F1 tornado in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

Tornado May 6, 2003 · Cape Girardeau County, Missouri

Rating

3.0 mi

Path length

50 yd

Path width

EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 50 yards (0.03 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F1 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F1 meant moderate damage: roofs badly stripped, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, windows broken; the scale paired it with winds of 73–112 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

The tornado touched down about 2 miles southeast of Oriole, south of Highway V. It moved northeast to along Highway 177 in the Trail of Tears State Park area. Numerous trees were blown down, including some on structures. A rental home was destroyed. At least one other house and metal buildings were damaged. Several sheds or barns were destroyed. Peak winds in the tornado were estimated near 80 MPH.

The wider storm

A supercellular severe thunderstorm tracked northeast across Bollinger and Cape Girardeau Counties, producing several tornadoes and hail up to golf ball size. Other severe thunderstorms north of the supercell's path produced damaging wind gusts and large hail.

Began near Cape Girardeau (37.2667, -90.1167).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

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

F3 Cape Girardeau County F2 Bollinger County F1 Cape Girardeau County F0 Bollinger County

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5351282. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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