An extremely critical fire weather event is the greatest threat level issued by the NWS Storm Prediction Center (SPC) for wildfire events in the United States. On the scale from one to three, an extremely critical is a level three; thus, these outlooks are issued only when forecasters at the SPC are confident of extremely dangerous wildfire conditions on a given day, and are typically reserved for the most extreme events. They are only issued for either Day 2 (with the event occurring the following day) or for Day 1 (on the day of the event). In contrast with high risk outlooks for severe weather outbreaks, extremely critical outlooks are commonly issued for Day 2. This is due to the fact that the conditions required for volatile wildfire spread are easier to predict well in advance than the conditions required for a major tornado outbreak or derecho. Similar to high risk outlooks, extremely critical outlooks also cannot be issued for Day 3 of the outlook period. [1] [2]
Storm Prediction Center Extremely Critical Fire Weather Events – 2000–2009 [nb 1] | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Year | Region | Burned area | Fatalities | Outlook | Notes | |
May 11 | 2000 | Arizona, New Mexico [3] | 43,000 [nb 2] | 0 | Cerro Grande Fire [4] | ||
May 15 | 2000 | Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico [5] | 43,000 [nb 2] | 0 | Cerro Grande Fire [4] | ||
May 16 | 2000 | Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma [6] | 43,000 [nb 2] | 0 | Cerro Grande Fire [4] | ||
May 17 | 2000 | Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma [7] | 43,000 [nb 2] | 0 | Cerro Grande Fire [4] | ||
May 24 | 2000 | Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida [8] | 0 | One of only two extremely critical areas issued east of the Mississippi River, the other was issued on May 12, 2008[ citation needed ] | |||
June 7 | 2000 | Nevada, Arizona, Utah [9] | 0 | ||||
June 8 | 2000 | Nevada, Arizona, Utah [10] | 0 | ||||
June 19 | 2000 | Wyoming, Colorado, Utah [11] | 0 | ||||
July 23 | 2000 | Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho [12] | 2,200,000 [nb 3] | 0 | Idaho-Montana wildfires of Summer 2000 [13] | ||
July 31 | 2000 | Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho [14] | 2,200,000 [nb 3] | 0 | Idaho-Montana wildfires of Summer 2000 [13] | ||
August 1 | 2000 | Wyoming, Montana, Idaho [15] | 2,200,000 [nb 3] | 0 | Idaho-Montana wildfires of Summer 2000 [13] | ||
August 3 | 2000 | California, Oregon, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho [16] | 2,200,000 [nb 3] | 0 | Idaho-Montana wildfires of Summer 2000 [13] | ||
August 11 | 2000 | Wyoming, Montana, Idaho [17] | 2,200,000 [nb 3] | 0 | Idaho-Montana wildfires of Summer 2000 [13] | ||
August 26 | 2000 | Wyoming, Montana, Idaho [18] | 2,200,000 [nb 3] | 0 | Idaho-Montana wildfires of Summer 2000 [13] | ||
August 27 | 2000 | Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, South Dakota [19] | 2,200,000 [nb 3] | 0 | Idaho-Montana wildfires of Summer 2000 [13] | ||
August 29 | 2000 | Wyoming, Montana, Idaho [20] | 2,200,000 [nb 3] | 0 | Idaho-Montana wildfires of Summer 2000 [13] | ||
September 19 | 2000 | South Central U.S. [21] | 0 | ||||
September 21 | 2000 | New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [22] | 0 | ||||
October 21 | 2000 | California [23] | 0 | ||||
October 22 | 2000 | California [24] | 0 | ||||
November 7 | 2000 | California [25] | 0 | ||||
December 17 | 2000 | California [26] | 0 | ||||
December 18 | 2000 | California [27] | 0 | ||||
December 25 | 2000 | California [28] | 0 | ||||
January 2 | 2001 | California [29] | 0 | ||||
January 3 | 2001 | California [30] | 10,353 | 0 | Viejas Fire [31] | ||
April 10 | 2001 | New Mexico, Texas [32] | 0 | ||||
April 22 | 2001 | New Mexico, Texas [33] | 0 | ||||
July 28 | 2001 | Idaho, Wyoming [34] [35] | 4,600 [nb 2] | 0 | Green Knoll Fire [36] | ||
September 5 | 2001 | Eastern Great Basin region [37] | 14,288 | 0 | Darby Fire [38] | ||
April 20 | 2002 | New Mexico, Texas [39] | 0 | ||||
May 1 | 2002 | New Mexico, Texas [40] | 0 | ||||
May 7 | 2002 | Central Rocky Mountains region [41] | 0 | ||||
June 3 | 2002 | New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado [42] | 0 | ||||
June 8 | 2002 | Western U.S. [43] | 138,114 [nb 2] | 0 | Hayman Fire [44] | ||
June 9 | 2002 | Western U.S. [45] | 138,114 [nb 2] | 0 | Hayman Fire [44] | ||
September 15 | 2002 | Nevada [46] | 0 | ||||
January 6 | 2003 | California [47] | 900 | 0 | Pacific Fire [31] | ||
April 2 | 2003 | Arizona, Colorado, Utah [48] | 0 | ||||
May 3 | 2003 | Arizona, New Mexico [49] | 0 | ||||
June 23 | 2003 | Colorado, New Mexico, Utah [50] | 84,750 [nb 2] | 0 | Aspen Fire [51] | ||
May 10 | 2004 | Utah [52] | 0 | ||||
May 11 | 2004 | Southwestern U.S. [53] | 0 | ||||
March 29 | 2005 | New Mexico, Texas [54] | 0 | ||||
