Weather
East Texas Tornado Outbreak Killed 5, Injured 200+ on This Day
Shreveport, LA – A deadly tornado outbreak that swept across East Texas and northwest Louisiana on Nov. 15, 1987, is being remembered Sunday, 39 years after violent storms killed five people, injured
By Cole Barrett · 2026-11-15T18:08:39.659Z
Shreveport, LA – A deadly tornado outbreak that swept across East Texas and northwest Louisiana on Nov. 15, 1987, is being remembered Sunday, 39 years after violent storms killed five people, injured more than 200 others and caused millions of dollars in damage.
According to the National Weather Service in Shreveport, multiple tornadoes developed along two parallel southwest to northeast paths across the ArkLaTex region, including three tornadoes rated F3 on the original Fujita scale.
The storms struck primarily rural communities, leaving widespread destruction across portions of East Texas and northwest Louisiana.
Among the hardest hit locations were areas near Whitehouse and Jacksonville in Smith and Cherokee counties, Texas, where powerful winds damaged or destroyed homes, mobile homes and other structures.
The Shreveport, Louisiana, area also suffered significant damage as tornadoes moved through the region.
Historical photographs shared by the National Weather Service show buildings reduced to rubble, destroyed mobile homes and debris scattered across damaged properties.
Hundreds of homes, businesses, outbuildings, trees and power lines were damaged or destroyed during the outbreak.
The storms caused millions of dollars in property losses, leaving communities facing extensive cleanup and recovery efforts.
The outbreak remains a reminder that dangerous tornadoes can develop well beyond the traditional spring severe weather season.
The National Weather Service also highlighted another significant severe weather event that occurred one year later, on Nov. 15, 1988.
That outbreak brought widespread severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and large hail across East Texas, southwest Arkansas, northwest Louisiana and southeastern Oklahoma.
Some locations reported hail approaching baseball size, including areas near Purley, Texas, and Smithville, Oklahoma.
Sunday's historical remembrance underscores the destructive potential of late season severe weather across the ArkLaTex.
While the anniversary does not indicate a current tornado threat, residents are encouraged to remain familiar with severe weather alerts and emergency shelter procedures throughout the year.