EF3 tornado in Angelina County, Texas

An EF3 tornado touched down on the south side of Lufkin, on Loop 287 near Olive Garden just west of the intersections Loop 287 and South Chestnut Street. The tornado then tracked north northeast causing roof and tree damage to several homes behind Morgan Insurance Company on Loop 287. The tornado continued its north northeastward track then crossed South Chestnut causing major damage

to Gibson Funeral Home. It then tracked northward through a residential neighborhood causing more tree and roof damage, before destroying Max Welding Shop on Denman Rd. The tornado crossed Denman Road moving through another residential area causing moderate to major tree and roof damage. The tornado then destroyed the VFW building just before crossing Lufkin Avenue. More residential damage was observed between Lufkin Avenue and Atkinson Drive. The tornado crossed Atkinson Drive causing major damage by tossing several 18-wheelers parked at a trucking

company on Loop 287. The tornado then crossed Loop 287, damaging Goodyear Tires and Jim Walter Homes. The storm then tracked north into a wooded area before reaching Kit McConnico Park and causing moderate to major damage to the park. The

tornado lifted on the northern end of Kit McConnico Park around 10:07 PM.

A strong upper level storm system moved its way out of the southern Great Basin and into the Southern Plains during the afternoon hours of December 23rd. Strong southerly flow was found ahead of this storm system with dewpoint temperatures in the lower to middle 60s noted northward to the Interstate 20 corridor of northeast Texas and northern Louisiana. Impressive deep layer shear was noted in the warm sector across the region which was conducive for discrete storm cells during the afternoon and evening across northeast Texas. These storms spawned tornadoes and produced large hail across portions of northeast Texas. The storm system moved eastward during the predawn hours of December 24th with again, numerous storms producing tornadoes across southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana. In addition to all the storm damage...these storms were prolific rain makers with numerous reports of flash flooding across the region as well.