangars at Corning Municipal Airport sustained extensive damage and a few others sustained minor damage. Several aircraft were damaged severely and several power poles were downed. Two homes had windows blown out and the roof of a shed was blown off.[33]
^Robbie J. Berg (January 28, 2013). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Isaac(PDF). National Hurricane Center (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 4, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Melbourne, Florida (2012). Florida Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Melbourne, Florida (2012). Florida Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tampa, Florida (2012). Florida Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tallahassee, Florida (2012). Florida Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in New Orleans, Louisiana (2012). Mississippi Event Report: EF1 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tallahassee, Florida (2012). Florida Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in New Orleans, Mississippi (2012). Mississippi Event Report: EF1 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tallahassee, Florida (2012). Alabama Event Report: EF1 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Tallahassee, Florida (2012). Alabama Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in New Orleans, Louisiana (2012). Mississippi Event Report: EF2 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Jackson, Mississippi (2012). Mississippi Event Report: EF1 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Jackson, Mississippi (2012). Mississippi Event Report: EF1 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Mobile, Alabama (2012). Alabama Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in St. Louis, Missouri (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in St. Louis, Missouri (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in St. Louis, Missouri (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF1 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in St. Louis, Missouri (2012). Missouri Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Central Illinois (2012). Illinois Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Memphis, Tennessee (2012). Arkansas Event Report: EF2 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Memphis, Tennessee (2012). Arkansas Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2012). Missouri Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2012). Missouri Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky (2012). Missouri Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Indianapolis, Indiana (2012). Indiana Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Mount Holly, New Jersey (2012). Delaware Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
^National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office in Mount Holly, New Jersey (2012). Delaware Event Report: EF0 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 2, 2015.