Tornado outbreak sequence of March 24–28, 2021

Tornado outbreak sequence of March 24–28, 2021
Satellite imagery from GOES-16 at 20:36 UTC (4:36 pm EDT) March 25, 2021 of the extratropical cyclone responsible for the sequence's first and most significant tornado outbreak.
Meteorological history
DurationMarch 24–28, 2021
Tornado outbreak
Tornadoes43
Maximum ratingEF4 tornado
Highest windsTornadic – 170 mph (270 km/h) (Newnan, Georgia EF4 on March 26)
Straight-line – 105 mph (169 km/h) (Cedartown, Georgia on March 25)
Largest hail3.00 in (7.6 cm) (Lonoke, Arkansas on March 27)
Overall effects
Fatalities7 (+8 non-tornadic, +1 indirect)
Injuries37+
Damage$3.2 billion
Areas affectedSoutheastern and Northeastern United States

Part of the tornado outbreaks of 2021

A significant tornado outbreak sequence took place from March 24–28, 2021 in the Southern United States, just one week after another outbreak affected similar regions. There were 43 tornadoes confirmed across 11 states, with the bulk of activity primarily on March 25, which resulted in the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issuing its second high-risk outlook for the month of March, as well as the second high-risk outlook for 2021. Several intense tornadoes touched down on that day, including ones that prompted the issuance of rare tornado emergencies near Hoover, Alabama, Brent and Centreville, Alabama, and in the Newnan, Georgia area. March 27 also saw widespread tornado activity mainly across East Texas, Southern Arkansas, Louisiana, and Western Tennessee with several strong tornadoes touching down. Scattered to widespread wind and hail damage occurred throughout the outbreak sequence, and repeated rounds of heavy rain caused widespread severe flash and river flooding across much of Tennessee.

Six people were killed near Ohatchee, Alabama by a low-end EF3 tornado, an EF2 tornado killed one person near Carthage, Texas and a low-end EF4 tornado resulted in one indirect death in Newnan, Georgia. An elderly woman in Mississippi was also killed when a tree uprooted by soft soil and heavy rains fell onto her mobile home on March 24 while a man was killed in Carmel, Indiana when a tree was blown over onto him by damaging winds during a severe thunderstorm late on March 27. Severe flooding also killed seven people in Nashville. At least 37 other people were injured during the outbreak as well.