The severe wind outbreak of April 12, 2020
332 wind reportsAlabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and 7 more states
332 damaging wind reports across 10 states between 3:00 AM and 12:57 AM the next day CDT, 22 of them 65 knots (75 mph) or stronger; the strongest measured gust was 70 mph in Arkansas County, AR. 65 hail reports and 73 tornadoes the same day.
Watch the day unfoldSevere wind day · April 12, 2020
How the day unfolded
Every damaging wind report of the day at its logged time, with the day's hail reports and tornadoes, and the counties they reached.
The day in numbers
- Wind reports
- 332
- on Sunday, April 12, 2020
- 75 mph or more
- 22
- 5 of 86 mph (75 knots) or more
- Strongest measured gust
- 70 mph
- 61 knots, Arkansas County, AR
- Measured
- 16
- reports with an instrument reading; the rest are estimates from damage
- Killed by wind
- 5
- 1 injured
- Counties reporting
- 161
- in 10 states
Hour by hour
Damaging wind reports in each hour, Central Daylight Time.
The strongest winds
The 100 strongest reports with a speed. Measured gusts come from an instrument; estimated speeds are judged from damage.
| 3:30 AM | Mason County TX | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 3:59 AM | Llano County TX | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 10:09 AM | Webster Parish LA | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 9:35 PM | Coahoma County MS | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 9:40 PM | Phillips County AR | 90 mph | Estimated |
| 9:17 AM | Harrison County TX | 85 mph | Estimated |
| 10:05 AM | Bossier Parish LA | 85 mph | Estimated |
| 11:46 AM | Ouachita Parish LA | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 6:31 PM | Yell County AR | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 7:53 PM | Grant County AR | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 8:10 PM | Cleveland County AR | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 8:45 PM | Desha County AR | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 8:57 PM | Cullman County AL | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 9:10 PM | Monroe County AR | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 10:00 PM | Panola County MS | 81 mph | Estimated |
| 10:19 AM | Webster Parish LA | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 11:07 AM | Lincoln Parish LA | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:30 PM | Tuscaloosa County AL | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:40 PM | Tuscaloosa County AL | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 4:58 PM | Jefferson County AL | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 6:11 PM | Franklin County AR | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 10:00 PM | Tallahatchie County MS | 75 mph | Estimated |
| 8:57 PM | Arkansas County AR | 70 mph | Measured |
| 3:00 AM | Real County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 4:00 AM | Llano County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:35 AM | McLennan County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:35 AM | McLennan County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:58 AM | Limestone County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:03 AM | Limestone County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:05 AM | Limestone County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:05 AM | Limestone County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:10 AM | Anderson County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:15 AM | Gregg County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 9:10 AM | Harrison County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 11:05 AM | Union County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 5:47 PM | Sebastian County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:02 PM | Upshur County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:39 PM | Yell County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:40 PM | Wood County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:42 PM | Smith County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:43 PM | Johnson County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:45 PM | Wood County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:51 PM | Pike County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:52 PM | Upshur County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:53 PM | Upshur County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 6:58 PM | Upshur County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:12 PM | Rusk County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:13 PM | Pike County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:20 PM | Cass County TX | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:20 PM | Conway County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:22 PM | Nevada County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:22 PM | Garland County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:31 PM | Conway County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:32 PM | Union County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:36 PM | Hot Spring County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:49 PM | Saline County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:55 PM | Calhoun County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 7:56 PM | Grant County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:00 PM | Grant County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:12 PM | Jefferson County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:15 PM | Jefferson County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:16 PM | Jefferson County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:25 PM | Lincoln County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:37 PM | Bossier Parish LA | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:42 PM | Arkansas County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 8:55 PM | Desha County AR | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:05 PM | Tate County MS | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:10 PM | DeSoto County MS | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 10:25 PM | Lafayette County MS | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 12:41 AM | Covington County AL | 70 mph | Estimated |
| 11:46 AM | Ouachita Parish LA | 69 mph | Measured |
| 5:10 PM | Jefferson County AL | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 10:20 PM | Catoosa County GA | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 10:51 PM | Bradley County TN | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 10:53 PM | Hamilton County TN | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 12:30 AM | Logan County WV | 69 mph | Estimated |
| 7:06 PM | Conway County AR | 68 mph | Measured |
| 11:42 PM | Macon County AL | 68 mph | Measured |
| 5:19 AM | McLennan County TX | 64 mph | Measured |
| 5:17 PM | Jefferson County AL | 64 mph | Measured |
| 8:23 PM | Bossier Parish LA | 64 mph | Measured |
| 5:50 AM | Limestone County TX | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 5:58 AM | Limestone County TX | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 9:52 AM | Bossier Parish LA | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 4:18 PM | Sequoyah County OK | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 6:14 PM | Rains County TX | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 6:15 PM | Van Zandt County TX | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 6:28 PM | Smith County TX | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 6:30 PM | Miller County AR | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 6:40 PM | Smith County TX | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 6:42 PM | Lafayette County AR | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 6:45 PM | Smith County TX | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 7:02 PM | Hempstead County AR | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 7:33 PM | Lafayette County AR | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 7:55 PM | Union Parish LA | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 8:12 PM | Caddo Parish LA | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 9:40 PM | St. Francis County AR | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 10:10 PM | Yalobusha County MS | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 10:35 PM | Calhoun County MS | 64 mph | Estimated |
| 10:37 PM | Calhoun County MS | 64 mph | Estimated |
By state
| Alabama | 83 | 68 mph |
| Mississippi | 73 | 60 mph |
| Arkansas | 63 | 70 mph |
| Texas | 40 | 64 mph |
| Georgia | 31 | — |
| Louisiana | 21 | 69 mph |
| Tennessee | 12 | 62 mph |
| North Carolina | 5 | — |
| Oklahoma | 2 | 58 mph |
| West Virginia | 2 | — |
| Nebraska | 0 | — |
| Nevada | 0 | — |
Counties with the most wind reports
- Jackson CountyAL · 15 reports
- Oktibbeha CountyMS · 10 reports
- Whitfield CountyGA · 10 reports
- Cullman CountyAL · 8 reports
- Sunflower CountyMS · 7 reports
- Union CountyGA · 6 reports
- Smith CountyTX · 6 reports
- Limestone CountyTX · 6 reports
- Jefferson CountyAL · 5 reports
- Cherokee CountyAL · 5 reports
Hail and tornadoes that day
65 hail reports, 2 of 2 inches or more; 73 tornadoes.
