Mobile/Pensacola

Weather Forecast Office

2012 Christmas Day Tornado Outbreak

2012 Christmas Day Tornado Outbreak
December 25, 2012

A powerful Low pressure system moved out of the Plains on Christmas Day, producing a large scale tornado outbreak across parts of east Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle on Christmas in 2012. Numerous strong storms developed in the afternoon on December 25th ahead of a cold front with an accompanying squall line. Multiple tornadoes (some long-track tornadoes) developed and produced damage across the region in the afternoon and evening hours on Christmas.

Showers and storms (mostly elevated in nature) developed and moved across the area in the late morning hours as the dense fog lifted and a warm front pushed northeast through the area. This large shield of showers and storms temporarily stabilized the atmosphere over the region in the late morning. However, the cloud cover began to break up in the early afternoon and temperatures quickly climbed, which led to the development of more storms by the mid to late afternoon hours. The 18 UTC special sounding from LIX (Slidell, LA) showed an atmosphere primed with ingredients conducive for supercell thunderstorm generation and strong, long-track tornadoes.

The first Tornado Watch for our region was issued slightly prior to 1pm for much of southwest Alabama and southeast Mississippi (and extended further east shortly thereafter). This Tornado Watch was categorized as a rare "PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION" (aka PDS Tornado Watch), which is reserved for only the most significant severe weather outbreaks. The text for this PDS Tornado Watch can be found in the Storm Prediction Center Archive.

Shortly after 2pm, forecasters began to issue warnings on storms with rotation over the coastal waters and the first Tornado Warning was issued by NWS Mobile/Pensacola at 243pm CST. Numerous Tornado Warnings were issued throughout the afternoon and evening hours for the discrete supercells that formed well ahead of the squall line.

Information on the tornado that moved through the Mobile metro area and the Tornado Emergency issued for midtown and downtown Mobile, AL can be found on a separate event webpage.

Summary of all Local Storm Reports (LSRs) across the area and LSRs across the region during the Christmas Day Tornado Outbreak.

Jump to the NWS storm surveys for the following areas:

Southeast Mississippi:
Northwestern Stone County, MS
Southern Perry County, MS
Western Greene County, MS

Southwest Alabama:
Midtown Mobile, AL - Mobile County
Wilmer, AL - Mobile County
Deer Park, AL - Washington County
Riderwood, AL - Choctaw County
Luverne, AL- Crenshaw County
Patsburg, AL - Crenshaw County
Grove Hill, AL - Clarke County

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 25 DECEMBER 2012 TORNADO OUTBREAK ACROSS
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

.UPDATE...STORM SURVEYS BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAVE CONCLUDED...THIS
STATEMENT INCLUDES SURVEY RESULTS TO DATE...

.OVERVIEW...A POWERFUL STORM SYSTEM MOVED OUT OF THE PLAINS ON
CHRISTMAS...PRODUCING NUMEROUS STRONG STORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI, SOUTHWEST ALABAMA, AND THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
OUT AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT AND ACCOMPANYING SQUALL LINE. MULTIPLE
TORNADOES...SOME LONG TRACK...WERE OBSERVED ALONG THE CENTRAL GULF COAST
REGION.


Click to Enlarge

.NORTHWESTERN STONE COUNTY TORNADO...

RATING:                 EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    111-135 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 8.3 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   100 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             345 PM CST
START LOCATION:         PEARL RIVER COUNTY LINE WEST OF TEXAS, MS
START LAT/LON:          30.839,-89.341

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               350 PM CST
END LOCATION:           FORREST COUNTY LINE OR 6 NW OF WIGGINS, MS
END_LAT/LON:            30.9100,-89.2339

SURVEY_SUMMARY: TORNADO MOVED FROM NORTHEAST PEARL RIVER COUNTY INTO
EXTREME NORTHWEST STONE COUNTY CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO A FEW
HOMES ON MAGNOLIA ROAD. IT CROSSED HIGHWAY 26...SNAPPING NUMEROUS PINE
TREES IN THE LAKE TAC-O-LEEN CAMPGROUND. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST
DESTROYING A MANUFACTURED HOME ON WILL LEE ROAD AND HEAVILY DAMAGING
SEVERAL FRAME HOUSES. A MANUFACTURED HOME WAS ALSO ROLLED INTO A FRAME
HOUSE. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ALSO REPORTED TREES DOWN ON PROGRESS ROAD
BEFORE THE TORNADO EXITED STONE COUNTY INTO FORREST COUNTY. THIS TORNADO
SEGMENT IN STONE COUNTY IS PART OF A 61 MILE LONG TRACK TORNADO THAT
WENT FROM CENTRAL PEARL RIVER COUNTY TO WESTERN GREENE COUNTY MISSISSIPPI.

