Severe Thunderstorm Threat From the Central Plains to the Northeast; Extreme HeatRisk for the East Coast

Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible from the central Plains to the Northeast through this evening. Widespread damaging winds are the primary threat but hail and a tornado or two is also possible. Extremely dangerous heat continues across the Eastern U.S. Warm overnight low temperatures will provide little to no relief. Read More >

Kenner, LA Tornado and Straight Line Wind Event- April 27, 2015

Rating:	EF-1
Estimated Maximum Wind:	90 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	0.5 miles
Maximum Path Width:	50 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	2.7 miles NW of Kenner, LA at 10:23 AM CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	2.2 miles NW of Kenner, LA at 10:23 AM CDT

A National Weather Service Damage Assessment Team has surveyed the storm damage in Jefferson Parish, LA. It has been determined the damage was the result of a combination of a tornado and straight line winds that formed along the leading edge of a squall line in Kenner and then moved across the rest of Upper Jeffeson Parish and the Uptown areas of New Orleans. The tornado briefly touched down in West Kenner and has been rated an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Damage estimates were consistent with winds of 90 mph. Straight line wind damage was noted across a broad swath of Jefferson and Orleans Parish. Damage Estimates were consistent with winds of 70 to 80 mph.

The tornado touched down at the levee of Duncan Canal north of West Esplanade Avenue. Two wooden power poles were bent near an apartment complex in this area. The tornado continued tracking to the east-southeast with mainly light tree damage and one area of light roof damage noted on Grandlake Boulevard. The tornado then crossed Canal Number 17 and lifted the roof off of the back porch of a house on Tulane Drive. On the opposite side of Tulane Drive, another house had a small portion of the roof ripped off. The tornado continued to the east-southeast and crossed West Louisiana State Drive where one wooden power pole was bent over and another was snapped. The tornado then uprooted a hard wood tree in front of a house on West Loyola Drive. The most significant damage occurred at the corner of Loyola Drive and West Esplanade Avenue where multiple wooden power poles and a few trees were snapped. The tornado then quickly lifted as it crossed West Esplanade Avenue.

KLIX Base Velocity product for Kenner, LA tornado and straight line winds - 04/27/2015
KLIX WSR-88D Base Velocity at maximum intensity around 1022 AM CDT 4/27/2015

Uprooted tree	Façade of hotel removed from straight line winds south of main tornado track
Broken Power Poles

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Severe Thunderstorm Threat From the Central Plains to the Northeast; Extreme HeatRisk for the East Coast

NWS LIX - April 27th, 2015 Kenner Tornado and Straight Line Winds Event