Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017
Tracks of the record-breaking 42 tornadoes that touched down across Georgia on January 21–22 | |
| Type | Tornado outbreak Extratropical cyclone Nor'easter Winter storm |
|---|---|
| Formed | January 21, 2017 |
| Dissipated | January 24, 2017 |
| Highest winds |
|
| Tornadoes confirmed | 81 confirmed (Second-highest for a January outbreak) |
| Max. rating1 | EF3 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 | 1 day, 23 hours, and 13 minutes |
| Largest hail | 3–3.5 in (7.6–8.9 cm) diameter near Jonesville, Louisiana |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | Snow – 9.5 in (24 cm) near Saint-Pamphile, Quebec Ice – 0.5 in (13 mm) near Jonesboro, Maine |
| Fatalities | 20 fatalities (+2 non-tornadic) 204 injuries |
| Damage | $1.3 billion (2017 USD) |
| Areas affected | Southeastern United States, Northeast, Canada (Quebec) |
Part of the 2016–17 North American winter and tornado outbreaks of 2017 1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado | |
A prolific and deadly winter tornado outbreak struck areas across the Southeast United States between January 21–23, 2017. Lasting just under two days, the outbreak produced a total of 81 tornadoes, cementing its status as the second-largest January tornado outbreak and the third-largest winter tornado outbreak since 1950. Furthermore, it was the largest outbreak on record in Georgia with 42 tornadoes confirmed in the state. The most significant tornadoes were three EF3 tornadoes that heavily damaged or destroyed portions of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Albany and Adel, Georgia. A total of 20 people were killed by tornadoes—mainly during the pre-dawn hours of the outbreak—making it the second-deadliest outbreak in January since 1950, behind the 1969 Hazlehurst, Mississippi tornado outbreak that killed 32 people. In addition, the tornado death toll was higher than the entire previous year. In the aftermath of the outbreak, relief organizations assisted in clean-up and aid distribution. Total economic losses from the event reached at least $1.3 billion (2017 USD).
Non-tornadic impacts were also felt along the East Coast of the United States. Straight-line winds in Lake City, Florida killed one person when a tree fell on their home. The extratropical cyclone morphed into a nor'easter as it moved across the Northeast United States and Canada, producing a combination of rain and wintry precipitation, as well as strong winds. One death occurred in northern Philadelphia, Pennsylvania after flying debris struck an elderly man. Thousands of residents were left without power, and significant beach erosion was observed along the New Jersey coastline. Maximum snowfall reached nearly 10 inches (25 cm) in the hardest hit by the wintry side, mainly near southern Canada and near Quebec.