Click to Enlarge

.SOUTHERN PERRY COUNTY TORNADO...

RATING:                 EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    111-135 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 20 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   200 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             405 PM CST
START LOCATION:         FORREST COUNTY LINE 7.6 MILES NORTH OF WIGGINS
START LAT/LON:          30.9687,-89.1381

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               432 PM CST
END LOCATION:           GREENE COUNTY LINE NEAR MCLAIN, MS
END_LAT/LON:            31.1057,-88.8411

SURVEY_SUMMARY: TORNADO ENTERED PERRY COUNTY CROSSING THE DESOTO
NATIONAL FOREST AS AN EF-1 TORNADO APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS WIDE.
THE TORNADO INCREASED IN STRENGTH BRIEFLY TO EF-2 AS IT MOVED ACROSS
HIGHWAY 29 KNOCKING DOWN ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES. THE TORNADO
CROSSED LULA COOLEY ROAD WHERE IT DESTROYED A MANUFACTURED HOME AND
HUNTING CAMP OFF SNIDER ROAD. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST AS AN
EF-1 PRODUCING DAMAGE TO A FEW HOMES AND WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO TREES.
THE TORNADO LEFT PERRY COUNTY NEAR MCLAIN. THIS TORNADO SEGMENT IN
PERRY COUNTY IS PART OF A 61 MILE LONG TRACK TORNADO THAT WENT FROM
CENTRAL PEARL RIVER COUNTY TO WESTERN GREENE COUNTY MISSISSIPPI.

Click to Enlarge

.WESTERN GREENE COUNTY TORNADO...

RATING:                 EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    86-110 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 1.5 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   100 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             432 PM CST
START LOCATION:         PERRY COUNTY LINE NEAR MCLAIN, MS
START LAT/LON:          31.1057,-88.8411

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               434 PM CST
END LOCATION:           MCLAIN, MS
END_LAT/LON:            31.1160,-88.8210

SURVEY_SUMMARY: TORNADO MOVED THROUGH THE MCLAIN AREA PRODUCING
ROOF DAMAGE TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND A FEW HOMES...AS WELL AS
SNAPPING SEVERAL TREES. THE TORNADO LIFTED NEAR THE INTERSECTION
OF OLD MISSISSIPPI 24 AND US HIGHWAY 98. THIS TORNADO SEGMENT IN
GREENE COUNTY IS PART OF A 61 MILE LONG TRACK TORNADO THAT WENT
FROM CENTRAL PEARL RIVER COUNTY TO WESTERN GREENE COUNTY MISSISSIPPI.


Click to Enlarge

.WILMER TORNADO (MOBILE COUNTY)...

RATING: EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 86-110 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 6.8 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 100 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 1

START DATE: DEC 25 2012
START TIME: 722 PM CST
START LOCATION: JUST EAST OF HOWELL, MS
START LAT/LON: 30.7937,-88.4133

END DATE: DEC 25 2012
END TIME: 727 PM CST
END LOCATION: 2.9 MILES EAST OF WILMER, AL
END_LAT/LON: 30.8293,-88.3091

SURVEY_SUMMARY: TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF FINDLEY
ROAD AND NATCHEZ HIGHWAY WHERE IT FLIPPED OVER A TRACTOR TRAILER
SEMI RIG...PRODUCED MINOR DAMAGE TO ONE MANUFACTURED HOME...DESTROYED
A SECOND MANUFACTURED HOME...AND DAMAGED THE ROOF OF A FRAME HOUSE.
THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST PASSING JUST SOUTHEAST OF WILMER...
DAMAGING A NURSERY WITH SEVERAL DESTROYED GREENHOUSES...AND SNAPPING
SEVERAL TREES BEFORE CROSSING HIGHWAY 98. THE TORNADO LIFTED JUST EAST
OF GLENWOOD ROAD.


Click to Enlarge



More Midtown Mobile Damage Photos...

.MIDTOWN MOBILE TORNADO /MOBILE COUNTY/...

RATING:                 EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    111-135 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 5.7 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   200 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               SEVERAL MINOR

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             454 PM CST
START LOCATION:         NEAR HALLS MILL RD AND DAUPHIN ISLAND PKWY
START LAT/LON:          30.67, -88.09

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               505 PM CST
END LOCATION:           PRICHARD
END_LAT/LON:            30.74, -88.06

