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F3 tornado in Jasper County, Texas

Tornado March 2, 1999 · Jasper County, Texas

Rating

9.0 mi

Path length

500 yd

Path width

Death

Injuries

$500K

Damage as recorded

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The path drawn at its surveyed width of 500 yards (0.28 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F3 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F3 meant severe damage: whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned; the scale paired it with winds of 158–206 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.

The wider storm

The strongest tornado of the evening developed a mile northwest of Holly Springs. Moving southeast at 50 mph, this fast moving storm damaged or destroyed over 25 homes and a church. The worst damage was done in Holly Springhs, where a brick home lost its roof and portions of two walls. This is where the elderly woman was fatally injured. Several vehicles were picked up and rolled over. This storm moved into Newotn County, producing more injuries and damages.

Began near Holly Spgs (30.9000, -93.9000).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5692680. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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