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EF1 tornado in Eaton County, Michigan

Tornado June 8, 2008 · Eaton County, Michigan

EF1
Rating
9.7 mi
Path length
150 yd
Path width
1
Death
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 150 yards (0.09 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What EF1 means. On the Enhanced Fujita scale, EF1 is moderate damage: roofs badly stripped, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, windows broken, consistent with estimated gusts of 86–110 mph. The rating comes from a survey of the worst damage after the storm, not from a wind measurement, so it says as much about what the tornado hit as about how strong it was.

What the National Weather Service wrote

A storm survey team determined that an EF1 tornado developed over Cochran road about four miles southwest of Grand Ledge. Though briefly weakening to EF0 status shortly after descent... the tornado regained it's EF1 status before finally lifting immediately east of the Eckert Plant in Lansing.

Some large tree limbs were blown down and a few spruce trees were uprooted by winds estimated to be up to 63 mph along Mulliken road and Needmore highway. More significant damage was noted on Cochran road north of Needmore highway. Numerous trees and limbs were blown down... a porch awning was blown off and a garage was completely destroyed. An EF1 tornado rating was assigned for the damage on Cochran road.

The tornado continued on Strange highway briefly weakening to EF0. Multiple large trees were uprooted along Strange highway approaching M-100 (Hartel road). Moderate to significant roof damage was observed on four different homes heading north on M-100 where the tornado regained it's EF1 status.

Dozens of large spruces and maples were uprooted on Mt. Hope highway

and four barns were destroyed. Significant roof damage to homes reappeared as well. A woman was killed when a large trailer was flipped on top of her in Delta township on Mt. Hope highway between Nixon and Guinea roads.

The tornado continued toward a subdivision on the west side of Lansing.

Numerous large trees were uprooted on North Cambridge road and a few landed on homes. The country club of Lansing was also affected by downed trees and limbs as the tornado moved into far western Ingham county.

The wider storm

NWS storm survey teams determined that one EF1 tornado struck Osceola county. Another EF1 tornado struck Eaton county and continued into extreme western Ingham county before dissipating. Extensive damage was documented in association with both tornadoes. Severe thunderstorms also produced numerous reports of wind damage and large hail.

Began near Needmore (42.7000, -84.8200).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

2 more tornadoes the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 116822. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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