Tornadoes of 2005

Tornadoes of 2005

This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 2005, primarily (but not entirely) in the United States. Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally, particularly in parts of neighboring southern Canada during the summer season.

Synopsis

The first half of 2005 was fairly slow when it comes to tornadoes. There were no major outbreaks in the first half of 2005, which is rather unusual. The inactivity in what is normally the peak months can be related to a stable low-pressure system that blocked the parade of storms from moving eastward.

The third quarter of 2005 was dominated by the tropics, and many of the tornadoes were related to the many hurricanes and tropical storms of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Several of the tornadoes were destructive.

November was clearly the most active month for tornado activity in the US, with four significant - and completely separate - tornado events, as the wind pattern shifted and the warm tropical Gulf of Mexico added fuel to the fire when cold fronts passed southward, initiating the development of tornado outbreaks. December was much quieter as colder Arctic air became entrenched and the cold fronts became far less active.

There were officially 1,264 tornadoes reported in the US in 2005.

Events

January

There were 33 tornadoes reported in the US in January. A total of 30 tornadoes were confirmed.

January 7

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	2	3	1	0	0	0

January 8 (Hawaii)

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	1	0	0	0	0	0

January 8–11 (California)

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	3	1	0	0	0	0

January 13–14

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	9	7	2	1	0	0

... From january 13-14,An intense cold associated with a strong trough at 500 MB, signaling a significant change in the weather pattern across the eastern U.S., moved across the Mid Atlantic region late Thursday and into Friday, January 14, 2005. The cold front marked the leading edge of a much colder, Canadian air mass that was moving into an unusually warm and moist air mass that had persisted across the eastern U.S. for over a week.

front marking the leading edge of a major air mass change moved across the central and eastern U.S. producing significant precipitation and some severe weather.

...One confirmed tornado was reported in Orange County with other tornadoes in Rowan county in western North Carolina and in central and south Central Virginia .The showers and thunderstorms associated with the cold front produced some severe weather as the front moved across the Mississippi Valley on January 12, 2005. The cold front along with some severe weather moved into the Southeast U.S. on January 13 and January 14, 2005. A band of showers with a few embedded thunderstorms crossed central North Carolina during the early morning hours on Friday, January 14th. The thunderstorms had a history of producing severe weather (largely damaging winds) as they moved across the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys.

In advance of these severe weather producing storms, the pre-storm environment characterizing much of central North Carolina indicated the potential for additional severe weather. A deep southerly flow into North Carolina was originating from the Gulf of Mexico, transporting considerable moisture into the area. Indeed, the precipitable water values were around 1.33 inches, well above normal for the time of year.

The 00Z January 14, Greensboro (GSO) sounding depicted a strong southerly flow. In particular, note the strong speed shear (rate of change in wind speed with height) in the low level winds. The winds quickly increased from 15 knots at ground level, averaging around 50 knots through a deep 10,000 foot layer. There is also some turning of the wind (helicity) seen as southerly surface winds quickly became southwesterly. The presence of strong speed shear near the surface and through a deep layer indicated a high potential for wind damage from convective storms. Since there was also some turning (spin) to the low level winds, the potential for tornadoes also needed to be closely followed.

The 00Z January 14 GSO sounding revealed additional clues regarding the potential for severe storms. The change in temperature with height (lapse rate) is relatively small from near the surface through a deep layer.. The relatively small lapse rate limited the air mass's instability and thunderstorm intensity; however some passing showers did precede the stronger main convective line and might have resulted in a little more instability via cooling of the temperatures in the previously unsaturated layers and hence a stronger lapse rate (change in temperature with height).

