2012 Hurricane Isaac tornado outbreak
# 2012 Hurricane Isaac tornado outbreak

The passage of Hurricane Isaac generated a long-lived, nine-day tornado outbreak that affected the Central and Eastern United States from August 27 to September 4, 2012. The hurricane produced a total of 34 tornadoes, with the strongest being two EF2 tornadoes in Mississippi and Arkansas. There were 19 tornado watches were issued for Isaac over eight days and 171 tornado warnings were issued across 12 states, with 77 of them in Mississippi.

## Event summary

A tropical wave emerged off the western coast of Africa into the Atlantic Ocean on August 16. After acquiring a well-defined center of circulation and deep atmospheric convection, the disturbance was deemed organized enough to be declared a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC on August 21 while located about 720 mi (1,160 km) east of the Lesser Antilles. Twelve hours later, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Isaac. Steered swiftly westward across the eastern Caribbean Sea by a subtropical ridge, the cyclone steadily intensified prior to making landfall near Jacmel, Haiti with winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) by 06:00 UTC on August 25; a few hours later, Isaac moved ashore near Cajobabo, Guantánamo, Cuba with winds of 60 mph (97 km/h). After moving through the Straits of Florida and into the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the system initially struggled to organize as its wind field expanded. By 12:00 UTC on August 28, however, data from an aircraft reconnaissance flight supported designating Isaac as a Category 1 hurricane. The cyclone attained peak winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) prior to making two landfalls, one at the Southwest Pass over the Mississippi River and the second near Port Fourchon, Louisiana. Once inland, Isaac steadily weakened and dissipated over Missouri early on September 1.

On August 22, the Storm Prediction Center noted the potential for severe weather to evolve in association with Isaac; however, considerable model uncertainty precluded the addition of a threat area. Three days later, a severe threat area was outlined across southern Georgia, southeastern Alabama, and northern Florida as the outer bands of the hurricane were forecast to rotate into the region.

## Confirmed tornadoes

Confirmed tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita rating :

| EFU | EF0 | EF1 | EF2 | EF3 | EF4 | EF5 | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 0 | 24 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 |

### August 27 event

List of confirmed tornadoes - Monday, August 27, 2012 :

| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| EF0 | S of Narcoossee | Osceola | FL | 28°16′N 81°13′W﻿ / ﻿28.27°N 81.22°W﻿ / 28.27; -81.22﻿ (Narcoossee (Aug. 27, EF0)) | 0709 – 0710 | 0.83 mi (1.34 km) | 30 yd (27 m) | $15,000 | An abandoned mobile home was destroyed and shingles were removed from a mobile home. Another home had a broken window and shrub and fence damage on the property. The tornado also passed through citrus groves, knocking down several trees. |
| EF0 | W of Vero Beach | Indian River | FL | 27°38′N 80°30′W﻿ / ﻿27.63°N 80.5°W﻿ / 27.63; -80.5﻿ (Vero Beach (Aug. 27, EF0)) | 1603 – 1605 | 1.61 mi (2.59 km) | 180 yd (160 m) | $500,000 | A weak tornado on a discontinuous path caused damage to 95 structures, most of which were mobile homes. Approximately 62 received minor damage with an additional 33 sustaining major damage. Carports and awnings were damaged as well. |
| EF0 | ESE of Tampa | Hillsborough | FL | 27°56′N 82°26′W﻿ / ﻿27.94°N 82.43°W﻿ / 27.94; -82.43﻿ (Tampa (Aug. 27, EF0)) | 2044 – 2045 | 0.04 mi (0.064 km) | 20 yd (18 m) | $2,000 | A waterspout moved ashore and damaged fences, trees, and roofs at six residences. |

