EF3 tornado passes near Prairie Point, MS. Image via @wcbiweather.
The second week of April began with much anticipation as a strong upper-level trough pushed out into the Plains. Early production from this system was mainly in the form of a few pretty supercells, but the initial widely-expected “big day,” at least as far as widespread potential goes, failed to pan out on April 9.
Climatology still favors the places east of much of the Plains in April, and as the storm system traveled further that direction, the tornado activity picked up.
While the system that created the tornadoes was one for the books on the wintry end, it was comparatively benign by April standards when it comes to severe weather.
However, a deadly EF3 with a track length of 68.4 miles that traveled from Mississippi to Alabama garnered lots of attention on Thursday. A sprinkling of other tornadoes occurred as well, including in and around St Louis, Mo.
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The twister quickly popped up near sunset and rapidly turned violent.
