Tornado outbreak of April 4–7, 2022

Satellite imagery of the severe storm system on April 5.

For the third time in a three-week period, environmental conditions across the Southeastern United States became favorable for a widespread severe weather and tornado outbreak during the early days of April.[5] For days, forecasters at the Storm Prediction Center advertised the eastward progression of a broad upper-level trough into the South Plains region. As this occurred, they forecasted the development of an area of low pressure in northwestern Texas along a stalled front.[2] To the south of this northward-propagating boundary, surface temperatures rose to around 80 °F (27 °C) while rapidly-cooling air aloft led to the development of 1,500–2,000 J/kg mid-level convective available potential energy (CAPE). With modest advection of warm air and an eroding capping inversion, widespread convective development overspread northwestern Texas and southwestern Oklahoma, with a primary risk of very large hail and damaging wind gusts.[6][7] Farther southeast in the vicinity of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, forecasters warned of the potential for a higher tornadic threat given an approaching shortwave trough, better northward transport of moisture, and a strengthening of low-level wind fields.[8][9] A long-lived embedded supercell developed south of the metroplex, producing multiple tornadoes. One of tornadoes reached EF2 intensity near Egan, causing severe damage and injuring one person. Otherwise, widespread convective activity congealed into a southeast-moving mesoscale convective system across eastern Texas and Louisiana through the overnight hours,[10] where the SPC had placed an level 3 Enhanced risk for the threat of damaging winds. Dozens of severe wind gusts were recorded.[2]

A mobile home that was completely destroyed at low-end EF3 intensity south of Allendale, South Carolina.

Into the morning hours, the progressive squall line lost some of its intensity as it moved across the Ark-La-Tex region. However, with increasing wind fields and deeply moist dew points above 70 °F (21 °C), the SPC anticipated re-intensification of this feature through the afternoon, plus an attendant risk for discrete supercells in advance of the line. Accordingly, they yet again outlined a level 3/Enhanced risk of severe weather, including a more substantial threat for tornadoes, some EF2 or stronger, from the Mississippi–Alabama border eastward to the coastal border of Georgia and South Carolina.[11] Despite only modest mid-level cooling, the environment became increasingly unstable as temperatures warmed in excess of 70 °F (21 °C), resulting in mid-level CAPE into the 500–1,500 J/kg range. A bowing complex evolved across southern Alabama into Georgia while leading supercells evolved in advance of the line,[12][13] resulting in widespread damaging winds and numerous tornadoes, including multiple strong tornadoes.[14] One high-end EF3 tornado embedded within the line destroyed multiple homes in Bonaire, Georgia, causing an injury. Farther northeast across South Carolina, a south-southwesterly low-level jet up to 50 kn (60 mph; 95 km/h) overspread an unstable and moist environment, leading to the concern for supercells capable of producing strong tornadoes.[15] Indeed, multiple discrete storms developed ahead of the advancing squall line in the warm sector across eastern Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry.[16][17] These cells quickly intensified as they overspread the region, and produced multiple significant tornadoes, including multiple long-track, strong wedge tornadoes. A low-end EF3 tornado prompted the issuance of a tornado emergency for Allendale, South Carolina,[18] while a violent EF4 tornado destroyed numerous homes and caused a fatality in Black Creek, Georgia. A high-end EF3 tornado then touched down in Allendale County near Ulmer a few hours later, before continuing into Bamberg and Orangeburg counties, causing substantial tree damage along its path. An EF2 tornado also inflicted heavy damage along in the western, northwestern, and northern parts of Manning, South Carolina. By the evening hours, these cells began to merge with the progressive squall line as it shifted into a more stable air mass and approached the Atlantic coastline.[19]

Storm Prediction Center tornado probability for April 6, showing a 10% risk area for tornadoes.

After the previous days' storms advanced into the Atlantic Ocean, a new severe weather system developed over many of the same areas in Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Remnants of storms from the previous day gave way for abundant moisture overspreading the area. This, combined with the presence of upper 60s F dew points and CAPE values of 2000-3000 J/kg, created a highly unstable atmosphere, conductive for severe weather. Given the favorable parameters for severe weather, the Storm Prediction Center issued a large Enhanced risk area, encompassing areas centered around Georgia, central and northeastern portions of Alabama, eastern Tennessee, extreme western North Carolina, and southern South Carolina. The outlook highlighted the high probabilities of damaging wind gusts to be the primary threat of the event, but a 10%, unhatched corridor for tornadoes was also situated along central Georgia.[20]

