Damage assessment from the Parsons tornado

NWS Wichita Public Information Statement
Regarding Storm Damage Survey for the April 19, 2000 Tornadoes
Tthat struck Southeastern Kansas.


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)

Damage assessment from the Parsons tornado

NWS Wichita Public Information Statement Regarding Storm Damage Survey for the April 19, 2000 Tornadoes Tthat struck Southeastern Kansas.

NWS Wichita Public Information Statement
Regarding Storm Damage Survey for the April 19, 2000 Tornadoes
Tthat struck Southeastern Kansas.