Tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011
The tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011 was one of the largest tornado outbreaks on record which affected the Midwestern and Southern regions of the United States. Most of the tornadoes developed in a corridor from Lake Superior southwest to central Texas; isolated tornadoes occurred in other areas. An especially destructive tornado destroyed one-third of Joplin, Missouri, resulting in 158 deaths and over 1,000 injuries. The Joplin tornado is the deadliest in the U.S. since April 9, 1947, when an intense tornado killed 181 in the Woodward, Oklahoma area. Tornado-related deaths also occurred in Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, and Oklahoma. Overall, the tornado outbreak resulted in 184 deaths, 6 of those non-tornadic, making it second only to the 2011 Super Outbreak as the deadliest since 1974, and the second costliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history behind that same April 2011 outbreak, with insured damage estimated at $4–7 billion.
Tornado outbreak of November 14–16, 2011
Widespread tornado activity was initially not expected on November 16th. However, a series of supercell thunderstorms developed across the South and produced multiple tornadoes. Tornadoes began touching down across Alabama that afternoon and moved eastward. One long track tornado touched down in Auburn, Alabama and tracked across the Georgia state line into the Hamilton area. This tornado caused EF2 damage in Auburn, Opelika, and Hamilton. A killer tornado later touched down near Rock Hill, South Carolina, and caused severe damage and 3 fatalities. Another destructive EF2 tornado touched down east of Linwood, North Carolina, where numerous homes and businesses were destroyed, 2 people were killed, and numerous people were trapped in destroyed structures and required rescue. A total of 12 tornadoes touched down this day.