Public Information Statement National Weather Service Paducah, KY
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR MARCH 1, 2017 MISSISSIPPI COUNTY TORNADO EVENT... .OVERVIEW...A tornado developed along a line of storms racing east/northeast during the early morning hours. This tornado began in New Madrid County before moving into Mississippi County. .MISSISSIPPI COUNTY... Rating: EF-1 Estimated peak wind: 100 mph Path length /Statute/: 15.3 miles Path width /Maximum/: 200 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start date: March 1 Start time: 4:40 AM CST Start location: 4 SSE of Sikeston, Missouri End date: March 1 End time: 4:52 AM CST End location: 3 NNE Anniston, Missouri An EF1 tornado made a 15 mile path across New Madrid and Mississippi Counties. A garage was completely destroyed along with roof damage to the home. Several barns were damaged. Dozens of trees were either uprooted or had large branches broken off. Numerous power poles were snapped or blown over. Dozens of irrigation systems were blown over. This path occurred within an area of widespread wind damage over these two counties.
.Perryville Missouri Tornado... Rating: EF-4 Estimated peak wind: 180 mph Path length /Statute/: 50.4 miles Path width /Maximum/: 0.6 miles Fatalities: 1 Injuries: 12 Start date: February 28 Start time: 7:55 PM CST Start location: 4.8 miles WNW of Perryville, Missouri End date: February 28 End time: 8:57 PM CST End location: 1.8 miles SW of Christopher, Illinois The tornado quickly became violent reaching EF-4 intensity and leveling 5 homes, as well as other structures, just west of I-55, about 3.5 miles northwest of Perryville, Missouri. This is in the Kyle Lane and County Road 806 area. Numerous uninhabited cars from a salvage yard were blown into or over I-55. The lone fatality occurred when an I-55 southbound vehicle was intercepted by the tornado. As the tornado tore east, it caused the area of greatest home and property destruction 3 miles north of Perryville, in the vicinity of U.S. Highway 61 and Moore Drive. Three homes were leveled on the west side of U.S. Highway 61 with dozens of other homes and structures destroyed. Several of the injuries occurred in this area. In addition to the leveled homes in Perry County, at least 100 other homes received moderate to major damage. As the tornado continued east across Perry County, it leveled or nearly leveled 2 additional homes and destroyed numerous other homes and structures. The tornado reached its greatest width as it approached the Mississippi River where a damage swath 0.6 miles wide was measured. The tornado damage path also exhibited multiple vortex characteristics at this point, yielding three distinct convergent areas within the parent vortex. This was also indicated via ground striations, or disturbance marks to bare ground, just west of the Mississippi River. The tornado then ripped across the southern tip of Randolph County Illinois just south of Rockwood. It then continued its ENE path across Jackson County Illinois passing just south of Ava, Illinois and immediately south of Vergennes, Illinois. Many thousands of large trees were snapped and uprooted, and dozens of homes and other structures were damaged or destroyed across Jackson and Franklin Counties. The tornado remained very intense and wide (at least 1/3 mile) nearly leveling a home as it passed between Elkville and Dowell, Illinois and into Franklin County with unabating intensity. A house was leveled 1.75 miles south of Mulkeytown. Very soon thereafter the tornado began to rapidly weaken, before dissipating 1.8 miles southwest of Christopher. The tornado lasted an astounding 1 hour and 2 minutes and was the longest track tornado in the coverage area of NWS Paducah since another EF-4 tornado back on April 22, 1981.
.Jackson county tornado... Rating: EF-0 Estimated peak wind: 75 mph Path length /Statute/: 4.1 miles Path width /Maximum/: 25 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start date: Mar 1 2017 Start time: 408 AM CST Start location: 8.4 miles WSW of Carbondale Illinois End date: Mar 1 2017 End time: 413 AM CST End location: 4.5 miles west of Carbondale Illinois .OVERVIEW...A weak tornado skipped along this path producing mainly tree damage consisting of broken tree branches.
