EF0 tornado in Smith County, Texas

A weak EF0 tornado first touched down in a subdivision along Southern Trace Circle where shingles were peeled off several homes and a trampoline was thrown up onto a home. Several fences were blown down as well. The tornado continued east onto Walnut Hill Drive where sporadic tree damage was observed as well as some minor damage to several homes along the street. The tornado lifted before reaching US 69. Maximum winds are estimated at 65-70 mph.

A very warm and unstable air mass developed across the region on January 20th. This air mass was accompanied by unusually high dewpoint values for late January with ambient temperatures approaching the 70 degree mark. A very strong and vigorous storm system moved out of the Great Basin and into the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley during the late afternoon and evening hours of January 20th. Wind shear throughout the atmosphere was very strong and supportive of strong to severe thunderstorms. Low level wind shear was significant enough such that super cell thunderstorms developed across the region, producing tornadoes, large hail and damaging wind gusts.