SURVEY_SUMMARY: THE INITIAL TORNADO TOUCHDOWN WAS LOCATED NEAR
DAUPHIN ISLAND PARKWAY...DUVAL STREET AND HALLS MILL ROAD...WHERE IT
INITIALLY MOVED NORTHWESTWARD. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHWARD TO
NEAR THE INTERSECTIONS OF HOLCOMB AVENUE...GOVERNMENT STREET AND
DAUPHIN ISLAND PARKWAY WHERE IT PRODUCED DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH AN
EF-1 TORNADO...DAMAGING SEVERAL COMMERCIAL RETAILERS. THE TORNADO
CONTINUED NORTHWARD...DAMAGING HOMES AND PRODUCING ROOF DAMAGE TO
NUMEROUS HOMES. IT THEN REACHED MURPHY HIGH SCHOOL...WHERE IT
DESTROYED SEVERAL OUT-BUILDINGS...BLEW OUT WINDOWS AND PRODUCED
SIGNIFICANT ROOF DAMAGE TO THE HIGH SCHOOL. FROM HERE...THE TORNADO
TRACKED NORTHWARD TO DAUPHIN STREET WHERE IT STRENGTHENED AND WIDENED
TO 200 YARDS PRODUCING DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH AN EF-2 TORNADO TO
SEVERAL HOMES. ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED WAS THE TRINITY EPISCOPAL
CHURCH ON DAUPHIN STREET. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED INTO THE SILVERWOOD
STREET AREA WHERE IT PRODUCED EF-1 DAMAGE AND SPORADIC EF-2 DAMAGE TO
SEVERAL HOMES. THE TORNADO NEXT TRACKED NORTH NORTHEAST ACROSS THE
MOBILE INFIRMARY HOSPITAL ...WHERE IT BLEW OUT SEVERAL WINDOWS AND
DAMAGED SEVERAL AUTOMOBILES...AS WELL AS FLIPPING ONE AUTOMOBILE. THE
TORNADO CONTINUED TRACKING NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS INTERSTATE 165 MOVING
INTO THE PRICHARD AREA WHERE IT PRODUCED DAMAGE TO THE ROOFS OF
SEVERAL HOMES...AS WELL AS SNAPPING SEVERAL TREES. THE TORNADO
CONTINUED ACROSS TELEGRAPH ROAD WHERE IT TOSSED SEVERAL LARGE
SHIPPING CONTAINERS AND DAMAGED A WAREHOUSE FACILITY BEFORE
DISSIPATING ON JAKES LANE IN PRICHARD.

Click to Enlarge

.DEER PARK TORNADO (WASHINGTON COUNTY)...

RATING:                 EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    86-110 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 2.2 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   110 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             553 PM CST
START LOCATION:         2 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF DEER PARK, AL
START LAT/LON:          31.1929,-88.3217

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               601 PM CST
END LOCATION:           1.5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DEER PARK, AL
END_LAT/LON:            31.2098,-88.2905

SURVEY_SUMMARY: TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN TWO MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF
DEER PARK. THE TORNADO WIDENED TO 110 YARDS AS IT PASSED JUST SOUTH
OF A FEW HOUSES. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED AT THE
WIDEST POINT. THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO HIGHWAY 45 AND DISSIPATED.


Click to Enlarge

.RIDERWOOD TORNADO (CHOCTAW COUNTY)...

RATING:                 EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    111-135 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 6.0 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   0.5 MILES
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             445 PM CST
START LOCATION:         8 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF BUTLER, AL
START LAT/LON:          32.0573,-88.3536

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               456 PM CST
END LOCATION:           4.6 MILES NORTHWEST OF BUTLER, AL
END_LAT/LON:            32.1231,-88.2892

SURVEY_SUMMARY: THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG PINEVIEW ROAD NEAR
THE RIDERWOOD COMMUNITY...OR APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST
OF BUTLER. THE WORST DAMAGE OCCURRED IN THIS AREA AS THREE
MANUFACTURED HOMES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED...WITH THE DEBRIS BEING
BLOWN SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS AWAY. SEVERAL OTHER STRUCTURES SUSTAINED
MINOR TO MODERATE DAMAGE...INCLUDING ONE MOBILE HOME AND ONE SINGLE
FAMILY RESIDENCE. A COUPLE OF BARNS/OUTBUILDINGS WERE ALSO ALMOST
COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED NORTHEAST CROSSING
DOLLYWOOD ROAD AND COUNTY ROAD 24...WHERE EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE
OCCURRED IN THE HEAVILY FORESTED AREA. FROM THERE...THE TORNADO
CONTINUED NORTHEAST CROSSING RIDERWOOD DRIVE WHERE NUMEROUS TREES
WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS AT ITS WIDEST ALONG
RIDERWOOD DRIVE...APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF MILE. THE DAMAGE PATH THEN
NARROWED AND THE TORNADO LIFTED BEFORE REACHING ALABAMA HIGHWAY 10.

Click to Enlarge

.LUVERNE TORNADO (CRENSHAW COUNTY)...

