A large tornado outbreak struck the Southern region of the United States on March 21–22, 2022, before transitioning to the Eastern United States on March 23. The outbreak started with numerous supercell thunderstorms and severe squall lines developing in central Texas and southern Oklahoma, prompting the issuance of numerous tornado warnings, including multiple PDS tornado warnings. An EF3 tornado caused considerable damage in Jacksboro, Texas, while an EF2 tornado from the same storm caused a fatality in Sherwood Shores. Other strong tornadoes caused damage near College Station and in the Austin and Houston metropolitan areas. Severe and tornadic activity continued into the next day as the system moved eastward with numerous tornadoes reported in Mississippi and Alabama. On the evening of March 22, a supercell moved through the New Orleans metropolitan area, with an EF3 tornado producing severe damage in Arabi, resulting in one death and at least two injuries. Widespread flooding also accompanied the decaying squall line in Alabama. Tornadoes occurred on March 23 over the Eastern United States, associated with the same system, including EF2 tornadoes near Pickens, South Carolina, and Gladesboro, Virginia. In all, 86 tornadoes were confirmed.

Meteorological synopsis March 21

Signs for a severe weather outbreak became evident multiple days before it came to fruition. On March 19, 2022, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued a Day 3 enhanced risk for the areas encompassing central and eastern Texas and western Louisiana, as readings indicated that atmospheric conditions would become supportive for a damaging severe weather outbreak. The next day, the highlighted area was slightly shifted to the west, covering central Texas, and a 10%, hatched risk for strong tornadoes was introduced, as discrete supercell thunderstorms were expected to develop in the area. On the day of the event, the SPC upped the risk to a moderate risk, encompassing east-central Texas, as atmospheric conditions continued to become more favourable for severe weather. CAPE values reaching 1500-2000 J/kg placed themselves over a highly moist area, with 70 °F dew points present across south-central Texas. Additionally, a strong mid-upper-level jet of around overspread the area, further increasing the instability in the atmosphere. As such, the SPC increased the size of the 10% hatched risk area for tornadoes, and introduced a small 15%, hatched corridor for strong tornadoes to occur, along east-central Texas.

As the evening progressed, and the atmospheric conditions for a major event to take place kept improving, the SPC issued its first tornado watch, spreading from extreme southern Oklahoma, all the way to the San Antonio area, discussing the elevated probabilities for supercells and tornadoes to occur. Multiple supercells soon formed inside and outside the concern area. A powerful supercell developed just outside the main risk area, producing a strong, long-tracked EF3 tornado, that caused considerable damage in the town of Jacksboro, Texas. An EF2 tornado in Sherwood Shores, Texas, caused major damage, killed one person and injured several others. The same storm also produced an EF1 tornado that caused significant damage in Kingston, Oklahoma.

As the evening rolled in, a squadron of powerful tornadic cells formed in the southern and central portions of the watch area. These cells soon became discrete in nature, and their isolation allowed for them to increase in intensity and coverage. Soon, multiple Particularly Dangerous Situation tornado warnings were issued from these supercells, as large and intense tornadoes were reported near Austin, Jarrell, and Elgin, Texas. A tornado was caught on a shopper's camera as it swept though a local Walmart's parking lot damaging multiple stores and leading to the closer of a Ross. The same tornado later hit a tower camera belonging to Austin ABC affiliate KVUE as it hit the Kalahari Resorts water park in Round Rock, Texas. A long-track supercell spawned several tornadoes, including multiple strong EF2 tornadoes, in College Station, Madisonville, Crockett, Alto, Mount Enterprise and Carthage, causing multiple injuries and damaging structures. The EF2 tornado that caused major damage in the Crockett area resulted in a fatality.

March 22

As the remnants of the storm system moved into Louisiana, it became the base for yet another day of intense tornadic activity. Moderate instability, were CAPE values of around 1500-2000 J/kg were present over central Louisiana and western Mississippi, interacted with 400m2/s2 helicity values and strong wind shear, creating a highly favorable environment for severe weather to develop. At dawn on March 22, the Storm Prediction Center issued a moderate risk encompassing central Louisiana and western Mississippi, and a large 15% hatched probability for tornadoes was introduced, as multiple sustained supercells were expected to develop in the area. In anticipation to the formation of a long squall line with embedded supercell structures in northern Louisiana and western Mississippi, the SPC issued a tornado watch for the area, discussing the moderate probabilities for intense tornadoes to form. It was the first of multiple watches to be issued that day.

As the line of storms progressed, multiple tornadoes were spawned from imbedded circulations within the line, some of which were strong. However, as the evening advanced, a long line of defined supercells developed on central Mississippi, soon becoming tornadic. Multiple tornadoes were reported from this line, including several strong EF2 tornadoes and an EF3 tornado. In Louisiana, a line of intense supercells formed in the late evening hours, and would go on to spawn the most notable tornadoes of the day. An intense high-end EF3 tornado caused considerable damage in the eastern New Orleans neighborhoods, as it was widely captured on video from multiple angles. The most severe damage was in Arabi, where several homes were destroyed. One person was killed and several other were injured. Multiple PDS tornado warnings were issued by the adjacent supercells, as additional tornadoes were spawned by the storms in central Louisiana.

March 23 Multiple areas were outlined by the Storm Prediction Center for March 23. The area first outlined was a 15% contour from the Florida Panhandle northeastward into Central Alabama and Central Georgia in a Day 7 outlook issued on March 17. Other than an extension into Central South Carolina, this area did not significantly change until March 20, when the Day 4 outlook for this day significantly expanded to southeastern Virginia southwestward in northern Florida and Alabama was mostly eliminated. Virginia would eventually be removed from this area, but a slight risk covered the rest of the area in the Day 3 and Day 2 outlooks. Additionally, a marginal risk extended into the Great Lakes region and the 17:30 UTC Day 2 outlook added a slight risk to the Ohio Valley. These areas were refined on March 23, and all hazards were expected.

The line of storms that had moved through the Gulf Coast the previous night produced isolated wind damage and a weak tornado in the Florida Panhandle and Georgia. Farther north in the Ohio Valley, multiple severe thunderstorms, including supercells, formed at moved northeastward, producing scattered wind damage and hail. Three weak tornadoes also touched down in Ohio. The most significant area of tornadoes occurred when a small cluster of supercells formed of the higher terrain in the Western Carolinas that evening. Wind damage and tornadoes, two of which were rated EF2, touched down in this area, as well as southwestern Virginia. The storms weakened below severe limits that night. An isolated severe threat was expected the next day across most of the southeastern coast, but no reports came in, as the storm system exited completely into the Atlantic.

Confirmed tornadoes

March 21 event