November 18 | 2005 | California [55] | 4,000 | 0 | School Canyon Fire [56] | ||
November 27 | 2005 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [57] | 9,600 [nb 2] | 0 | Velma Fire [58] | ||
January 1 | 2006 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [59] | 303,570 | 2 [60] | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | ||
January 3 | 2006 | Central U.S. [62] | 0 | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | |||
January 7 | 2006 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [63] | 0 | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | |||
January 8 | 2006 | Southern U.S. [64] | 0 | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | |||
January 12 | 2006 | Oklahoma, Texas [65] | 39,173 | 0 | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | ||
January 14 | 2006 | Oklahoma, Texas [66] | 0 | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | |||
January 15 | 2006 | Oklahoma, Texas [67] | 0 | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | |||
January 23 | 2006 | California [68] | 0 | ||||
February 7 | 2006 | California [69] | 1,200 [nb 2] | 0 | Orange County Fire [70] | ||
February 8 | 2006 | California [71] | 1,200 [nb 2] | 0 | Orange County Fire [70] | ||
March 8 | 2006 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [72] | 0 | ||||
March 10 | 2006 | Central U.S. [73] | 0 | ||||
March 11 | 2006 | New Mexico, Texas [74] | 0 | ||||
March 12 | 2006 | Central U.S. [75] | 1,102,044 [nb 2] | 12 [76] | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | ||
April 6 | 2006 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [77] | 119,846 | 0 | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | ||
April 15 | 2006 | Central U.S. [78] | 23,135 | 0 | Texas-Oklahoma wildfires of 2005–06 [61] | ||
May 27 | 2006 | Southwestern U.S. [79] | 0 | ||||
June 14 | 2006 | Southwestern U.S. [80] | 4,270 [nb 2] | 0 | June 2006 Colorado wildfires [81] | ||
June 15 | 2006 | Arizona, New Mexico [82] | 0 | ||||
August 29 | 2006 | Northwestern U.S. [83] | 144,876 [nb 2] | 0 | Tripod Complex, Tatoosh Complex, and Cedar Creek fires [84] | ||
August 30 | 2006 | Idaho, Montana, Wyoming [85] | 76,651 [nb 2] | 0 | Middle Fork Complex, Trail Creek, Potato, and Zane fires [86] | ||
November 15 | 2006 | Texas [87] | 0 | ||||
January 8 | 2007 | California [88] | 20 | 0 | Malibu Fire [31] | ||
February 24 | 2007 | Texas [89] | 0 | ||||
February 28 | 2007 | New Mexico, Texas [90] | 0 | ||||
June 5 | 2007 | Arizona, Nevada, Utah [91] | 0 | ||||
June 6 | 2007 | Arizona, New Mexico [92] | 0 | ||||
July 18 | 2007 | Nevada [93] | 652,016 [nb 2] | 0 | Murphy Complex Fire [94] | ||
October 21 | 2007 | California [95] | 33,195 | 1 [96] | 2007 California wildfires [97] | ||
October 22 | 2007 | California [98] | 234,466 | 0 | 2007 California wildfires [97] | ||
October 23 | 2007 | California [99] [100] | 146,903 | 2 [96] | 2007 California wildfires [97] | ||
January 29 | 2008 | Texas [101] | 37,000 [nb 2] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [102] | ||
January 31 | 2008 | Texas [103] | 37,000 [nb 2] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [102] | ||
February 25 | 2008 | Texas [104] | 377,568 | 1 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
March 14 | 2008 | Arizona, New Mexico, Texas [106] | 263,375 | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
March 16 | 2008 | New Mexico, Texas [107] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
March 18 | 2008 | Texas [108] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
March 20 | 2008 | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [109] | 5,000 | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [110] | ||
April 3 | 2008 | New Mexico, Texas [111] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
April 9 | 2008 | New Mexico, Texas [112] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
April 10 | 2008 | Arizona, New Mexico, Texas [113] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
April 16 | 2008 | New Mexico, Texas [114] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
April 30 | 2008 | Arizona, New Mexico, Texas [115] | 2,000 | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] and X Fire [116] | ||
May 1 | 2008 | New Mexico, Texas [117] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
May 12 | 2008 | Florida, Southwestern U.S. [118] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires; [105] one of only two extremely critical areas issued east of the Mississippi River, the other was issued on May 24, 2000[ citation needed ] | |||
May 13 | 2008 | New Mexico, Texas [119] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
May 21 | 2008 | Arizona, New Mexico [120] | 0 | ||||
June 4 | 2008 | Arizona, New Mexico [121] | 0 | ||||
June 5 | 2008 | New Mexico, Texas [122] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