As the evening advanced, destabilization in the area kept growing, and a long chain of thunderstorms developed along a corridor in central and southern Georgia. As such, the SPC issued a large tornado watch for central counties in Georgia, discussing the moderate possibilities for tornadoes to develop, but strong tornadoes were not thought to be likely.[21] As this line segmented on the early evening, multiple supercell thunderstorms developed and matured on the area as they entered the favorable environment in central Georgia. As such, multiple tornadoes developed as a result. An EF1 tornado that developed in Lee County was documented by multiple storm chasers as it caused damage near the town of Cordele. Multiple other weak tornadoes were reported from these supercells along with numerous reports of damaging winds. More severe storms formed in Florida and the Eastern Carolinas during the afternoon of April 7, but no tornadoes were reported. The severe threat ended after the storms either moved offshore or weakened below severe limits.[20][22]

Pembroke–Black Creek, Georgia

EF4 tornado
A home that was swept clean from its foundation at EF4 intensity in Black Creek.
Duration	15 minutes
Highest winds	185 mph (298 km/h)
Max. rating1	EF4 tornado
Fatalities	1 fatality, 12+ injuries
1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale

This large, violent wedge tornado touched down just southwest of Pembroke at 5:18 p.m. EDT (21:18 UTC) and quickly strengthened to EF2 intensity as it moved into town. It inflicted significant damage to the Bryan County Courthouse, which had many windows blown out and lost a large portion of its roof. The Bryan County Jail was also damaged and fencing around the facility was destroyed. The Bryan County Planning and Zoning office was partially unroofed, and also sustained some collapse of exterior walls. A couple of older wood-frame homes were destroyed along South Main Street, multiple other structures and several vehicles in town were also damaged, and many trees and power lines were downed. Moving east-northeast, the tornado exited the town and maintained EF2 intensity as it crossed over a wooded, marshy area, flattening a swath of trees while also destroying an outbuilding along C C Road, and heavily damaging a house on Stubbs Farm Road. After moving north of Ellabell and entering the small community of Black Creek, the tornado rapidly intensified and moved through George D. Hendrix Park at EF3 intensity. A large recreation center building was heavily damaged at this location, sustaining roof loss and collapse of exterior walls, with portions of its metal framing being twisted. Reinforced concrete light poles were snapped at the base, multiple large trees were snapped, denuded, and partially debarked, and turf at a football field in the park was also damaged. The tornado then grew to its peak width of about 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) and reached its peak intensity of mid-range EF4 as it struck the Park Place subdivision. Several well-built homes here were completely destroyed, four of which were leveled, including two that were completely swept away with only their bare concrete slab foundations remaining. These homes were anchor-bolted to their foundations, though there was no contextual damage evidence to support a rating above EF4. Multiple other homes sustained major damage in the Park Place subdivision, some of which had roofs and exterior walls ripped off. Cars were tossed and damaged, and a large portion of the roof from the recreation center at George D. Hendrix park landed on a house in this area, approximately 500–600 yards (460–550 m) away from where it originated. Several people were left trapped under the rubble of their damaged or destroyed homes and had to be extracted by rescue crews. No fatalities occurred in the Park Place subdivision, though there were multiple serious injuries.[79]

NEXRAD imagery of the tornado when it was near Black Creek

The violent tornado then crossed over Wilma Edwards Road onto the Black Creek Golf Course, where many trees were snapped and partially debarked, a golf cart barn was completely destroyed, and a clubhouse building sustained severe structural damage. Some homes at the golf course on Worthington Drive and Wellington Court were impacted by the southern edge of the circulation and sustained considerable roof and exterior damage.[139] The tornado then weakened but remained strong as it moved further to the east-northeast, mowing down more trees as it moved through another wooded and marshy area. It then crossed over McCown Lane and Olive Branch Road before striking a mobile home park along the southern end of Homestead Drive at EF3 intensity. Several well-anchored mobile homes were destroyed after being thrown or rolled. Some outbuildings were destroyed, and storage trailers were overturned as well. A woman was killed in one of the destroyed mobile homes, and multiple injuries occurred throughout this area. Several videos then showed the weakening tornado crossing I-16 at the US 280 exit. Along the east side of the interstate, the tornado caused EF1 damage to some large warehouses, ripped part of the roof off a AGCO company building at Oracal Parkway Circle, and inflicted considerable damage to trees. It then dissipated after crossing the road at 5:33 p.m. EDT (21:33 UTC), having travelled 14.51 miles (23.35 km). In addition to the fatality, at least 12 people were injured.[79][140][141][142] Coupled with the EF4 tornado that struck Newnan the previous year, this event marked the first time that F4/EF4 tornadoes had struck Georgia in back-to-back years since modern records began in 1950.[143]