The December 23, 2015 tornado
EF4Tate, Marshall, Benton, Tippah, Hardeman and McNairy counties, Mississippi and Tennessee
An EF4 tornado on a 75.1-mile path that killed 9 and injured 36. It was one of 31 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 3 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Watch how it happenedEF4 tornado · December 23, 2015
How it happened
Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.
The tornado
- Rating
- EF4
- Enhanced Fujita scale
- Path length
- 75.1 mi
- Width up to 1,300 yards
- Killed
- 9
- Along the whole path
- Injured
- 36
- Along the whole path
- Date and time
- Wednesday, December 23, 2015
- 4:10 PM CST
The National Weather Service account
Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.
The tornado developed over Southeast Tate County. The tornado caused minor roof damage to a house in Tyro before moving into Marshall County.
The storm system that day
Strong surface low pressure tracked from the Plains into the Mississippi River Valley while a strong cold front pushed into the Mid-South on December 23, 2015. A very moist and unstable airmass moved into the area as a warm front lifted north through the region during the early morning hours. A potent upper level disturbance help to trigger thunderstorms along and in advance of the approaching cold front. The necessary ingredients were in place for storm to rapidly intensify. Three tornadoes touched down across North Mississippi including an EF-4 that caused severe damage.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
Counties on its path
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.