June 11 | 2008 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [123] | 0 | 2008 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
February 10 | 2009 | Texas [124] | 0 | ||||
February 17 | 2009 | Central U.S. [125] | 0 | ||||
March 5 | 2009 | Central U.S. [126] | 0 | ||||
March 23 | 2009 | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [127] | 0 | ||||
March 26 | 2009 | Arizona, New Mexico, Texas [128] | 0 | ||||
April 1 | 2009 | New Mexico, Texas [129] | 0 | ||||
April 9 | 2009 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [130] | 235,792 | 4 [131] | April 2009 Texas wildfires [105] [131] | ||
June 6 | 2009 | Arizona, New Mexico [132] | 0 | ||||
August 6 | 2009 | Arizona, Nevada, Utah [133] | 0 | ||||
August 7 | 2009 | Southwestern U.S. [134] | 0 |
Storm Prediction Center Extremely Critical Fire Weather Events – 2010–2019 [nb 1] | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Year | Region | Burned area | Fatalities | Outlook | Notes | |
March 26 | 2010 | New Mexico, Texas [135] | 0 | ||||
April 1 | 2010 | Central U.S. [136] | 0 | ||||
April 29 | 2010 | New Mexico, Texas [137] | 0 | ||||
May 10 | 2010 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [138] | 0 | ||||
February 27 | 2011 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [139] | 262,434 | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
March 7 | 2011 | New Mexico, Texas [140] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
March 8 | 2011 | Texas [141] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
March 21 | 2011 | Southwestern and Central U.S. [142] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
March 22 | 2011 | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [143] | 12,556 | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
April 3 | 2011 | Southwestern and Central U.S. [144] | 19,883 | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
April 9 | 2011 | Central U.S [145] | 582,615 | 1 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
April 10 | 2011 | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [146] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
April 14 | 2011 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [147] | 85,287 | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
April 15 | 2011 | Oklahoma, Texas [148] | 50,321 | 1 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
April 26 | 2011 | New Mexico, Texas [149] | 50,235 | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
April 29 | 2011 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [150] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
May 9 | 2011 | Southwestern and Central U.S. [151] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
May 24 | 2011 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [152] | 127,732 | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | ||
May 29 | 2011 | New Mexico, Texas [153] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
May 30 | 2011 | Central U.S. [154] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] | |||
June 6 | 2011 | Arizona [155] | 538,049 [nb 2] | 0 | Wallow Fire [156] | ||
June 19 | 2011 | Southwestern U.S. [157] | 538,049 [nb 2] | 0 | 2011 Texas wildfires [105] and Wallow Fire [156] | ||
June 29 | 2011 | Nevada [158] | 156,293 [nb 2] | 0 | Las Conchas Fire [159] | ||
November 2 | 2011 | California [160] | 0 | ||||
March 1 | 2012 | New Mexico [161] | 0 | ||||
March 7 | 2012 | New Mexico [162] | 0 | ||||
March 18 | 2012 | Nebraska, South Dakota [163] | 0 | ||||
March 26 | 2012 | Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming [164] | 4,140 | 3 | Lower North Fork Fire [165] | ||
May 23 | 2012 | Arizona, New Mexico [166] | 297,845 [nb 2] | 0 | Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire [167] | ||
May 26 | 2012 | New Mexico [168] | 297,845 [nb 2] | 0 | Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire [167] | ||
February 25 | 2013 | Texas [169] | 0 | ||||
December 29 | 2013 | California [170] | 0 | ||||
April 3 | 2014 | New Mexico, Texas [171] | 0 | ||||
April 26 | 2014 | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas [172] | 0 | ||||
May 6 | 2014 | Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas [173] | 0 | ||||
May 7 | 2014 | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas [174] | 0 | ||||
May 11 | 2014 | Oklahoma, Texas [175] | 2,583 | 0 | Double Diamond Fire [176] | ||
June 14 | 2014 | Arizona, New Mexico [177] | 0 | ||||
June 16 | 2014 | Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah [178] | 0 | ||||
June 17 | 2014 | Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah [179] | 14,712 [nb 2] | 0 | Assayii Lake Fire [180] | ||
April 8 | 2015 | Colorado, New Mexico, Texas [181] | 0 | ||||
April 14 | 2015 | South Dakota [182] | 0 | ||||
February 18 | 2016 | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [183] | 40,000 | 0 | February 2016 Texas-Oklahoma wildfires [184] | ||
