National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce
Overview
A very strong storm system brought severe weather and tornadoes to portions of East Texas and North Louisiana during the evening and nighttime of March 24, 2017. Survey teams from the NWS confirmed a total 6 tornadoes occurred. Several locations received significant straight-line wind damage with wind speeds near or above 100 mph.

Some of the most significant damage occurred in Ringgold in Bienville Parish, LA. Straight-line winds of around 100 mph lifted a roof off a church. As the roof came back down on the front of the cinder block building, the front walls were crushed and partially collapsed. All of the debris from the building was blown directly downwind from the church, and no debris was found in the grassy fields to the sides or behind the building. In addition, the tops of very tall pine trees in a densely wooded area on either side of the church were left intact. This is very indicative of straight-line wind damage.

Details of the survey are listed below. 
The information on this web page is considered preliminary and subject to change.
 

TOTAL TORNADO COUNT = 6

EF1 = 5
EF2 = 1
 
Tornado #1: WSW of Marshall, TX
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START
POINT
7 miles WSW of Marshall,
Harrison County, TX
END
POINT
4 miles WSW of Marshall,
Harrison County, TX
RATING /
PEAK WIND
EF2 /
105-115 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
START TIME 8:31pm CDT
END TIME 8:36pm CDT
LENGTH/
WIDTH
3 miles/
225 yards
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

An EF2 tornado began just south of Interstate 20 about 7 miles southwest of Marshall, TX, and proceeded northeast across the interstate and into rural parts of Harrison County. This tornado developed as part of a bookend vortex on the north side of a bow echo. Damage consisted of snapped and uprooted hardwood and softwood trees, toppled metal carports, loss of roof material from a couple of homes, and a completely destroyed metal outbuilding.

Downburst Near Marshall, TX
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LOCATION 2 miles NW of Marshall,
Harrison County, TX
RATING /
PEAK WIND
Straight-line winds
95-105 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
TIME 8:35pm CDT
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

Numerous trees were uprooted and snapped across the city of Marshall. A very concentrated area of snapped and uprooted trees occurred in Greenwood Cemetery, and the damage pattern was consistent with a downburst.

Downburst West of Broaddus, TX
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LOCATION 7 miles W of Broaddus,
Nacogdoches County, TX
RATING /
PEAK WIND
Straight-line winds
100-110 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
TIME 9:29pm CDT
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

A downburst occurred as an eastward-moving line of thunderstorms moved across Lake Sam Rayburn. Winds likely accelerated across the open waters before slamming into the westward-exposed shoreline south of Etoile. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. In addition, the boat awning at the Shirley Creek Marina was damaged, and several residences sustained minor damage to roof shingles. One residence was severely damaged as a large portion of the roof deck was uplifted and walls partially collapsed.

Tornado #2: SSE of Stanley, LA
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START
POINT
8 miles SSE of Stanley,
De Soto Parish, LA
(over Toledo Bend Reservoir)
END
POINT
7 miles SSE of Stanley,
De Soto Parish, LA
RATING /
PEAK WIND
EF1 /
90-100 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
START TIME 10:05pm CDT
END TIME 10:15pm CDT
LENGTH/
WIDTH
2.09 miles/
220 yards
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

A waterspout developed over Toledo Bend Reservoir and moved inland at the Grapevine Estates subdivision as an EF1 tornado. Three boats were lifted out of the water, with two being deposited between 250 and 300 yards north of the lake and one on the back porch of a house. Three homes sustained minor siding or roof damage. One home lost its back porch roof, and another lost a carport structure. Several pine trees were snapped along Grapevine Road, making access to the neighborhood difficult.

The exact start point of this tornado is uncertain as it began over Toledo Bend Reservoir.

Tornado #3: East of Mansfield, LA
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START
POINT
1 mile ESE of Mansfield,
De Soto Parish, LA
END
POINT
2 miles E of Mansfield,
De Soto Parish, LA
RATING /
PEAK WIND
EF1 /
90-100 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
START TIME 10:35pm CDT
END TIME 10:38pm CDT
LENGTH/
WIDTH
1.46 miles/
110 yards
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

An EF1 tornado began along Ping Street and moved northeast along Binning Road. The primary damage was snapped pine trees. However, two homes had trees fall on them, and four outbuildings were damaged or destroyed by falling trees.