.Williamson county tornado... Rating: EF-1 Estimated peak wind: 95 mph Path length /Statute/: 7.5 miles Path width /Maximum/: 25 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start date: Feb 28 2017 Start time: 1041 PM CST Start location: 2.2 miles southeast of Carterville Illinois End date: Feb 28 2017 End time: 1054 PM CST End location: 3.5 miles north of Marion Illinois A weak tornado skipped along this path producing mainly tree damage consisting of broken tree branches with a few uprooted trees. .OVERVIEW...A strong tornado moved from White county Illinois into Posey and Gibson counties in Indiana.
.White/Posey/Gibson tornado Rating: EF-3 Estimated peak wind: 152 mph Path length /Statute/: 44.6 miles Path width /Maximum/: 440 yards (peak) Fatalities: 1 Injuries: 2 Start date: Feb 28 2017 Start time: 954 PM CST Start location: 4.2 miles northeast of Carmi Illinois End date: Feb 28 2017 End time: 1045 PM CST End location: 1.3 miles south southeast of Oakland City Indiana A strong tornado set down northeast of Carmi Illinois and almost immediately expanded to 400 yards wide. In White county, this tornado damaged or destroyed 35 structures ranging from homes to farm buildings to mobile homes. One resident told us that his home, which was severely damaged in this tornado, was also damaged by the 1925 Tri-State Tornado. By the time the tornado reached just west of the Wabash River, it was a 1/4 mile wide. Numerous trees were snapped/uprooted across the county. The tornado passed into Posey county Indiana around 1005 PM CST. In north Posey county, the tornado damaged numerous trees, damaged or destroyed some barns, damaged about a dozen homes, including one house that was shifted off of the foundation. One person, who was camping, was injured. The tornado crossed Interstate 64 near the 10 mile marker. The tornado crossed into Gibson county around 1016 PM CST. In Gibson county, the tornado damaged or destroyed 106 structures. Of these, 26 were destroyed, 21 suffered major damage, 26 suffered minor damage, and 33 had minimal damage. At least one person was injured in Gibson county. Across Gibson county, the tornado probably averaged 1/8 of a mile wide and peaked at 1/4 of a mile.
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR FEBRUARY 28, 2017 TRIGG COUNTY TORNADO EVENT... .OVERVIEW...A tornado moved across southeast portions of Trigg County Kentucky late in the evening of February 28. .Trigg County Tornado... Rating: EF-1 Estimated peak wind: 105 mph Path length /Statute/: 8 miles Path width /Maximum/: 400 yards Fatalities: None Injuries: None Start date: February 28 Start time: 1130 PM CST Start location: 5 NE of Linton Kentucky End date: February 28 End time: 1138 PM CST End location: 3 SW of Caledonia An EF1 tornado made an 8 mile path across portions of southeast Trigg county. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted, and one grain bin was destroyed. There was major structural damage to numerous barns, and there were many homes with siding and/or roof damage.
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 3/1/2017 Graves County (Cuba) TORNADO EVENT... .OVERVIEW...A tornado spun up along a line of storms early in the morning hours while moving through Graves County. .Graves County Tornado... Rating: EF-2 Estimated peak wind: 120 mph Path length/Statute/: 1.5 miles Path width /Maximum/: 200 yards Fatalities: None Injuries: None Start date: March 1 Start time: 5:25 AM CST Start location: 0.5 ESE Cuba Kentucky End date: March 1 End time: 5:26 AM CST End location: 2 E Cuba Kentucky The EF-2 tornado destroyed a single family residence removing much of the roof and other portions of the house. In a nearby cemetery several grave markers (headstones and in some case the base units) were blown for distances up to 30 feet. One other home received minor damage including broken windows. A machine shed was blown from its foundation and a mobile home was blown partially off its foundation. At least a dozen trees were uprooted with dozens of others sustaining broken limbs or trunks. Another shed and barn were also damaged from straight line winds just south of the tornado track. EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale Classifies Tornadoes into the following categories. EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph EF4...Violent...166 To 200 mph EF5...Violent...>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is PRELIMINARY and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.
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