March 22 | 2016 | Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas [185] | 367,620 [nb 2] | 0 | Anderson Creek Fire [186] | ||
March 23 | 2016 | New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas [187] | 367,620 [nb 2] | 0 | Anderson Creek Fire [186] | ||
April 5 | 2016 | Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas [188] | 55,308 | 0 | 350 Complex Fire [189] | ||
November 17 | 2016 | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [190] | 0 | ||||
February 23 | 2017 | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [191] | 1,812 [nb 2] | 0 | 2 Mile Lane, 96, and 141st fires [192] | ||
February 28 | 2017 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [193] | 10,700 | 0 | February 2017 Texas wildfires [194] | ||
March 6 | 2017 | Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [195] | 1,200,000 | 7 [196] | March 2017 Great Plains wildfires [197] | ||
March 23 | 2017 | Colorado, New Mexico, Texas [198] | 38,500 | 0 | Rankin Ranch Road and Green Ranch fires [199] [200] | ||
March 31 | 2017 | New Mexico, Texas [201] | 0 | ||||
December 4 | 2017 | California [202] | 141,531 [nb 2] | 0 | December 2017 Southern California wildfires [203] [204] | ||
December 5 | 2017 | California [205] | 141,531 [nb 2] | 0 | December 2017 Southern California wildfires [203] [204] | ||
December 6 | 2017 | California [206] | 141,531 [nb 2] | 1 [207] | December 2017 Southern California wildfires [203] [204] | ||
December 7 | 2017 | California [208] | 141,531 [nb 2] | 0 | December 2017 Southern California wildfires [203] [204] | ||
March 4 | 2018 | New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma [209] | 575 | 0 | Forest Ridge Fire [210] and Coyote Canyon Fire [211] | ||
March 18 | 2018 | New Mexico, Texas [212] | 9,250 | 0 | March 2018 Texas-Oklahoma wildfires [213] | ||
March 23 | 2018 | New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado [214] | 3,450 | 0 | March 2018 Texas-Oklahoma wildfires [215] | ||
April 12 | 2018 | New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado [216] | 12,700 | 1 [217] | April 2018 Great Plains wildfires, including the Rhea Fire. [218] [219] [220] | ||
April 13 | 2018 | New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma [221] | 261,700 | 1 [222] | April 2018 Great Plains wildfires [217] [223] [224] – The first day to be given a "historically critical" designation on the Red Flag Threat Index (RFTI). [nb 4] [225] | ||
April 17 | 2018 | New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma [226] | 468,365 [nb 2] | 0 | April 2018 Great Plains wildfires – Outlook included enhanced warning: "Dangerous, life-threatening fire weather conditions are likely". PDS Red Flag Warning #709 was issued for parts of New Mexico and Texas at 2005Z the day before. [227] Forecasters indicated that the potential for the rapid spread of wildfires was at its highest level in more than ten years. [228] This was only the second day on record to be given the "historically critical" designation on the Red Flag Threat Index (RFTI). [225] | ||
April 19 | 2018 | Arizona, New Mexico [229] | 125 | 0 | April 2018 Arizona-New Mexico wildfires [230] [231] | ||
September 15 | 2018 | Utah, Nevada [232] | 86,107 [nb 2] | 0 | Pole Creek and Bald Mountain wildfires [233] | ||
October 15 | 2018 | California [234] | 0 | ||||
November 8 | 2018 | California [235] | 256,316 [nb 2] | 85 [nb 5] | Woolsey, Hill, Camp, and Nurse wildfires; [237] [238] Deadliest extremely critical day on record. [nb 6] [ citation needed ] | ||
November 9 | 2018 | California [239] | 256,316 [nb 2] | 2 [240] | Woolsey, Hill, Camp, and Nurse wildfires [237] [238] | ||
November 11 | 2018 | California [241] | 256,316 [nb 2] | 0 | Woolsey, Hill, Camp, and Nurse wildfires [237] [238] | ||
November 12 | 2018 | California [242] | 256,316 [nb 2] | 0 | Woolsey, Hill, Camp, and Nurse wildfires [237] [238] | ||
November 13 | 2018 | California [243] | 256,316 [nb 2] | 1 [244] | Woolsey, Hill, Camp, and Nurse wildfires [237] [238] | ||
April 10 | 2019 | New Mexico, Texas [245] | 1,800 | 0 | 267 Fire [246] | ||
October 9 | 2019 | California [247] | 14,449 [nb 2] | 0 | Early October 2019 California wildfires [248] [249] | ||
October 10 | 2019 | California [250] | 14,449 [nb 2] | 3 [251] | Early October 2019 California wildfires [248] [249] | ||
October 11 | 2019 | California [252] | 14,449 [nb 2] | 0 | Early October 2019 California wildfires [248] [249] | ||
October 24 | 2019 | California [253] | 98,366 [nb 2] | 0 | Late October 2019 California wildfires [249] | ||
October 25 | 2019 | California [254] | 98,366 [nb 2] | 0 | Late October 2019 California wildfires [249] | ||
October 27 | 2019 | California [255] | 98,366 [nb 2] | 0 | Late October 2019 California wildfires [249] | ||
