This page documents confirmed tornadoes in October, November, and December 2020 via various weather forecast offices of the
National Weather Service. Based on the 1991–2010 averaging period, 61 tornadoes occur across the United States throughout October, 58 through November, and 24 through December.[1]
Similar to the previous two months, a large portion of the tornadoes that touched down in October were produced by tropical cyclones, although it was still well below average with only 19 tornadoes being confirmed with no significant (EF2+) tornadoes being confirmed. November saw one tropical tornado and only isolated to scattered activity occurred elsewhere, causing the month to also fall significantly below average with only 24 tornadoes. December tornado activity did not start until about midway through the month, but a small outbreak did occur between December 23-24. There were 27 tornadoes during the month, which was comparable to the average.
Tree and structural damage occurred along the path. The worst damage was to a homeless shelter, where the roof and walls were damaged. Two people suffered minor injuries.[7]
As the tornado crossed
I-95, it snapped several pine trees, damaged a billboard, and destroyed a storage shed. A single-wide mobile home had minor damage, and another home had a portion of its metal roofing peeled off.[15]
One person was injured. One home was significantly damaged. Minor damage was done to an adjacent home and a storage building. An old barn was considerably damaged. Several trees were snapped or uprooted.[16]
Some scattered damage was done to large tree limbs, and a sign was knocked down on
US 501. More damage to trees was done along the path before lifting.[17]
A home had minor roof and carport damage on
NC 905 as it paralleled the highway. It damaged an outbuilding later down the path before lifting just east of
NC 130.[18]
October 23 event
List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, October 23, 2020[note 1]
As the tornado touched down, it snapped several pine trees and large tree limbs. It produced minor tree damage as it moved north. It continued to snap and uproot trees before it damaged the roofing of two homes. A shed was heavily damaged with its roof torn off and several walls missing. Another shed had minor siding damage. Two power poles were snapped along with more trees. Tin debris was thrown across a field before the tornado lifted.[20]
Four houses suffered minor damage to shingles and to one porch. Several trees were snapped and numerous branches were knocked down. Some branches struck power lines, causing power outages.[24]
As the tornado touched down, it damaged trees and the roof of an outbuilding. The tornado crossed
IL-47 according to an eyewitness. The tornado lifted just north of
IL-64 after crossing it as well. A weak
tornado debris signature was also observed with this tornado.[30]
Four people were injured. A mobile home was rolled, while another mobile home was severely damaged. A third mobile home was pushed off its block foundation. A fourth and final mobile home had roof damage. Several trees were snapped or uprooted.[32]
November 18 event
List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, November 18, 2020[note 1]
Businesses, restaurants, homes, fences, trees and warehouses in Arlington were damaged by this low-end EF2 tornado, which was embedded within a line of severe thunderstorms. Large sections of roof were ripped off an apartment complex, where the tornado reached its peak strength. Five people were injured, and no tornado warning was issued until after the tornado had dissipated.[35]
A strapped-down mobile home was lifted and rolled upside-down, with its walls crushed. The straps of another mobile home were broken. An anchored airplane was flipped and a nearby hangar and office building were damaged. A road sign was blown down. Trees were uprooted and snapped and tree limbs were broken.[40]
Significant tree damage and minor damage to a home occurred near where this tornado touched down. The tornado was at its strongest and its widest point as it continued to significantly damage trees, and cause damage to multiple farm outbuildings. As the tornado narrowed, it snapped many pine trees. The tornado lifted near
SR 53, just south of the
Florida/
Georgia state border.[41]
Despite this tornado touching down intermittently for over 12 mi (19 km), only damage reported was downed tree limbs and blown around patio furniture.[42][43]
Many trees were snapped or uprooted at the beginning of the path, including some near a home. As the tornado moved northeast, it damaged newly installed power poles near another home. Additional trees and power poles were damaged. The tornado was at its strongest point when a front porch awning was lifted. Damage to other homes occurred, including damage to roof shingles and siding. One home's garage door was bent inward. Trees were snapped or uprooted along the rest of the path before the tornado lifted.[44]