| 4:50 AM | Lancaster County NE | 2.00 |
| 4:48 PM | Lamar County TX | 2.00 |
| 1:35 AM | Howard County TX | 1.75 |
| 1:40 AM | Glasscock County TX | 1.75 |
| 2:15 AM | Edwards County TX | 1.75 |
| 7:20 AM | Smith County TX | 1.75 |
| 4:34 PM | Johnston County OK | 1.75 |
| 6:07 PM | Etowah County AL | 1.75 |
| 5:25 AM | Lancaster County NE | 1.50 |
| 3:16 PM | Madison County MS | 1.50 |
| 4:33 PM | Tarrant County TX | 1.50 |
| 4:42 PM | Lamar County TX | 1.50 |
| 5:38 PM | Crawford County AR | 1.50 |
| 7:52 PM | Calhoun County AR | 1.50 |
| 8:20 AM | Ouachita Parish LA | 1.25 |
| 5:32 PM | Red River County TX | 1.25 |
| 5:38 PM | Kaufman County TX | 1.25 |
| 5:50 PM | Blount County AL | 1.25 |
| 7:31 PM | Ouachita County AR | 1.25 |
| 8:32 PM | Tangipahoa Parish LA | 1.25 |
| 1:00 AM | Crane County TX | 1.00 |
| 2:15 AM | Edwards County TX | 1.00 |
| 2:18 AM | Schleicher County TX | 1.00 |
| 3:40 AM | Tom Green County TX | 1.00 |
| 6:00 AM | Douglas County NE | 1.00 |
| 7:25 AM | Smith County TX | 1.00 |
| 8:29 AM | Ouachita Parish LA | 1.00 |
| 8:32 AM | Rusk County TX | 1.00 |
| 1:16 PM | Leake County MS | 1.00 |
| 2:40 PM | McClain County OK | 1.00 |
| 3:08 PM | Pontotoc County OK | 1.00 |
| 3:17 PM | Fannin County TX | 1.00 |
| 3:28 PM | Yazoo County MS | 1.00 |
| 3:50 PM | Murray County OK | 1.00 |
| 4:16 PM | Noxubee County MS | 1.00 |
| 4:21 PM | Lamar County TX | 1.00 |
| 4:22 PM | Johnston County OK | 1.00 |
| 4:32 PM | Johnston County OK | 1.00 |
| 4:35 PM | Clark County NV | 1.00 |
| 4:40 PM | Tarrant County TX | 1.00 |
| 4:41 PM | Franklin Parish LA | 1.00 |
| 5:10 PM | Titus County TX | 1.00 |
| 6:57 PM | Columbia County AR | 1.00 |
| 7:07 PM | Miller County AR | 1.00 |
| 7:31 PM | Ouachita County AR | 1.00 |
| 7:41 PM | Faulkner County AR | 1.00 |
| 7:57 PM | Calhoun County AR | 1.00 |
| 8:16 PM | White County AR | 1.00 |
| 8:16 PM | Tangipahoa Parish LA | 1.00 |
| 8:35 PM | Morehouse Parish LA | 1.00 |
The tornado outbreak of April 12, 2020: 73 tornadoes, each with its touchdown time and path.
2020 · On this date in other years · The biggest severe wind days
- A report is a single damage or measurement report to the National Weather Service. Several reports can describe one gust front, so reports are not storms.
- Reporting has grown with population, spotter networks and the internet, so counts from different decades are not directly comparable.
- Thunderstorm wind reports start at 50 knots (58 mph). SPC began flagging measured against estimated speeds in 2006; earlier reports are shown as estimated.
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1955 to 2025. A day is SPC’s calendar date in Central Standard Time; a severe wind day here has 300 or more damaging wind reports, or 15 or more of 75 knots (86 mph) or more.