October 28 | 2019 | California [256] | 98,366 [nb 2] | 0 | Late October 2019 California wildfires [249] | ||
October 29 | 2019 | California [257] | 98,366 [nb 2] | 0 | Late October 2019 California wildfires [249] | ||
October 30 | 2019 | California [258] | 98,366 [nb 2] | 0 | Late October 2019 California wildfires [249] | ||
October 31 | 2019 | California [259] | 98,366 [nb 2] | 0 | Late October 2019 California wildfires [249] – First and only occurrence of five consecutive extremely critical days[ citation needed ] |
Storm Prediction Center Extremely Critical Fire Weather Events – 2020–2025 [nb 1] | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Year | Region | Burned area | Fatalities | Outlook | Notes | |
June 7 | 2020 | Colorado, New Mexico [260] | 2,083 [nb 2] | 0 | Wilson Crossing, Tadpole, and Bent's Fort fires [261] [262] [263] | ||
September 2 | 2020 | Montana [264] | 100,000 | 0 | Huff, Bobcat, and Snider fires [265] | ||
September 7 | 2020 | Oregon, Washington [266] | 1,000,000 [nb 2] | 0 | North Complex Fire and September 2020 Oregon and Washington wildfires [267] – Eric Johnson, deputy fire staff for Northwest Oregon Fire Management, stated that "the fire weather forecasted is extremely rare and occurs only a few times a century." [268] | ||
September 8 | 2020 | Oregon, Washington [269] | 1,000,000 [nb 2] | 26 [nb 7] | North Complex Fire and September 2020 Oregon and Washington wildfires [267] | ||
October 25 | 2020 | California [271] | 413 | 0 | Olinda, Dersch, and Point fires [272] | ||
October 26 | 2020 | California [273] | 26,430 | 0 | Silverado and Blue Ridge fires [272] | ||
December 3 | 2020 | California [274] | 6,430 | 0 | Bond and Willow fires [275] [276] | ||
June 10 | 2021 | Colorado, Utah [277] | 31 | 0 | Foxton Fire [278] | ||
December 15 | 2021 | Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [279] | 163,000 | 2 [280] | 2021 Kansas wildfire outbreak – includes the Four County, North 207, Parker Creek, and Cobb fires [281] | ||
March 17 | 2022 | Texas [282] | 45,000 | 0 | Eastland Complex Fire [283] | ||
March 29 | 2022 | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [284] | 33,000 [nb 2] | 0 | Crittenberg Complex Fire [285] | ||
April 6 | 2022 | Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [286] | 57,737 [nb 2] | 0 | Gosper/Furnas County, Beaver River, and Sand Creek fires [287] [288] | ||
April 7 | 2022 | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [289] | 57,737 [nb 2] | 1 [290] | Gosper/Furnas County, Beaver River, and Sand Creek fires [287] [288] | ||
April 12 | 2022 | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas [291] | 6,195 [nb 2] | 2 [292] | McBride Fire [293] | ||
April 22 | 2022 | Colorado, New Mexico [294] | 160,000 [nb 2] | 0 | April-May 2022 New Mexico wildfires [295] | ||
April 29 | 2022 | Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma [296] | 160,000 [nb 2] | 0 | April-May 2022 New Mexico wildfires [295] | ||
May 8 | 2022 | Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [297] | 160,000 [nb 2] | 0 | April-May 2022 New Mexico wildfires [295] | ||
May 9 | 2022 | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas [298] | 160,000 [nb 2] | 0 | April-May 2022 New Mexico wildfires [295] | ||
September 7 | 2022 | Montana [299] | 1,000 | 0 | Government, Billiard, and Bull Gin Complex fires [300] | ||
April 4 | 2023 | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico [301] | 1,550 | 0 | Route 66 Fire [302] | ||
March 13 | 2024 | Oklahoma, Texas [303] | 1,058,482 [nb 2] | 0 | Smokehouse Creek Fire [304] | ||
April 6 | 2024 | Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma [305] | 5,000 | 0 | 57 Fire [306] | ||
May 25 | 2024 | New Mexico [307] | 2,964 | 0 | Blue 2 Fire [308] | ||
November 6 | 2024 | California [309] | 20,000 | 0 | Mountain Fire [310] | ||
December 10 | 2024 | California [311] | 4,037 [nb 2] | 0 | Franklin Fire [312] | ||
January 8 | 2025 | California [313] | 57,528 [nb 2] | 27 [314] | January 2025 Southern California wildfires [315] – First extremely critical risk day in January since 2008, and the first extremely critical risk day in January for California since 2007. [316] | ||
January 13 | 2025 | California [317] | 57,528 [nb 2] | 0 | January 2025 Southern California wildfires [315] | ||
January 14 | 2025 | California [318] | 57,528 [nb 2] | 0 | January 2025 Southern California wildfires [315] | ||
January 20 | 2025 | California [319] | 57,528 [nb 2] | 0 | January 2025 Southern California wildfires [315] | ||
January 21 | 2025 | California [320] | 57,528 [nb 2] | 0 | January 2025 Southern California wildfires [315] |
The tornado outbreak of September 24, 2001 was one of the worst tornado events to ever have directly affected the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area in the United States. The outbreak occurred on Monday, September 24, 2001, and was responsible for two deaths and 57 injuries.