### August 29 event

List of confirmed tornadoes - Wednesday, August 29, 2012 :

| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| EF0 | NE of Greenwood | Jackson | FL | 30°53′N 85°09′W﻿ / ﻿30.88°N 85.15°W﻿ / 30.88; -85.15﻿ (Greenwood (Aug. 29, EF0)) | 2212 – 2214 | 0.37 mi (0.60 km) | 25 yd (23 m) | $0 | Brief tornado in an open area as documented on video; no damage. |
| EF1 | SSW of Gulfport | Harrison | MS | 30°22′N 89°05′W﻿ / ﻿30.37°N 89.08°W﻿ / 30.37; -89.08﻿ (Gulfport (Aug. 29, EF1)) | 2218 – 2221 | 0.5 mi (0.80 km) | 25 yd (23 m) | $25,000 | A tornado destroyed a home that was under construction and collapsed the roof of a front porch to a separate house. Several trees were downed. |
| EF0 | N of Graceville | Holmes | FL | 30°59′N 85°31′W﻿ / ﻿30.99°N 85.51°W﻿ / 30.99; -85.51﻿ (Graceville (Aug. 29, EF0)) | 2224 – 2225 | 0.27 mi (0.43 km) | 25 yd (23 m) | $10,000 | The front porch was torn away from a mobile home and numerous trees were downed. |
| EF1 | S of Ocean Springs | Jackson | MS | 30°22′N 88°45′W﻿ / ﻿30.36°N 88.75°W﻿ / 30.36; -88.75﻿ (Graceville (Aug. 29, EF1)) | 0014 – 0016 | 0.43 mi (0.69 km) | 40 yd (37 m) | $40,000 | Several roofs were damaged and windows were blown out. A few trees were downed as well. |

### August 30 event

List of confirmed tornadoes - Thursday, August 30, 2012 :

| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| EF1 | N of Lowery | Geneva, Coffee | AL | 31°11′N 86°08′W﻿ / ﻿31.19°N 86.14°W﻿ / 31.19; -86.14﻿ (Lowery (Aug. 30, EF1)) | 0744 – 0748 | 2.97 mi (4.78 km) | 35 yd (32 m) | $25,000 | Several large trees were knocked down and the roof was torn from a mobile home. Several sheds and a barn were damaged. |
| EF2 | SW of Pascagoula | Jackson | MS | 30°20′N 88°33′W﻿ / ﻿30.34°N 88.55°W﻿ / 30.34; -88.55﻿ (Pascagoula (Aug. 30, EF2)) | 1210 – 1212 | 0.77 mi (1.24 km) | 40 yd (37 m) | $75,000 | Impact to homes was largely confined to minor structural damage, with the exception of one home that lost the entirety of its roof. Trees were downed. |
| EF1 | WSW of Creek | Clarke | MS | 31°59′N 88°30′W﻿ / ﻿31.99°N 88.5°W﻿ / 31.99; -88.5﻿ (Creek (Aug. 30, EF1)) | 1449 – 1456 | 6.1 mi (9.8 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | $100,000 | Several structures were either damaged or destroyed, including numerous outbuildings and two mobile homes. Light poles, trees, and a fence were downed as well. |
| EF1 | E of Increase | Lauderdale | MS | 32°14′N 88°32′W﻿ / ﻿32.24°N 88.53°W﻿ / 32.24; -88.53﻿ (Increase (Aug. 30, EF1)) | 1518 – 1521 | 1.4 mi (2.3 km) | 100 yd (91 m) | $70,000 | Two barns were damaged, two sheds were blown into a pond, and a tree fell on another shed. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. |
| EF0 | E of Toxey | Choctaw | AL | 31°54′N 88°17′W﻿ / ﻿31.9°N 88.28°W﻿ / 31.9; -88.28﻿ (Increase (Aug. 30, EF0)) | 1558 – 1600 | 0.01 mi (0.016 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | $5,000 | A few trees were downed. |

### August 31 event

List of confirmed tornadoes - Friday, August 31, 2012 :

| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| EF0 | ENE of Fieldon | Jersey | IL | 39°07′N 90°28′W﻿ / ﻿39.11°N 90.47°W﻿ / 39.11; -90.47﻿ (Fieldon (Aug. 31, EF0)) | 1936 – 1937 | 0.18 mi (0.29 km) | 40 yd (37 m) | Unknown | Minor damage was inflicted to crops and a residence. Trees surrounding the house were snapped off. |
| EF0 | NW of Saint Thomas | Madison | IL | 38°47′N 90°08′W﻿ / ﻿38.78°N 90.13°W﻿ / 38.78; -90.13﻿ (Saint Thomas (Aug. 31, EF0)) | 1950 – 1951 | 0.2 mi (0.32 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | $0 | A brief tornado touchdown; no reported damage. |
| EF0 | Carrollton area | Greene | IL | 39°17′N 90°25′W﻿ / ﻿39.28°N 90.41°W﻿ / 39.28; -90.41﻿ (Carrollton (Aug. 31, EF0)) | 2027 – 2030 | 1.44 mi (2.32 km) | 60 yd (55 m) | Unknown | A garage and a storage shed sustained major damage. A home sustained minor roof damage and many trees and power poles were downed. |
| EF1 | Franklin area | Morgan | IL | 39°37′N 90°02′W﻿ / ﻿39.61°N 90.04°W﻿ / 39.61; -90.04﻿ (Franklin (Aug. 31, EF1)) | 2027 – 2030 | 0.25 mi (0.40 km) | 75 yd (69 m) | $230,000 | A brief tornado destroyed a repair shop, damaged the roof of a house, and rolled a mobile home off its foundation. Several trees were downed. |
| EF0 | NW of Franklin | Morgan | IL | 39°38′N 90°05′W﻿ / ﻿39.64°N 90.09°W﻿ / 39.64; -90.09﻿ (Franklin (Aug. 31, EF0)) | 2232 – 2233 | 0.16 mi (0.26 km) | 10 yd (9.1 m) | $0 | A brief tornado touchdown in an open field; no reported damage. |
| EF0 | NNE of O'Fallon | St. Charles | MO | 38°49′N 90°40′W﻿ / ﻿38.82°N 90.67°W﻿ / 38.82; -90.67﻿ (O'Fallon (Aug. 31, EF0)) | 2234 – 2235 | 0.4 mi (0.64 km) | 120 yd (110 m) | Unknown | A tornado struck Fort Zumwalt North High School where it downed several trees, blew debris onto the tennis court, broke the window out of a nearby truck, knocked over a set of standalone aluminum bleachers at the football field, and blew soccer goals against a line of trees. It then left the high school property and knocked down several more trees, blew playground equipment from a preschool into a parking lot, and knocked over a small set of bleachers and a portion of a 4-foot high chain-link fence that surrounded a nearby baseball diamond. |

### September 1 event

List of confirmed tornadoes - Saturday, September 1, 2012 :

| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| EF0 | ESE of Benson | Woodford | IL | 40°50′N 89°05′W﻿ / ﻿40.84°N 89.09°W﻿ / 40.84; -89.09﻿ (Benson (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 1648 – 1649 | 0.06 mi (0.097 km) | 20 yd (18 m) | $0 | A brief tornado touchdown in an open field; no reported damage. |
| EF0 | N of Benson | Woodford | IL | 40°53′N 89°07′W﻿ / ﻿40.89°N 89.12°W﻿ / 40.89; -89.12﻿ (Benson (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 1703 – 1704 | 0.69 mi (1.11 km) | 20 yd (18 m) | $0 | A brief tornado touchdown in an open field; no reported damage. |
| EF0 | NNW of Benson | Woodford, Marshall | IL | 40°54′N 89°09′W﻿ / ﻿40.9°N 89.15°W﻿ / 40.9; -89.15﻿ (Benson (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 1705 – 1709 | 2.25 mi (3.62 km) | 75 yd (69 m) | $5,000 | The tornado pulled the tin roof from a shed and damaged a corn field. |
| EF0 | S of Sparland | Marshall | IL | 40°58′N 89°27′W﻿ / ﻿40.96°N 89.45°W﻿ / 40.96; -89.45﻿ (Sparland (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 1732 – 1733 | 0.09 mi (0.14 km) | 20 yd (18 m) | $0 | A brief tornado touchdown; no reported damage. |
| EF0 | ESE of Wyoming | Stark | IL | 41°03′N 89°41′W﻿ / ﻿41.05°N 89.69°W﻿ / 41.05; -89.69﻿ (Wyoming (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 1808 – 1811 | 1.3 mi (2.1 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | $0 | A brief tornado touchdown in an open field; no reported damage. |
| EF0 | SE of Castleton | Stark | IL | 41°05′N 89°39′W﻿ / ﻿41.08°N 89.65°W﻿ / 41.08; -89.65﻿ (Castleton (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 1811 – 1814 | 1.1 mi (1.8 km) | 20 yd (18 m) | $0 | A brief tornado touchdown; no reported damage. |
| EF0 | W of Modena | Stark | IL | 41°07′N 89°46′W﻿ / ﻿41.12°N 89.77°W﻿ / 41.12; -89.77﻿ (Modena (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 1824 – 1826 | 0.94 mi (1.51 km) | 50 yd (46 m) | $0 | A brief tornado touchdown in an open field; no reported damage. |
| EF2 | N of Corning | Clay | AR | 36°25′N 90°39′W﻿ / ﻿36.41°N 90.65°W﻿ / 36.41; -90.65﻿ (Corning (Sep. 1, EF2)) | 2119 – 2121 | 0.9 mi (1.4 km) | 75 yd (69 m) | $5,050,000 | Two hangars at Corning Municipal Airport sustained extensive damage and a few others sustained minor damage. Several aircraft were damaged severely and several power poles were downed. Two homes had windows blown out and the roof of a shed was blown off. |
| EF0 | N of Corning | Clay | AR | 36°27′N 90°35′W﻿ / ﻿36.45°N 90.59°W﻿ / 36.45; -90.59﻿ (Corning (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 2122 – 2123 | 0.06 mi (0.097 km) | 25 yd (23 m) | $5,000 | A brief tornado touchdown in a farm field. |
| EF0 | NW of Fisk | Butler | MO | 36°48′N 90°17′W﻿ / ﻿36.8°N 90.29°W﻿ / 36.8; -90.29﻿ (Fisk (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 2132 – 2139 | 2.95 mi (4.75 km) | 20 yd (18 m) | $0 | A well-documented tornado stayed over open farm country and produced no known damage. |
| EF0 | E of Qulin | Butler | MO | 36°36′N 90°15′W﻿ / ﻿36.6°N 90.25°W﻿ / 36.6; -90.25﻿ (Qulin (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 2143 – 2148 | 4.29 mi (6.90 km) | 20 yd (18 m) | $0 | The tornado remained over open farm country; no reported damage. |
| EF0 | SSE of Bucoda | Butler | MO | 36°05′N 90°13′W﻿ / ﻿36.09°N 90.21°W﻿ / 36.09; -90.21﻿ (Bucoda (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 2303 – 2304 | 0.03 mi (0.048 km) | 25 yd (23 m) | $100,000 | A farm shed and the equipment inside was damaged by the tornado. |
| EF0 | NNE of Flackville | Marion | IN | 39°47′N 86°11′W﻿ / ﻿39.79°N 86.18°W﻿ / 39.79; -86.18﻿ (Flackville (Sep. 1, EF0)) | 2241 – 2242 | 0.01 mi (0.016 km) | 25 yd (23 m) | $0 | A downtown tower media camera observed a brief tornado; no reported damage. |

### September 3 event

List of confirmed tornadoes - Monday, September 3, 2012 :

| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary | Refs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| EF0 | S of Wyoming | Kent | DE | 39°06′N 75°34′W﻿ / ﻿39.1°N 75.56°W﻿ / 39.1; -75.56﻿ (Wyoming (Sep. 3, EF0)) | 1920 – 1921 | 0.21 mi (0.34 km) | 35 yd (32 m) | $100,000 | Several houses were damaged, the roof was torn off of a garage, and two vehicles were damaged. | |

### September 4 event

List of confirmed tornadoes - Tuesday, September 4, 2012 :

| EF# | Location | County / Parish | State | Coord. | Time (UTC) | Path length | Max width | Damage | Summary | Refs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| EF0 | Mount Ephraim area | Camden | NJ | 39°53′N 75°06′W﻿ / ﻿39.88°N 75.1°W﻿ / 39.88; -75.1﻿ (Mount Ephraim (Sep. 4, EF0)) | 2231 – 2232 | 0.16 mi (0.26 km) | 25 yd (23 m) | $25,000 | Several homes suffered roof damage, mostly from falling trees. One tree severely damaged a sidewalk. | |