RATING:                 EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    65-85 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 0.2 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   50 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             421 PM CST
START LOCATION:         NORTHWEST PART OF LUVERNE
START LAT/LON:          31.7206,-86.2720

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               423 PM CST
END LOCATION:           NORTHWEST PART OF LUVERNE
END_LAT/LON:            31.7224,-86.2697

SURVEY_SUMMARY: THE TORNADO BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN IN A WOODED AREA
JUST SOUTH OF JEFFCOAT STREET...WHERE TWO HARDWOOD TREES WERE
UPROOTED. AS THE TORNADO CROSSED JEFFCOAT STREET...IT CAUSED ROOF
DAMAGE TO TWO HOUSES. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST WHERE IT
CROSSED FRANKLIN STREET...CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO A THIRD
HOME AND SNAPPED TWO PINE TREES. THE TORNADO RAPIDLY DISSIPATED
AS IT MOVED INTO AN OPEN FIELD.

Click to Enlarge

.PATSBURG TORNADO (CRENSHAW COUNTY)...

RATING:                 EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    65-85 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 0.07 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   20 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             428 PM CST
START LOCATION:         0.25 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF PATSBURG
START LAT/LON:          31.7928,-86.2309

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               430 PM CST
END LOCATION:           0.3 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF PATSBURG
END_LAT/LON:            31.7937,-86.2303

SURVEY_SUMMARY: THE TORNADO BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN ALONG LIVE OAK
ROAD IN PATSBURG. NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF SIMS ROAD...A LARGE
PINE TREE WAS SNAPPED AND CAR WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT IN TWO
VEHICLES. METAL ROOFING WAS PEELED OFF A SMALL VACANT METAL
BUILDING AND A HOME SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT ROOF DAMAGE. VIDEO
AND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS CONFIRM THE BRIEF TOUCHDOWN.


Click to Enlarge

.GROVE HILL TORNADO (CLARKE AND WILCOX COUNTIES)...
RATING:                 EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    111-135 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 30 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   150 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             DEC 25 2012
START TIME:             600 PM CST
START LOCATION:         8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GROVE HILL, AL
START LAT/LON:          31.6180,-87.8672

END DATE:               DEC 25 2012
END TIME:               640 PM CST
END LOCATION:           12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CAMDEN, AL
END_LAT/LON:            31.8868,-87.4739

SURVEY_SUMMARY: THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON TODD TOWN ROAD
SEVEN MILES NORTH OF JACKSON. IT THEN MOVED NORTHEAST WHERE
IT DESTROYED A FARM OUT BUILDING THEN CROSSED HIGHWAY 43
APPROXIMATELY SIX MILES SOUTHWEST OF GROVE HILL. AFTER IT
CROSSED...THE TORNADO WAS AT ITS WIDEST AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE
DAMAGE TO FARM EQUIPMENT...INCLUDING A DESTROYED GRAIN BIN.
MANY LARGE TREES WERE UPROOTED IN THIS AREA WITH MINOR STRUCTURAL
DAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES AS WELL. IT CONTINUED NORTHEAST UPROOTING
LARGE TREES AS IT CROSSED HIGHWAY 84...TWO MILES SOUTHEAST OF
GROVE HILL. THE TORNADO THEN WEAKENED AS THE THUNDERSTORM CORE
COLLAPSED...CAUSING A MICROBURST WHICH RESULTED IN A HALF MILE
WIDE DAMAGE SWATH ON NETTLESBORO ROAD...13 MILES NORTHEAST OF
GROVE HILL. THE TORNADO THEN REFORMED BEFORE EXITING NORTHEAST
CLARKE COUNTY...MOVING INTO SOUTHWEST WILCOX COUNTY. THE TORNADO
UPROOTED TREES ALONG THE WAY BEFORE DISSIPATING 12 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CAMDEN.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WANTS TO THANK ALL THE COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...NWS BIRMINGHAM...NWS SLIDELL
...AND NWS JACKSON FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH OUR STORM
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT EFFORTS THIS WEEK.

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES
TORNADOES INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.

EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...STRONG....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...VIOLENT...>200 MPH

NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENTS AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

Acknowledgements: Page initially created by Jeffrey Medlin (Meteorologist In Charge) and Ray Ball (Information Technology Officer). Page updated by Morgan Barry (forecaster).

LAST UPDATED: November 2018

2012 Christmas Day Tornado Outbreak

2012 Christmas Day Tornado Outbreak December 25, 2012

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 25 DECEMBER 2012 TORNADO OUTBREAK ACROSS SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

2012 Christmas Day Tornado Outbreak
December 25, 2012

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 25 DECEMBER 2012 TORNADO OUTBREAK ACROSS
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...