F2 tornado — De Witt County, Illinois

F2 tornado in De Witt County, Illinois

Tornado May 30, 2003 · De Witt County, Illinois

Rating

12.8 mi

Path length

1,100 yd

Path width

Injuries

$9.3M

Damage as recorded

EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 1,100 yards (0.62 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. 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

As the first tornado was weakening on the west side of Hallsville another more significant tornado developed on the east side of town. It quickly intensified to F2 intensity, destroying two homes and causing damage to several others. In one home, a family of four sought shelter in the hallway. They were briefly trapped after the walls collapsed around them, but only sustained minor injuries. The tornado maintained its intensity and traveled to the southeast towards the south side of Clinton. As it approached US 51 numerous homes and businesses were severely damaged. Seven businesses were destroyed. The tornado finally weakened and lifted one mile south of Lane. Numerous trees, power lines and power poles were blown down as well. No other injuries were reported.

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5357057. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

F2 tornado in De Witt County, Illinois

What the National Weather Service wrote

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

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