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F2 tornado in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana

Tornado April 8, 1993 · Jefferson Parish, Louisiana

F2
Rating
6.0 mi
Path length
250 yd
Path width
3
Deaths
39
Injuries
$50.0M
Damage as recorded
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

NOAA recorded where this tornado touched down but not where it lifted, so it appears as a point. 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

An unusually strong, well organized cluster of thunderstorms moving east-northeast about 40 mph blew down about 14 utility poles 8 miles south of Leeville. A waterspout made landfall as a tornado near the middle of Grand Isle on the Gulf of Mexico side about 1320 CST. The tornado continued west-southwest across the middle of the island before exiting into Caminada Bay then making landfall at Cheniere Caminada where it dissipated. According to a damage survey conducted by the American Red Cross 21 single family homes, 15 mobile homes, and 2 apartments were destroyed, 17 single family homes, 13 mobile homes, and 3 apartments suffered major damage, 54 single family homes, 16 mobile homes, and a apartment received minor damage. 18 businesses were either damaged or destroyed. The high school and the post office were destroyed. Cleanup costs were estimated around $200,000. Louisiana Power and Light Electric Company said the tornado destroyed about 60 power poles and several thousand feet of electrical wire. The tornado killed three people in the center part of Grand Isle. A 17-year- old female high school senior was killed on the second floor hallway of the two story wood frame high school building which was destroyed. Two construction workers were killed on the first floor of a home that they were remodeling near the high school. 39 people were injured. (F17O)(M25P)(M49P)

Began near Grand Isle (29.2300, -90.0000).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 10358407. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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