This tornado first touched down along
MD 313, just south of the
Caroline/
Queen Anne's county border. Little to no damage was found in this area, however, a small
tornado debris signature appeared on doppler radar. As this tornado moved northeastward, it passed northwest of
Henderson. In this area, a small horse barn was destroyed, with its walls collapsed, and its roof blown across a yard into a nearby home. The nearby home had damage done to its roof, siding, and chimney. Several trees and tree branches were snapped or uprooted. Later on down the path, two barns were destroyed. One of the barns' roofs was lifted and tossed, while the other was peeled and twisted. The tornado continued northeast before lifting.[45]
A brief tornado touched down just east of the
PA 309 northbound onramp to the
US 202 parkway. As the tornado crossed the US 202 parkway, two small trees were uprooted. Wooden picnic tables outside of a
Texas Roadhouse were tossed, shattering the front window of a nearby closed restaurant. This same restaurant had air-handling equipment and siding torn from the building. Six to eight cars in the parking lots of both the Texas Roadhouse and the nearby restaurant were either shaken or tossed by the tornado. Several small tree branches were snapped in the area. Metal light posts were bent at the base, and two stop signs were either bent over or removed from the ground. A supporting pole at the entrance of a nearby
Staybridge Suites was damaged. The tornado inflicted minor damage to roofing at a
Costco before lifting less than one minute after it touched down.[46]
Two buildings were destroyed, and five had major damage. At a boat storage facility, 2-ton boats were tossed, and the buildings they were housed in had major damage. As the tornado approached
US 19, damage became spottier. Insulation from buildings collected along a fence near the
St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport. The tornado crossed
I-275 on the
Howard Frankland Bridge. Video from social media showed the tornado bending a light pole. Damage was $16 million.[49][50]
A home was damaged in
North Lakeland, just north of
Lake Gibson. Two small barns were destroyed. Video posted on social media of this tornado showed the tornado as a "wedge". Most damage was done to trees as the tornado's rotation stayed elevated for most of its path. Damage was $280,000.[49][51]
December 23 event
List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, December 23, 2020[note 1]
A brief but strong tornado tore a large section of roofing off of a home, and a barn lost its roof entirely. Several trees were uprooted or snapped.[52]
A couple of outbuildings were damaged just south of State Highway 550. Later on, a mobile home, and additional outbuildings were damaged near the highway. Trees were downed along the path.[61]
This tornado touched down in the downtown area of Taylorsville, downing a utility pole, which had sheet metal wrapped around it. Multiple trees were snapped or uprooted elsewhere along the path.[65]
The roof of a garage was ripped off, a glass door was blown off its hinges, and the front brick wall of the garage was severely damaged. An old gas station lost roofing shingles, with some evidence of roof lifting. Several sheds in the community of Waldrup had their tin roofs peeled back. A chicken house was significantly damaged. Many trees were snapped or uprooted.[67]
Trees were snapped or uprooted. One tree fell on a home, causing minor roof damage. Another tree fell onto a power transformer, causing it to blow out and ignite the tree on fire.[70]
Near the
Baggette Crossroads area, thin pieces of metal roofing were torn off a church, and the eastern wall of the fellowship hall collapsed. Debris from the church was carried up to 0.6 mi (0.97 km) away. Numerous pine trees were snapped or uprooted.[72]
This brief tornado occurred over a rural area southwest of the actual city of Suffolk. A home sustained significant damage, a pickup truck was flipped over, and several trees were snapped or uprooted.[73]
This tornado followed the previous one, touching down to the northeast of where the previous one lifted. Six homes sustained significant damage, including shingles being torn off, and a large trailer was damaged. Several large trees were uprooted as well.[74]
December 30 event
List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, December 30, 2020[note 1]
This tornado first touched down at a sports complex, causing damage to a concession/storage building, awnings, fencing, and signs. A light pole was downed in this area as well. After the tornado moved through a wooded area, it hit a trailer park, damaging at least 13 manufactured and frame-built homes. A few mobile homes had their roofs completely removed, and large tree branches were snapped. The tornado lifted shortly thereafter.[75]