From May 3 to May 11, 2003, a prolonged and destructive series of tornado outbreaks affected much of the Great Plains and Eastern United States. Most of the severe activity was concentrated between May 4 and May 10, which saw more tornadoes than any other week-long span in recorded history; 335 tornadoes occurred during this period, concentrated in the Ozarks and central Mississippi River Valley. Additional tornadoes were produced by the same storm systems from May 3 to May 11, producing 363 tornadoes overall, of which 62 were significant. Six of the tornadoes were rated F4, and of these four occurred on May 4, the most prolific day of the tornado outbreak sequence; these were the outbreak's strongest tornadoes. Damage caused by the severe weather and associated flooding amounted to US$4.1 billion, making it the costliest U.S. tornado outbreak of the 2000s. A total of 50 deaths and 713 injuries were caused by the severe weather, with a majority caused by tornadoes; the deadliest tornado was an F4 that struck Madison and Henderson counties in Tennessee, killing 11. In 2023, tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis created the outbreak intensity score (OIS) as a way to rank various tornado outbreaks. The tornado outbreak sequence of May 2003 received an OIS of 232, making it the fourth worst tornado outbreak in recorded history.
The 2010 New Year's Eve tornado outbreak was a three-day-long tornado outbreak that impacted the central and lower Mississippi Valley from December 30, 2010 to January 1, 2011. Associated with a low pressure system and a strong cold front, 37 tornadoes tracked across five states over the length of the severe event, killing nine and injuring several others. Activity was centered in the states of Missouri and later Mississippi on December 31. Seven tornadoes were rated EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale; these were the strongest during the outbreak. Non-tornadic winds were recorded to have reached as high as 80 mph (130 km/h) at eight locations on December 31, while hail as large as 2.75 in (7.0 cm) was documented north-northeast of Mansfield, Missouri. Overall, damage from the outbreak totaled US$123.3 million, most of which was related to tornadoes. This is the most prolific tornado outbreak in Missouri in the month of December.
A significant and destructive tornado outbreak that affected parts of the Midwestern United States and lower Great Plains in mid-May 2013. This event occurred just days after a deadly outbreak struck Texas and surrounding southern states on May 15. On May 16, a slow moving trough crossed the Rockies and traversed the western Great Plains. Initially, activity was limited to scattered severe storms; however, by May 18, the threat for organized severe thunderstorms and tornadoes greatly increased. A few tornadoes touched down that day in Kansas and Nebraska, including an EF4 tornado near Rozel, Kansas. Maintaining its slow eastward movement, the system produced another round of severe weather nearby. Activity significantly increased on May 19, with tornadoes confirmed in Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. In Oklahoma, two strong tornadoes, one rated EF4, caused significant damage in rural areas of the eastern Oklahoma City metropolitan area; two people lost their lives near Shawnee. The most dramatic events unfolded on May 20 as a large EF5 tornado devastated parts of Moore, Oklahoma, killing 24 people. Thousands of structures were destroyed, with many being completely flattened. Several other tornadoes occurred during the day in areas further eastward, though the majority were weak and caused little damage.
On November 17, 2013, the deadliest and costliest November tornado outbreak in Illinois history took shape, becoming the fourth-largest for the state overall. With more than 30 tornadoes in Indiana, it was that state's largest tornado outbreak for the month of November, and the second largest outbreak recorded in Indiana. Associated with a strong trough in the upper levels of the atmosphere, the event resulted in 77 tornadoes tracking across regions of the Midwest United States and Ohio River Valley, impacting seven states. Severe weather during the tornado outbreak caused over 100 injuries and eleven fatalities, of which eight were tornado related. Two tornadoes—both in Illinois and rated EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale—were the strongest documented during the outbreak and combined for five deaths. In addition to tornadoes, the system associated with the outbreak produced sizeable hail peaking at 4.00 in (10.2 cm) in diameter in Bloomington, Illinois, as well as damaging winds estimated as strong as 100 mph (160 km/h) in three locations.
