- 2002 Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak
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2002 Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak Veterans Day Tornado Outbreak
Date of tornado outbreak: November 9–11, 2002 Duration1: ~36 hours, majority of the tornadoes occurred on November 10, 2002 Maximum rated tornado2: F4 Van Wert Co., OH tornado Tornadoes caused: 83 confirmed Damages: $160+ million Fatalities: 36, 1:6 ratio Areas affected: Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee Northeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Far Western Virginia, West Virginia 1Time from first tornado to last tornado
2Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita ScaleThe 2002 Veterans Day Weekend tornado outbreak was a large, widespread and rare outbreak of storms that occurred from the late afternoon hours on November 9 through the early morning hours on Veterans Day, November 11, 2002. Eighty-three tornadoes hit 17 states. Twelve tornadoes killed 36 people in five states. This was the first major outbreak of the 21st century, and is the second biggest in November.
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Autumn tornado season
The Midwest and the South have two tornado seasons, one in the spring and a less intense and more sporadic one in autumn. During the autumn season, the upper atmospheric dynamics are once again more often conducive for major tornado outbreaks. Upper atmospheric temperatures cool down as the calendar shifts towards winter and jet stream winds increase, as does intensity of low pressure systems.
Outbreak synopsis
The outbreak began in Arkansas in the late afternoon hours on Saturday, November 9, 2002. However, the brunt of the outbreak was on November 10. It began around 2 P.M. in Indiana and became widespread from Mississippi up through Ohio in the afternoon. Seventeen died in Tennessee, twelve in Alabama, five in Ohio, and one each in Pennsylvania and Mississippi.
The most notable and photogenic tornado of the outbreak was the one that occurred at Van Wert, Ohio. Van Wert has been hit before. The last time they were hit was during the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak. That tornado was an F4. During this outbreak, a theater was destroyed at around 3:30 P.M. The walls and roof were damaged or destroyed by the tornado and three cars were thrown into the front seats which minutes earlier had been completely filled with people. This very large tornado was also rated F4. This was the farthest north and east such an intense tornado has occurred that late in the year. Notably, no one was killed at the packed theater because the manager received warning via Van Wert County Emergency Director Rick McCoy and evacuated everyone to safer shelter.
The lead time of this tornado was approximately 28 minutes. A tornado warning went out for Van Wert County at 3:02 P.M. This tornado outbreak was particularly noted because of the massive lead times on all the tornadoes, but there was a slight dispute because the northern tornadoes (such as Van Wert) occurred in severe thunderstorm watch boxes.
This outbreak was exceptional because of its extremely long duration, extremely large area affected, and very large number of tornadoes and intense tornadoes. It is among the most productive tornado events in recorded history.
The 2002 tornado season in perspective was extremely slow, the slowest the U.S. has seen since 1988. The year was due to have only one-quarter of the national average this year, but due to the sudden burst of tornado activity between November 5 and December 18, 2002 had one of the most active fall seasons in U.S. history.
Summary of the outbreak in Ohio
Van Wert, Ohio tornado track map, showing the confirmed paths of the November 10, 2002 F4 tornado.
On November 10, 2002 tornadoes were reported in several counties of Ohio including Putnam County and Van Wert County. All schools in Van Wert County were cancelled on November 11 (including Van Wert City Schools, Crestview, and Lincolnview schools). Van Wert city schools were closed on the twelfth and thirteenth. The schools were also delayed on November 14 and 15th.
The tornado reported in Van Wert County in 2002 was a violent F4 tornado with 2 fatalities. There were also reported tornadoes in Paulding County and Putnam County in Ohio. Both of these tornadoes were a severe F3 tornado and there were 2 fatalities near Continental, Ohio. Overall, five people were killed because of these violent storms in Van Wert, Putnam, and Seneca County.
Governor Bob Taft declared a state of emergency for Van Wert County and Ottawa County because of the violent tornadoes that rocked northwest Ohio. The National Weather Service made sure the warnings were issued well in advance on November 10, 2002.
