March 18, 2008: Longview, TX Tornado

Overview

The National Weather Service conducted a damage survey focusing on areas from New London, to southeast of Kilgore, to Longview. A tornado track was found starting five miles east of New London near the intersection of CR 108 and FM 850 and ending on the northeast side of Longview. The tornado reached EF1 intensity briefly as it approached and crossed Highway 259 4.5 miles south of Kilgore, TX, damaging a barn, a metal building, and several dozen trees. Several large hardwood trees were either snapped or uprooted with some uprooted in a northwesterly direction, indicative of tornado winds. Others were twisted off at the top and several contained metal debris wrapped around the branches. Other significant tree damage was noted as the tornado crossed FM 918 southwest of the damage along U.S. Hwy 259.

As the tornado tracked northeast, damage was also noted along CR 182 and CR 173, about 3 miles southeast of Kilgore, where several trees were uprooted or snapped. Damage also occurred to a large barn where the metal roof was torn off and strewn across a pasture to the northeast of the building.

The track became harder to locate as it crossed into Gregg County. However, there were isolated incidents of tree damage east of Kilgore in southern Gregg County.

The first reports of damage in Longview were noted near the intersection of North Jean Drive and South High Street in southwest Longview where several trees were downed. More significant tree damage was noted along Electra Street, where several large trees were uprooted or snapped off. Trees were also downed along Timpson Street mostly in a northeasterly direction. Trees were also downed in the Alpine Road area and more specifically along Glover Drive. Damage also occurred to a school on Valley Drive where several large trees were downed onto the school. Damage in the Longview area was mostly consistent with straight-line winds up to 85 mph due to the consistent direction that trees had fallen. However, there was evidence along the western side of the damage path in Longview that an EF0 tornado winds winds of 75 to 85 had occurred.

TOTAL TORNADO COUNT = 1

EF1 = 1

Tornado Table

Graphics

TOR. #	START POINT	END POINT	RATING	START TIME	END TIME	LENGTH/ WIDTH
#1	5 miles E of New London, Rusk County, TX	Longview, Gregg County, TX	EF1	8:36pm CDT	9:08pm CDT	21 miles/ 300 yards

Radar loop of reflectivity (left) and storm-relative motion (right).

Map of the 21-mile track from Rusk County into Gregg County.

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