This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2017. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Eastern India, but they can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also develop occasionally in southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer and somewhat regularly at other times of the year across Europe, Asia, Argentina and Australia. Tornadic events are often accompanied with other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail. There were 1,522 reports of tornadoes in the United States in 2017, of which 1,418 were confirmed. Worldwide, 43 fatalities were confirmed in 2017: 35 in the United States, five in China, two in Paraguay, and one in Brazil.
Throughout the evening hours of April 9, 2015, an extremely violent and long-lived multiple-vortex tornado tore through the communities near Rochelle and in Fairdale, Illinois. Part of a larger severe weather event that impacted the Central United States, the tornado first touched down in Lee County at 6:39 p.m. CDT (23:39 UTC). It progressed through the counties of Ogle, DeKalb, and Boone before finally dissipating at 7:20 p.m. CDT. Along the tornado's 30.14-mile (48.51 km) path, numerous structures were heavily damaged or destroyed, especially in the small town of Fairdale where two fatalities and eleven injuries were recorded. A few well-constructed homes were swept completely away, indicative of peak winds near 200 mph (320 km/h), the upper bounds of an EF4 tornado. In the aftermath of the event, hundreds of citizens assisted in cleanup and recovery efforts. Economic losses from the tornado reached $19 million.
A small but damaging outbreak of 15 tornadoes impacted the Southeastern United States on February 7, 2017. The most damaging tornado of the outbreak was a large and powerful EF3 tornado. The tornado caused considerable damage along its path and left approximately 10,000 homes without electricity. 33 injuries occurred in the area after the tornado hit near Chef Menteur Highway with hundreds of structures sustaining moderate to significant damage along the ten-mile path. In response to the disaster, Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency.
The tornado outbreak of March 6–7, 2017 was a widespread severe weather and tornado outbreak that affected portions of the Midwestern United States in the overnight hours of March 6–7. Occurring just days after a deadly and more significant event across similar areas just a week prior, this particular outbreak led to 63 tornadoes within a 91⁄2-hour period as a quasi-linear convective system and discrete supercell thunderstorms traversed the region. The most notable aspect of the outbreak was an EF3 tornado that damaged or destroyed hundreds of structures within Oak Grove, Missouri, injuring 12 people but causing no fatalities. An EF1 tornado touched down near Bricelyn, the earliest known tornado on record in the state of Minnesota. Outside of tornadic activity, hundreds of damaging wind reports and a multitude of severe hail reports were documented.
The April 2018 North American storm complex also known as Winter Storm Xanto brought a wide swath of severe and winter weather that affected much of Midwest across to the East Coast of the United States. This particular outbreak led to at least 73 confirmed tornadoes over a three-day period, most of which occurred across Arkansas and Louisiana during the evening hours of April 13. The most significant tornadoes were an EF1 that caused a fatality in Red Chute, Louisiana, early on April 14, an upper-end EF2 tornado that impacted eastern sections of Greensboro, North Carolina on April 15, causing 17 injuries, and a significant EF3 tornado that impacted areas from Lynchburg to Elon, Virginia, causing severe damage and at least 10 injuries.
The tornado outbreak of November 30 – December 2, 2018 was a late-season tornado outbreak that occurred across portions of the West South Central states and Midwestern United States. As a potent shortwave trough moved across the southern portions of the country, it was met with ample moisture return and destabilization, resulting in widespread severe thunderstorms that produced damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes. The event began late on November 30 in Oklahoma, spreading east and resulting in one fatality in Aurora, Missouri. Several tornadic supercells moved across portions of Illinois on December 1, and resulted in 29 confirmed tornadoes. This outbreak was the largest December tornado event on record in Illinois history, surpassing the December 1957 tornado outbreak sequence. The most significant tornado of the event was an EF3 that impacted Taylorville, Illinois, damaging or destroying hundreds of structures and injuring 22 people.
A significant and deadly severe weather event that affected the Southeastern United States on March 3, 2019. Over the course of 6 hours, a total of 42 tornadoes touched down across portions of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. The strongest of these was an EF4 tornado that devastated rural communities from Beauregard, Alabama, through Smiths Station, Alabama to Talbotton, Georgia, killing 23 people and injuring at least 100 others. Its death toll represented more than twice the number of tornado deaths in the United States in 2018 as well as the deadliest single tornado in the country since the 2013 Moore EF5 tornado. An EF3 tornado also destroyed residences to the east of Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida, and was only the second tornado of that strength in the county since 1945. Several other strong tornadoes occurred across the region throughout the evening of March 3 and caused significant damage. A large number of EF0 and EF1 tornadoes also touched down.
