EF2 Tornado — Martin, Indiana

2023-06-25 · near Hindostan Falls, Martin, Indiana

Event narrative

A supercell thunderstorm spawned this fourth and final tornado of the day, which tracked in an overall east-southeastern direction across primarily far southern Martin County, before entering northeastern Dubois County for its final 1 mile. The tornado's intensity varied from EF0/EF1 damage along its first 3 miles, to EF1/EF2 impacts amid its middle 3.5 miles, with a slight weakening to EF1 damage seen after leaving Martin County. The tornado also turned to a more southeasterly track for a 2 mile segment within its most intense portion.

The tornado touched down on elevated ground about 250 feet west of Haw Creek Road (just northeast of straight line wind damage that occurred further southwest along the road), causing EF1 damage to a home, ripping off the roof while destroying the 2-car garage. The tornado then crossed the East Fork White River and surrounding lowlands before producing EF1 damage to numerous trees along Jackman Hill Road. The circulation strengthened to EF2 intensity as it crossed the Lost River, snapping scores of hardwood trees. EF2 damage was also inflicted to a home along Windom Road between River Road and Ridge Road, collapsing all but one exterior wall; winds associated with the tornado lifted the structure from under the elevated patio's decking with some 2x4's sticking vertically upwards, which caused the eventual collapse of the structure; one fatality and one serious injury were reported at this home.

The tornado turned southeasterly upon crossing Windom Road before producing widespread tree damage along Blue Creek Lane where multiple trunks were snapped and uprooted. The tornado continued towards Simmons Creek Road producing widespread tree damage over elevated terrain just north of the road. Damage was also reported to a structure north of Simmons Creek Road. The tornado then turned back to an east-southeasterly heading, yet began to weaken as it paralleled Simmons Creek. The tornado crossed into Dubois County near Butler Bridge Road.

Wider weather episode

An afternoon severe weather outbreak was organized by an approaching cold front and fueled by 2000-3000 J/kg of CAPE courtesy of high lapse rates aloft, surface dewpoints in the low to mid-70s, and cooresponding temperatures as high as the mid to upper 90s over western central Indiana. Numerous rotating supercell thunderstorms developed over western central Indiana in the early to mid-afternoon and proceeded to the east-southeast through central and southern Indiana. These cells produced penny or larger hail over 16 of the region's 39 counties, more isolated straight line wind damage to trees, barns and roofs, and four EF1/EF2 tornadoes within a 33-minute period along the I-69 corridor south of Indianapolis. Each tornado was spawned from a separate supercell: an EF2 that impacted residential communities in northwestern Johnson County, a pair of EF1s that tracked across rather rural portions of northern Daviess/Martin Counties and southwestern Monroe County, and finally a longer-track EF2 that crossed far southern Martin County, killing 1 person and injuring another when destroying a rural residence, before ending its track in extreme northeastern Dubois County. The end of the event saw, amid the weakening cluster of supercells, three cells produce isolated large hail over eastern central Indiana, with also wind damage to two barns in the Seymour area.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.5850, -86.8666)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1096749. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.