The above pre-storm characteristics, especially the very strong winds just off the surface, prompted the National Weather Service radar operators to closely monitor those convective storms featuring any type of bowing or shearing pattern as indicated by radar signatures. Such signatures are indicative of strong winds. Most of the severe storm warnings were either based on bowing segments or convective elements where gate-to-gate shear (large changes in wind speed and direction over a short distance) appeared more significant than in other parts of the line of convection. Only a few thunderstorms exhibited rotation indicative of mesocyclones. A tornado may develop from a mesocyclone's rotation and extend below cloud to the ground. Fortunately, the mesocyclones found in this severe event were short-lived and relatively shallow with depths ranging from between 7,000 to 12,000 feet. The storms appeared to intensity as they approached the northeast Piedmont counties where there was a little more turning (helicity) of the low level wind while the air mass remained just marginally unstable (lifted indices ranging from 2 to -1).tragcally, Five People were dead as a result of the storms.

January 28 (Southern Africa)

A storm produced strong winds, severe hail, and an F1 tornado in the southern Manzini and Shiselweni regions of Swaziland. Thirty people were killed, though it is unknown how many of these deaths are directly attributable to the tornado.

February

There were 10 tornadoes reported in the US in February. A total of 9 tornadoes were confirmed

February 19

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	2	1	0	0	0	0

February 21

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	3	0	0	0	0	0

Two tornadoes hit near Sacramento, California; one in the Natomas neighborhood and one between Southport and Woodland.

February 23

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	1	0	0	0	0	0

February 26

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	1	0	0	0	0	0

February 27

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	1	0	0	0	0	0

March

There were 62 tornadoes reported in the US in March.

April

There were 132 tornadoes reported in the US in April.

May

There were 123 tornadoes reported in the US in May.

May 12

A small outbreak of nine tornadoes occurred in Texas. The majority of the tornadoes were rated F0, however, three of them were significant. An F2 tornado struck the town of South Plains, destroying vehicles and power poles. Two strong tornadoes, an F2 and an F3, struck the town of Ralls about 2.5 hours later, causing almost $800,000 in damage.

June

There were 316 tornadoes reported in the US in June.

July

There were 138 tornadoes reported in the US in July.

July 5–7: Hurricane Cindy

Main article: Hurricane Cindy (2005)

July 9–12: Hurricane Dennis

Main article: Hurricane Dennis

July 19–21: Hurricane Emily

Main article: Hurricane Emily (2005)

July 28

Main article: Birmingham, UK Tornado

August

There were 123 tornadoes reported in the US in August.

August 18

Main article: Wisconsin Tornado Outbreak of August 2005

August 19

Main article: Southern Ontario Tornado Outbreak of 2005

A series of thunderstorms on the afternoon of August 19, 2005, spawned tornadoes damaging homes in the Conestoga Lake and Fergus areas in Southern Ontario, Canada. The storms morphed into heavy rain cells when reaching Toronto. The Insurance Bureau of Canada has estimated that insured losses where the highest in the province's history, exceeding $500 million canadian dollars, two and a half times Ontario's losses during 1998 ice storm and the second largest loss event in Canadian history.

August 28–31: Hurricane Katrina

Main articles: Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Katrina tornado outbreak

September

There were 133 tornadoes reported in the US in September.

September 23–26: Hurricane Rita

Main article: Hurricane Rita

October

There were 18 tornadoes reported in the US in October.

November

There were 150 tornadoes reported in the US in November.

November 5–6

Main article: Evansville Tornado of November 2005

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	2	1	2	2	0	0

November 12

Main article: Iowa Tornado Outbreak of November 2005

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	5	6	3	1	0	0

November 15

Main article: Mid-November 2005 Tornado Outbreak

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	24	15	7	3	1	0

November 27–28

Main article: Late-November 2005 Tornado Outbreak

FU	F0	F1	F2	F3	F4	F5
0	27	22	6	2	0	0

December

There were 19 tornadoes reported in the US in December.

See also

• Tornadoes by Year

External links

• Monthly Tornado Stats (SPC)
• Annual Severe Weather Report Summary 2005 (SPC)
• U.S. tornadoes in 2005 - Tornado History Project
• Tornado project tornadoes of 2005
• Storm Data "2005 Annual Summaries" (NCDC)