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F2 tornado in Arenac and Ogemaw County, Michigan

Tornado April 24, 1993 · Arenac and Ogemaw County, Michigan

F2
Rating
7.0 mi
Path length
440 yd
Path width
3
Injuries
$50K
Damage as recorded
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 440 yards (0.25 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F2 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F2 meant considerable damage: roofs torn off well-built houses, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted; the scale paired it with winds of 113–157 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

What the National Weather Service wrote

A tornado touched down in Alger in extreme northwest Arenac County around 1822 EST. The tornado moved northeast and lifted briefly after crossing Highway M-33. The tornado touched down with greater strength just before crossing into Ogemaw County where the Rifle River crosses the Ogemaw/Arenac County line. The tornado then moved into Mills Township/Skidway Lake through a subdivision comprised mainly of mobile homes and cottages, reaching F2 strength. It lifted briefly, about 0.75 mile northeast of the river, then touched down again and traveled another 6 miles, moving out of dense woods and into mostly open fields. A total of 17 mobile homes, 3 homes or cottages, 7 travel trailers, 4 garages, a barn, and 3 vehicles were destroyed or badly damaged. Six people, in 3 of the mobile homes that were completely destroyed were warned by the approaching roar, and in each case, took some action that ultimately saved their lives. Three were hospitalized with injuries. The tornado lifted just west of Prescott. Tree and power line damage occurred with the tornado itself, and up to 0.1 mile either side of the tornado path. Structure damage and personal property loss in Ogemaw County is estimated at around $250,000, with another $110,000 in tree damage or loss.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 10329050. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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