January is usually a month that we think of for ice and snow. In the Southern United States, which includes the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas, Winters are mostly wet with rain. Occasionally winter storms can bring ice and light snowfall. Typically tornadoes are limited to the Gulf Coast in the South. However, that was not the case on January 30th 2013. A large tornado outbreak occurred on that date. The outbreak was an outbreak that would most likely occur in March. As a Meteorologist I will be reflecting an analyzing this event.

Despite January 2013 mostly having below average to near average temperatures in the South. The last few days of January was above average. Many locations had temperatures in the 60's to even 70's. A strong low pressure system was coming out of the Southwest. The southerly winds were not just bumping up temperatures in the South, but they were also increasing moisture in the atmosphere. Behind this storm system was chilly air.

On January 26th I started talking on my weather page how my area could be impacted by a significant storm system. The models were showing ingredients favorable for severe storms. I was seeing 70-80 mph winds in the mid levels of the atmosphere, wind shear, and lots of instability. The models were starting to get consistent.

On January 29th I explained on my page how there was the potential for severe weather outbreak. The warm air and warm moisture combining with the cooler air was creating instability. Then you had stronger winds over 80 mph in the mid-levels of the atmosphere. This created wind energy. In addition, you had a strong Jet over 100 mph blasting in from the southwest. This lead to widespread wind shear. Not only were conditions favorable for tornadoes but severe thunderstorms with 60-80 mph winds as well.

January 30th came and the Storm Prediction Center started to issue watches early in the day. It did not take long for storms to start to develop. The storms started in Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi. These storms soon started to rotate and produce tornadoes. More severe storms would develop later in the day. As the evening progressed the severe thunderstorms formed a powerful squall line stretching from Kentucky to Central Alabama. This line of severe storms produced widespread wind damage and tornadoes.

My area was hit hard with this outbreak. In East Tennessee numerous severe storms produced winds estimated to be 70 mph and there were funnel sightings. In North Georgia 3 tornadoes did significant damage.

Here are some of the notable tornadoes from this event.

Sequoyah Arkansas- This was the first strong tornado of the outbreak. This tornado was rated EF2 with several houses destroyed.

Juneland Missouri- Another EF2 tornado did several damage to barns and houses.

Herdon Kentucky- A long tracked EF2 tornado did severe damage to several buildings and houses

Rosewood Kentucky- Several houses destroyed by this EF2 tornado.

Hickman Tennessee- A large EF2 tornado destroyed several houses.

Gordon County Georgia- An EF3 tornado did severe damage in several subdivisions. Sadly one person was killed.

Bartow County Georgia- A short lived but powerful EF3 tornado touched down doing severe damage to homes.

In addition to the tornadoes several buildings, homes, and mobile homes had severe damage due to thunderstorm winds that were estimated to be 60-80 mph.

A total of 66 tornadoes would be produced by this event. 11 of those were EF2 or higher tornadoes. 1 person lost their lives and $350 million dollars worth of damage was done.


This event was historic because tornadoes usually do not occur like this in January. This was a storm system that was a storm system that is typically seen in March. The South often gets hit hard with severe weather outbreaks in March, but not January. Usually tornadoes in January are limited to the Gulf Coast.

What was also historic is how the ingredients came together in a month that for many locations is the coldest. You had warm air ahead of the storm system followed by temps that were in the 30's and 40's behind the storm system. You had a lot of wind energy for a January storm. Then you had the moisture coming from the Gulf.

Looking back on it now. Even though the South is very tornado prone and part of Dixie Alley. Dixie Alley is a tornado alley that includes the Southern States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. I think a lot of people were caught off guard of this outbreak considering the time of the year it was. Had this been in March, April, May or even fall it would be your typical severe weather outbreak.

I sometimes have used this event in discussions talking about how tornadoes will occur anywhere and anytime of the year when conditions are right. This outbreak was historic in 2013. 11 years later and this event is still historic. It was also similar to another January outbreak that would occur 7 years later. The 2020 Derecho event produced almost identical results.