A series of Pacific storm systems will cross the Northwest U.S. this week bringing gusty winds, high surf, periods of heavy rain, and mountain snow. A storm system will track through the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic today with a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain making for hazardous travel. Read More >
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
402 PM CDT THU APR 20 2000
...FINAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FOR SOUTHEAST KANSAS TORNADOES FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 19, 2000...
A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM WAS DEPLOYED TO SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS EARLY THIS
THURSDAY MORNING TO INVESTIGATE DAMAGE FROM LAST EVENING'S SEVERE WEATHER EVENT. THE
SURVEY WAS CONCLUDED AT MID AFTERNOON. HERE ARE THE FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY:
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KS: BRIEF F0 TORNADO (40-50 YDS WIDTH, 100 YDS LENGTH) OCCURRED AT
APPROXIMATELY 8:01 PM CDT, 2 MILES SOUTH OF HAVANA. A SECOND BRIEF F0 TORNADO
(40-50 YDS WIDTH, 100 YDS LENGTH) OCCURRED 2 MILES EAST OF HAVANNA AROUND 8:05 PM CDT.
EASTERN MONTGOMERY/NORTHERN LABETTE/FAR SOUTHEAST NEOSHO COUNTIES, KS: A SUPERCELL PRODUCED
SEVERAL BRIEF F0 TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS FROM JUST SOUTH OF CHERRYVALE (830 PM CDT) ACROSS THE
BIG HILL LAKE TO JUST SOUTHWEST OF PARSONS (844 PM CDT). THE SUPERCELL THEN LAID DOWN A
LONGER TRACK TORNADO FROM JUST SOUTHWEST OF PARSONS (845 PM CDT) THROUGH THE HEART OF
PARSONS. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED INTO FAR SOUTHEASTERN NEOSHO COUNTY AROUND 9 PM TO THE
UDALL ROAD/COUNTY LINE INTERSECTION. THIS TORNADO TRACK WAS APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES LONG AND
UP TO 1/4 MILE WIDE TO THE CRAWFORD COUNTY LINE. DAMAGE WAS PRIMARILY F1 INTENSITY JUST
SOUTHWEST OF PARSONS...BUT REACHED F3 INTENSITY IN THE VICINITY OF PARSONS. 30 SQUARE BLOCKS
WERE DESTROYED IN PARSONS...WITH 30 TO 60 BLOCKS SUSTAINING MODERATE DAMAGE. AN ESTIMATED
30-35 PEOPLE WERE INJURED, WITH THE WORST INJURY A BROKEN LEG. THE TORNADO WEAKENED TO
F0 INTENSITY FROM NORTHEAST OF PARSONS ACROSS FAR SOUTHEASTERN NEOSHO COUNTY. THE TORNADO BLEW
WINDOWS OUT OF A HOUSE AND DESTROYED A HAY BARN AT THE UDALL ROAD/COUNTY LINE INTERSECTION.
NEOSHO COUNTY, KS: A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 6 TO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF ERIE
AROUND 825 PM CDT, MOVED NORTHEAST PASSING JUST SOUTH OF ERIE AROUND 831 PM, WHERE 2 MOBILE
HOMES WERE DESTROYED. THE TORNADO TRAVELED A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 13 MILES UNTIL THE CRAWFORD
COUNTY LINE. THE TORNADO WAS APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE WIDE. F2 INTENSITY DAMAGE OCCURRED DURING
THE ENTIRE TRACK. THERE WERE 3 INJURIES INCLUDING 1 BROKEN LEG AND 2 INJURIES FROM FLYING GLASS.
Caruso
Storm Damage Survey performed by: Richard Elder, Meteorologist-in-Charge, NWS Wichita
Chance Hayes, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, NWS Wichita
THE FUJITA SCALE OF RATINGS IS AS FOLLOWS:
F0...40-72 MPH WINDS (LIGHT DAMAGE)
F1...73-112 MPH WINDS (MODERATE DAMAGE)
F2...113-157 MPH WINDS (CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE)
F3...158-206 MPH WINDS (SEVERE DAMAGE)
F4...207-260 MPH WINDS (DEVASTATING DAMAGE)
F5...261-318 MPH WINDS (INCREDIBLE DAMAGE)
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