A widespread, deadly, and historic[5] tornado outbreak affected large portions of the Midwestern, Southern and Eastern United States on March 31 and April 1, 2023, the result of an extratropical cyclone that also produced blizzard conditions in the Upper Midwest.

This included the Little Rock, St. Louis, Chicago, and Memphis metropolitan areas,[6] all of which were hit by multiple rounds of severe squall lines and supercell thunderstorms that produced damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes.

Severe and tornadic weather also affected the Northeastern United States in the afternoon and evening of April 1, including a rare EF3 tornado that caused a death in Sussex County, Delaware.

[10] By March 29, large sections of Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, southwestern Indiana, Arkansas, the western Tennessee Valley, and Kentucky were all given an enhanced risk for severe weather.

In 2024, SPC forecaster and meteorologist Andrew Lyons stated, "we've been building up to this crescendo all week, knowing that pretty much all the parameters are there for something big and then one by one, each piece kind of fell in that morning.

"[9] The first high risk area covered southeastern Iowa, northwestern Illinois, and far northeastern Missouri, while the second included eastern Arkansas, southwestern Tennessee, and northern Mississippi.

Supercells would be more scattered, but longer tracked within the southern high-risk area with multiple rounds of tornadic storms capable of producing long-lived strong to violent tornadoes expected.

This included a long-tracked EF1 tornado that struck the historic Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, during a Morbid Angel and Crypta concert, causing a collapse of the venue's roof, killing one person and injuring at least 40 others.

[19] Additionally, an organizing cluster of severe storms with embedded supercells oriented from southwest to northeast continued to produce tornadoes, some of which were strong, as they moved northeastward through eastern Illinois into western Indiana.

Later that evening, another isolated, intense supercell following along a similar track as the previous one produced a destructive, long-tracked EF3 tornado that also impacted Bethel Springs, as well as the northern part of Adamsville and Hookers Bend.

Further to the north, another, much larger slight risk was issued across portions the Ohio Valley and Northeastern United States; wind damage, large hail, and isolated tornadoes were all possible that morning and afternoon.

A slightly higher potential for tornadoes also existed in the Delaware Valley along with Central and South Jersey, where conditional supercell development was possible due to favorable wind profiles and an increasing amount of low-level moisture.

Around mid-morning, a new line of strong to severe storms quickly formed behind the original weakening convection, producing widespread damaging wind gusts across northeastern Ohio as well as a weak EF0 tornado that struck Dundee, Michigan.

Additionally, as the severe squall line was reintensifying, one lone supercell developed south of Washington, D.C., and moved over the Delmarva Peninsula, where it spawned a destructive, low-end EF3 tornado that damaged or destroyed numerous homes and killed a person in Sussex County, Delaware.

[26] Continuing northeastward through more residential areas on the west side of Reservoir Road, it became strong again, producing EF2 to EF3 damage as many homes and apartment buildings sustained total loss of their roofs and exterior walls.

It began as a relatively small and narrow tornado, but quickly grew and intensified shortly after it touched down, destroying an outbuilding and heavily damaging a home at high-end EF1 strength.

The tornado continued to cause EF2 damage as it hit the Wynne Sewage Treatment Plant on County Road 619, where a large 80 yard (73 m)-long shed with a sturdy metal beam roof structure was completely flattened.

[1] Widening and becoming increasingly rain-wrapped, the tornado then snapped and uprooted trees before it reached EF3 strength and moved directly through Wynne, cutting a swath of major damage through the center of the town.

The tornado exited town and passed near the now-closed Wynne Municipal Airport and along US 64, causing EF2 to EF3 damage to a few residences, including an unanchored home that was completely leveled along County Road 7011, earning an EF3 rating.

[1] The tornado strengthened back to EF2 intensity as it passed to the north of Parkin and Earle, snapping many power poles and large hardwood trees, and overturning a pivot irrigation sprinkler.

[45] After crossing the Mississippi River, the tornado weakened some but remained strong, snapping many large hardwood trees and causing EF2 damage as it struck Wilder Farms west of Drummonds.

The tornado then reached EF3 strength just northwest of Brighton, inflicting severe structural damage to a couple of well-built homes along Myron Creek Drive, one of which was left with only a few interior walls standing.

The tornado then moved through a mostly industrial area and struck a few large warehouses and factory buildings, including Mueller Fittings and Welbilt, which sustained collapse of their roofs and multiple exterior walls.

A large 1,000 gallon propane tank was also thrown out into a farm field, a Jeep was rolled, a lawn tractor was found wrapped around a tree, and aerial imagery revealed ground scouring along this segment of the path.

[55] Moving through the southern fringes of Robinson, the tornado maintained EF2 to EF3 strength as it continued northeastward completely destroying two mobile homes along County Highway 9, killing one person in each structure.

Several other nearby homes sustained significant damage, and a large but poorly-anchored two-story house near North While Tail Hollow was almost completely leveled at high-end EF3 intensity, leaving only one wall standing.

Multiple metal airplane hangars, which had rigid steel beam frames measuring greater than 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter, were completely destroyed, including some that were swept away.

Multiple barns and outbuildings were completely demolished, farming equipment was tossed around, a residence sustained roof damage, and numerous large trees and power poles were snapped.

The tornado then quickly weakened as it exited Sullivan and continued to the east-northeast, overturning a dump truck and damaging trees in wooded areas before dissipating to the east of the town.

[92] Multiple Lincoln Service and Illini and Saluki trains were cancelled on April 1,[93] and the Texas Eagle was terminated and forced to originate in St. Louis due to the severe weather as well.