Results
of the Jackson, NE Tornado Damage Survey (2001/08/18)
Tornado Slams Jackson, NE
(2001/08/17)
| Results of the Jackson, NE Tornado Damage Survey (2001/08/18) |
...RESULTS OF THE JACKSON, NE TORNADO DAMAGE SURVEY...
A GROUND AND AERIAL SURVEY OF TORNADO DAMAGE TO JACKSON, NEBRASKA WAS COMPLETED TODAY BY NWS SIOUX FALLS METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE GREG HARMON. BASED ON INFORMATION OBTAINED DURING THE DAMAGE SURVEY... THE NWS WILL OFFICIALLY RATE THE AUGUST 17 2001 JACKSON NEBRASKA TORNADO AS AN F2 ON THE FUJITA SCALE.
THE TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS NORTH OF JACKSON...CUTTING A 2 TO 3 BLOCK WIDE PATH OF DAMAGE AS IT CHURNED SOUTH THROUGH JACKSON. FIVE HOMES ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED...WITH SEVERAL OTHERS SUSTAINING VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE. THE TORNADO DAMAGE...AND AREAL SURVEY...SEEM TO INDICATE THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN...LIFTED BRIEFLY...THEN TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 20...DOING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO AT LEAST ONE COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND SEVERAL MORE HOMES. TOTAL LENGTH OF THE TORNADO PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES LONG...ENDING IN A CORN FIELD SOUTH OF JACKSON. SEVERAL EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS PLACE THE TIME THE TORNADO HIT JACKSON AS 5:45 PM FRIDAY AUGUST 17 2001.
F2 WIND SPEEDS RANGE FROM 113 TO 157 MPH...CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE...SUCH AS MOBILE HOMES BEING DEMOLISHED, LARGE TREES SNAPPED AND UPROOTED...AND ROOFS TORN OFF FRAME HOUSES. IN THE CASE OF THE JACKSON TORNADO...THE WIND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 130 MPH...AT ITS PEAK...IN THE AREA OF HEAVIEST DAMAGE ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN.
THE F-SCALE IS A SCALE OF WIND INTENSITY DEVELOPED BY THE LATE PROFESSOR THEODORE FUJITA OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO. THE F-SCALE RATING IS INFERRED FROM AN ANALYSIS OF WIND DAMAGE. THE SCALE RANGES FROM F0...THE WEAKEST...TO F5...THE MOST DAMAGING. F0 WIND SPEEDS RANGE FROM 40-72 MPH WHILE THE F5 WIND SPEEDS ARE ESTIMATED IN EXCESS OF 260 MPH.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE JACKSON NEBRASKA TORNADO OR THE DAMAGE SURVEY...PLEASE CONTACT GREG HARMON AT NWS SIOUX FALLS.
GREG HARMON METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE NWS SIOUX FALLS
Images are available by clicking here
| Tornado Slams Jackson, NE (2001/08/17) |
A dispatcher with the Dakota County Sheriff's Department said a makeshift shelter was established at the South Sioux City junior high school.
The evacuation was ordered because of the sheer destruction and for public health and safety reasons, said Chris Peterson, spokesman for the governor's office.
There were no immediate reports of severe injuries from the tornado that hit just before 6 p.m. but those trying to get into town passed at least two ambulances that were running with sirens and emergency lights.
Buses were brought in from surrounding school districts to help move the city's population 10 miles to South Sioux City.
The Nebraska State Patrol was to provide security for the town Friday night before being relieved by the Nebraska National Guard on Saturday.
Peterson said a priority of the state's Emergency Management Agency is to move some generators to the town. He said they are needed to be able to power the water supply in case of fire and to restore telephone service.
Before the evacuation took place, the residents were taken to a central location in town to be counted.
The town was cordoned off to keep others out while the count was being conducted by the Dakota County Sheriff's Department, a deputy said.
"It was like the tornado dropped down in the middle of Jackson," one man said.
Lt. Governor Dave Maurstad was to tour the damage on Saturday. Governor Mike Johanns is in Ireland attending his niece's wedding.
Early reports indicate that St. Patrick's Catholic Church suffered severe damage, and there were reports that at least two houses were destroyed.
Tornadoes also hit Sioux County, damaging some farm buildings and power lines.
Tornadoes and heavy thunderstorms were reported in numerous areas in western Iowa.
State emergency management officials say there were no injuries or residential property damage reported.
Downed power lines were also reported in Crawford County near Buck Grove with some outbuildings destroyed and extensive crop damage.
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