Tornado outbreak and floods of April 2–7, 2025
Animation of the outbreak and associated supercells from April 2–7, with Storm Prediction Center risk days shown | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | April 2–7, 2025 |
| Tornado outbreak | |
| Tornadoes | 156 |
| Maximum rating | EF3 tornado |
| Duration | 5 days, 6 hours, 10 minutes |
| Highest winds | Tornadic – 165 mph (266 km/h) (Ebo, Missouri EF3 on April 2, Senatobia, Mississippi EF3 on April 3) |
| Highest gusts | Non-tornadic – 110 mph (180 km/h) northwest of Magnolia, Arkansas on April 2 |
| Largest hail | 2.75 inches (7.0 cm) in multiple locations on April 2 |
| Winter storm | |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | Snow – 12 inches (30 cm) in La Moure, North Dakota Ice – 0.22 in (5.6 mm) in Frenchville, Maine |
| Extratropical cyclone | |
| Lowest pressure | 986 hPa (mbar); 29.12 inHg |
| Flooding event | |
| Maximum rainfall | 15.59 in (396 mm) in Benton, Kentucky |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 24 total (9 tornadic, 15 non-tornadic) |
| Injuries | 47+ |
| Damage | Unknown |
| Areas affected | Southern and Midwestern United States |
| Power outages | >318,000 |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 2025, the 2024–25 North American winter and Floods in the United States in 2025 | |
From April 2–7, 2025, a slow-moving weather system and a stationary front caused both a widespread and devastating tornado outbreak and historic, life-threatening flash flooding across much of the Southern and Midwestern United States.
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) began monitoring the Mississippi Valley and surrounding regions on March 28 for the potential of future severe weather, eventually issuing a rare high risk for April 2, just weeks after a historic tornado outbreak in the same general area. Later that day, a tornado struck Owasso, Oklahoma, causing damage to homes. A significant tornado struck Nevada, Missouri, removing roofs from homes and injuring at least one person. An EF2 tornado struck Pilot Grove, Missouri, destroying a manufactured home and tossing cars. The tornado sirens in the town did not sound due to a malfunction, though no-one was hurt. A large, multiple-vortex EF3 tornado moved through the city of Lake City in Arkansas, prompting a tornado emergency issuance. At least one person was killed by a tornado that struck Advance and Delta in Missouri, leaving significant damage to homes. In the early morning hours of April 3, an EF3 tornado struck Selmer, Tennessee, killing three people within the city and two others in surrounding McNairy County. Another supercell produced another EF3 tornado near Slayden, Mississippi, prompting the issuance of another tornado emergency. Near La Grange, Tennessee, two fatalities occurred when a tornado destroyed a mobile home.
The slow progression of the weather system also resulted in days of heavy rainfall and caused catastrophic flash flooding across much of the Ohio Valley. A broad swath of 8–12 inches (20–30 cm) of rain fell across the same areas, especially in the state of Kentucky. Multiple major rivers overflowed their banks, causing widespread damage in neighboring towns, with some nearing record crest levels. Due to multiple rounds of severe weather hitting the same areas, storm surveys had to be delayed for several days. In total, 24 people in total have died as a result of the system; nine from tornadic activity and 15 from non-tornadic activity, including the flooding. Furthermore, at least 47 have been injured. With a total of 156 confirmed tornadoes, the outbreak received a score of 96 on the Outbreak Intensity Score (OIS), classifying it as a "devastating" outbreak.