March 2006 tornado outbreak sequence

March 2006 Tornado Outbreak Sequence

Tornado damage in Springfield, Illinois
Type	Tornado outbreak
Duration	March 9–13, 2006
Tornadoes confirmed	99 confirmed
Max rating1	F4 tornado
Duration of tornado outbreak2	4 days, 14 hours, 45 minutes
Damage	>$1 billion
Casualties	11 fatalities (+2 non-tornadic), 183 injuries
Areas affected	Midwestern and Southern United States
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado

¹Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale

The March 2006 tornado outbreak sequence was an early season and long lasting tornado outbreak sequence in the central United States that started on the morning of March 9 and continued for over four days until the evening of March 13. The outbreak produced 99 confirmed tornadoes. The tornadoes killed a total of 11 people. The total damage by the severe weather was in excess of $1 billion.

The period of active weather started with a major derecho event on March 9 across the South Central United States, that also included several tornadoes, although straight-line winds did most of the damage. Numerous injuries and at least two fatalities were reported, but mostly due to the thunderstorm winds. The two fatalities were as a result of a weather-related automobile accident and a fire started by lightning. Tens of thousands of people also lost electricity throughout the region.

Activity calmed down on March 10 with little severe weather reported, but picked up again the next day.

On the evening of March 11, 18 tornadoes developed across the region. One of them flattened a mobile home park and left many people injured and at least 2 dead in Perry County, Missouri. Several other tornadoes left heavy damage in Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas. The tornadoes were accompanied by very large hail, some as large as softballs.

More severe weather developed in the morning of March 12. The Kansas City Metropolitan Area was hardest hit, with significant wind and hail damage to many homes and businesses, but only two tornadoes in the far northwestern part of the area. Significant damage was also reported at the University of Kansas in Lawrence and at the Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Water Park. Numerous airplanes also flipped over at the Kansas City Downtown Airport.