EF3 Tornado — Ripley, Indiana

2012-03-02 · near Holton, Ripley, Indiana

Event narrative

The tornado touched down approximately one half mile southwest of Holton as an EF0 tornado. The tornado quickly intensified as it approached the southwest corner of Holton, reaching EF1 to EF2 intensity. The path of the tornado moved nearly parallel to the north side of Highway 50 as it moved through Holton. Many of the homes and businesses east of Marion Street were damaged by EF2 intensity winds. The tornado then strengthened to low end EF3 intensity as it moved near the intersection of Highway 50 and Versailles Street. At this point, two fatalities occurred in a mobile home. Six injuries were also reported in the town of Holton. One of the individuals injured died many months later as a result of his injuries, bringing the total number of fatalities from this tornado to 3. This tornado then continued to the northeast from this point at high end EF2, low end EF3 intensity, damaging homes on Sleepy Road and Old Michigan Road. The tornado began to decrease in intensity east of Old Michigan Road and maintained EF1 intensity until it dissipated approximately one mile southeast of Osgood on Finks Road. Several homes and farms had minor damage along the track between Old Michigan Road and the end of the tornado track. Based on the damage surveyed, the maximum wind speed of this tornado was estimated at 145 miles per hour.

Wider weather episode

Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon in a high wind shear environment ahead of a strengthening low pressure system. Many of these storms became severe, with large hail, damaging thunderstorm winds, and tornadoes all being the main threats.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (39.0667, -85.4070)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 369148. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.