Wind Damage NE of Mansfield, LA
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LOCATION 12 miles NE of Mansfield,
De Soto Parish, LA
RATING /
PEAK WIND
Straight-line winds
100mph
DATE March 24, 2017
TIME 10:56pm CDT
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

Twelve empty railroad cars were blown off the track at the International Paper plant. Two wooden power poles were also snapped at the base.

Tornado #4: Natchitoches Parish, LA
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START
POINT
4 miles NNW of Provencal,
Natchitoches Parish, LA
END
POINT
4 miles NNW of Natchitoches,
Natchitoches Parish, LA
RATING /
PEAK WIND
EF1 /
100-110 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
START TIME 11:00pm CDT
END TIME 11:09pm CDT
LENGTH/
WIDTH
9.03 miles/
1.4 miles
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

An EF1 tornado began on the southwest side of Hagewood, just west of Highway 117. Although the primary damage was snapped trees, two businesses at the intersection of Highway 117 and Highway 6 sustained some damage. The first was a metal warehouse that lost some siding. Across the street, a pool supply business sustained some roof damage. There was also an I-beam structure behind the pool business that had several I-beams knocked down, including one that was blown over that had been attached to the concrete base. Several homes had minor roof damage, including one that had a corner of the roof lift enough for the ceiling to cave in. Several outbuildings were damaged or destroyed.

Wind Damage Near of Ringgold, LA
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LOCATION 1 mile W of Ringgold,
Bienville Parish, LA
RATING /
PEAK WIND
Straight-line winds
95-105 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
TIME 11:24pm CDT
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

The Ringgold Assembly of God Church had its roof lifted by straight-line winds. As the roof came back down, it crushed the un-reinforced cinder block walls near the front of the structure, which then partially collapsed. Portions of the roof structure were found approximately 25 yards away from the main building. Two-by-fours from the roof also pelted the home across the street, with one two-by-sour piercing the swimming pool slide in the back yard. All debris was found immediately down wind of the church.

A home about a half mile west of the church lost some shingles, and several trees were uprooted.

Tornado #5: Winn Parish, LA
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START
POINT
6 miles NW of Dodson,
Winn Parish, LA
END
POINT
6 miles SSW of Jonesboro,
Winn Parish, LA
RATING /
PEAK WIND
EF1 /
95-105 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
START TIME 11:49pm CDT
END TIME 11:50pm CDT
LENGTH/
WIDTH
1.22 miles/
350 yards
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

An EF1 tornado began along Highway 505, just west of Wyatt, snapping several trees. The damage was sporadic and interspersed with straight-line wind damage that occurred along and north of Highway 505.

Tornado #6: East of Jonesboro, LA
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START
POINT
5 miles SSE of Jonesboro,
Jackson Parish, LA
END
POINT
6 miles E of Jonesboro,
Jackson Parish, LA
RATING /
PEAK WIND
EF1 /
100-110 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
START TIME 11:54pm CDT
END TIME 12:04am CDT
LENGTH/
WIDTH
6.97 miles/
100 yards
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

This tornado began along Highway 505 in Jackson Parish, southwest of Weston. The primary damage was snapped trees. However, one metal outbuilding was overturned.

Wind Damage ESE of Jonesboro, LA
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LOCATION 4 miles ESE of Jonesboro,
Winn Parish, LA
RATING /
PEAK WIND
Straight-line winds
85-95 mph
DATE March 24, 2017
TIME 11:59pm CDT
FATALITIES/
INJURIES
None

Summary:

Several trees were uprooted along and just north of Highway 505, west of Wyatt. These trees were all downed towards the northeast.

Click here to download the survey KMZ file.
This survey data is preliminary and subject to change as more information becomes available.  Road accessibility and inconsistencies between mapping and GPS software may limit the accuracy of the tracks plotted on this map. Line widths are not representative of actual tornado widths.  The information plotted on this map is intended for general reference use only.

For official post-storm information, use 
Storm Data from the National Centers for Environmental Information.
 
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