F4 Tornado — Woodford, Illinois

2004-07-13 · near Metamora, Woodford, Illinois

Event narrative

The tornado touched down around 234 pm CDT approximately 1.75 miles north-northeast of Metamora in western Woodford County. The tornado traveled southeast for about 2.5 miles, before beginning a temporary eastward jog between county roads 1300E and 1400E. The tornado curved southeast again, striking the Parsons Company, Inc.'s manufacturing plant around 241 pm CDT. The plant was severely damaged by the tornado. Approximately 140 people were in the plant at the time, but all personnel made it to storm shelters in time (approximately 3 to 5 minutes before the tornado arrived). Steel beams and metal siding from the plant were found approximately three quarters of a mile east in a farm field. From the plant, the tornado continued east, just south of Illinois Route 116/117, affecting 4 farmsteads approximately 1/2 to 1 mile east of the plant. Two of the farmsteads closest to the plant (about 1/2 to 3/4 mile east) had the 2-story houses completely blown away, with only debris remaining in the basements and nearby property. The other two farmsteads had significant damage to the 2-story houses with outbuildings demolished. The center of the tornado tracked about 100 yards south of the houses located on the south side of the road.From the plant to the farmsteads, the average width of the tornado was 400 yards and was close to 1/4 mile wide at times. The greatest tornado intensity was during this approximately 1 mile stretch and has been rated F4 by the National Weather Service.At this point, the tornado began to move more east-southeast and caused significant damage to a barn near the intersection of County Roads 1300N and 1600E, about 2.5 miles southwest of Roanoke. The tornado continued to move east-southeast and damaged a house about 1.25 miles south-southwest of Roanoke, near the intersection of County Roads 1300N and 1700E. The tornado crossed 1300N shortly afterward and curved sharply to the southeast. The tornado lifted around 254 pm about 2 miles southeast of Roanoke, at County Road 1900E.

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Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5412045. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.