This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2020. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Bangladesh, and eastern India, but can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also develop occasionally in southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer and somewhat regularly at other times of the year across Europe, Asia, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. Tornadic events are often accompanied by other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail. There were 1,243 preliminary filtered reported tornadoes in 2020 in the United States in 2020, and 1,086 confirmed tornadoes in the United States in 2020. Worldwide, at least 93 tornado-related deaths were confirmed with 78 in the United States, eight in Vietnam, two each in Canada, Indonesia, and Mexico, and one in South Africa.
The tornado outbreak of January 10–11, 2020 was a two-day severe weather event stretching from the South-Central Plains eastward into the Southeast United States. An eastward-moving shortwave trough tracked across the continental United States through that two-day period, combining with abundant moisture, instability, and wind shear to promote the formation of a long-lived squall line. Hundreds of damaging wind reports were received, and 80 tornadoes occurred within this line, making it the third largest January tornado outbreak on record. Three tornadoes—an EF1 in eastern Texas, an EF2 in northern Louisiana, and an EF2 in western Alabama—led to a total of seven deaths, all in mobile homes. There were five other storm related deaths, including two due to icy roads in Lubbock, Texas, one due to drowning in Oklahoma, and one due to icy roads in Iowa. The system also brought a monthly record high temperature to Boston and Bridgeport. Extensive damage and several other injuries occurred as well. The severe weather event was notable in that it was forecast well in advance, with the Storm Prediction Center first highlighting the risk area a full week beforehand. Total damage from the event reached $1.1 billion according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
A multi-day severe weather and tornado outbreak impacted the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States from February 5–7. A powerful upper-level trough progressed eastward across the country, intersecting an abundant supply of moist air to produce severe weather. An eastward-propagating cold front supported a damaging squall line across the Southeast U.S. on February 5–6; supercell thunderstorms ahead of this line also produced numerous tornadoes. One EF1 tornado in the pre-dawn hours of February 6 killed one person in Demopolis, Alabama. On the morning of February 7, a secondary front progressed across Maryland and Virginia, unexpectedly leading to hundreds of damaging wind reports across Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Five tornadoes were reported in the Washington, D.C., area, the most on record for a wintertime severe weather event. Across the three-day outbreak, 37 tornadoes were confirmed, including several that were strong and long-tracked. The tornado outbreak was part of a much larger storm complex that would eventually become European windstorm Storm Ciara.
On April 22, 2020, an outbreak of discrete supercell thunderstorms across portions of Oklahoma, Texas, and Louisiana led to widespread severe weather, including multiple strong tornadoes. Two people were killed by a high-end EF2 that struck the town of Madill, Oklahoma, and three more were killed by an EF3 wedge tornado that moved through Onalaska, Texas. Dozens of others were injured as well. The event came to fruition as a trough progressed eastward across the United States, interacting with a moist and unstable environment. Tornado activity continued into Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia overnight into the day on April 23. Isolated tornado activity also occurred during the overnight hours on April 21.
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Gati was the strongest tropical cyclone on record to make landfall in Somalia, and one of few tropical cyclones to do so in the country. The seventh depression, third cyclonic storm, and second very severe cyclonic storm of the 2020 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Gati formed from an area of low pressure in the Arabian Sea, on 21 November. The storm then explosively intensified, becoming a very severe tropical cyclone and reaching its peak intensity, the following day. Gati weakened slightly before making landfall in northeastern Somalia on 22 November. Gati was the first hurricane-force cyclone to make landfall in Somalia on record. Gati then weakened and became disorganized as it moved inland. The JTWC issued its final advisory on Gati shortly after it moved into the Gulf of Aden on 23 November. The name Gati was suggested by India, which means 'motion' in Hindi.
This page documents notable tornadoes and tornado outbreaks worldwide in 2021. Strong and destructive tornadoes form most frequently in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Eastern India, but can occur almost anywhere under the right conditions. Tornadoes also develop occasionally in southern Canada during the Northern Hemisphere's summer and somewhat regularly at other times of the year across Europe, Asia, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. Tornadic events are often accompanied by other forms of severe weather, including strong thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail. Worldwide, 150 tornado-related deaths were confirmed with 103 in the United States, 28 in China, six in the Czech Republic, four in Russia, three in Italy, two in India, and one each in Canada, New Zealand, Indonesia, and Turkey.
The March 2021 North American blizzard was a record-breaking blizzard in the Rocky Mountains and a significant snowstorm in the Upper Midwest that occurred in mid-March 2021. It brought Cheyenne, Wyoming their largest two-day snowfall on record, and Denver, Colorado their second-largest March snowfall on record. The storm originated from an extratropical cyclone in the northern Pacific Ocean in early March, arriving on the west coast of the United States by March 10. The storm moved into the Rocky Mountains on Saturday, March 13, dumping up to 2–3 feet (61–91 cm) of snow in some areas. It was unofficially given the name Winter Storm Xylia.