Tornado table
Confirmed
TotalConfirmed
F0Confirmed
F1Confirmed
F2Confirmed
F3Confirmed
F4Confirmed
F583 20 34 20 8 1 0 November 9, 2002
F# Location County Time (CDT) Path length Damage Arkansas F2 W of Osceola, AR to NE of Covington, TN Cross, AR, Crittenden, Mississippi, Tipton, TN 2115 50.6 miles (81 km) In Arkansas, 2 farm houses and a mobile home were destroyed while a church, five homes and three mobile homes were damaged. Several other farm buildings were damaged along with trees and power lines being blown down. In Tennessee, 28 mobile homes, 5 houses and one business were destroyed. Over 275 other structures were damaged and one injury was recorded. Tennessee F2 NE of Bells Crockett 2215 4 miles (6.4 km) Six mobile homes and four houses were destroyed. Over 60 other structures were damaged F2 SW of Huntingdon Carroll 2226 10 miles (16 km) 2 deaths The two fatalities were recorded in a mobile home park that was hit by a tornado. In addition to destroyed mobile homes, three houses, two businesses and a farm building were destroyed. 40 other structures were damaged. F1 NW of Jackson Madison 0010 4 miles (6.4 km) Tornado hit a subdivision and several buildings of Union University were heavily damaged. One home was destroyed and 140 others damaged as well as 500 cars around the campus area. The same area was hit by an EF4 tornado during the Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak on February 5, 2008. F0 E of Clarksville Montgomery 0050 0.1 mile (0.16 km) Damaged limited to trees F1 S of Adams (1st tornado) Montgomery 0100 0.3 mile (0.5 km) 2 deaths The fatalities were inside one of three mobile homes that were blown or lifted off its foundation. 60 homes and one building were damaged. F0 S of Adams (2nd tornado) Montgomery 0105 0.1 mile (0.16 km) Damage limited to trees F2 W of Portland Sumner 0200 2.6 miles (4.2 km) 7 homes, one business and 7 mobile homes were destroyed, 18 outbuildings, 16 barns, 29 homes, eight mobile homes, two churches and one business suffered minor to major damage. A building in an industrial park near Portland sustained heavy damage as well. 6 injuries were recorded. Missouri F0 N of Jackson Cape Girardeau 2258 0.8 mile (1.3 km) A trailer was destroyed while one metal barn and a few homes had roof/shingle damage Kentucky F1 SW of Scottsville Allen 0200 1.5 miles (2.4 km) One mobile home tumbled down a large hill while additional minor structural damage was reported. Sources:Storm Data, November 9, 2002 November 10, 2002 event
F# Location County Time (CDT) Path length Damage Indiana F1 SW of Hartford Blackford 1330 5 miles (8 km) One home and two mobile homes were destroyed while a supermarket and a motel was damaged. 3 people were injured. F0 S of Bluffton Wells 1346 1 mile (1.6 km) Damage to two outbuildings F3 NE of Berne Adams 1359 5 miles (8 km) A mobile home was destroyed and there was extensive damage to well built homes and barns. Illinois F0 N of De Soto Jackson 1332 9 miles (14.4 km) Minor shingle damage to a barn and trees were also damaged F0 W of West Frankfort Franklin 1341 0.5 mile (0.8 km) Damage limited to trees Ohio F4 SW of Van Wert to SE of Napoleon Van Wert, Paulding, Putnam, Defiance, Henry 1415 52.8 miles (84.5 km) 2 deaths In Van Wert County, 164 homes and 27 businesses were damaged including 43 homes and 5 businesses that were destroyed. Fatalities in that county were from a thrown car and a destroyed home. A cinema in Van Wert was heavily damaged and three county engineer buildings were destroyed. In Paulding County, only one structure was left standing in Roselms. In Putnam County, two people were killed inside a mobile home that was thrown and destroyed. In Defiance County, five homes were damaged slightly while damage in Henry County was limited to outbuildings and trees. 17 others were injured by the tornado, all in Van Wert County. F3 E of Bellefontaine Logan, Union 1538 9 miles (14.4 km) Two semi-trailers and a shed roof were damaged in Logan County while in Union County, nine homes were damaged, four of them destroyed. A modular home, several barns, sheds and cars were also destroyed. A 400-foot metal hi-tension cellular tower toppled causing extensive vehicular damaged. 2 people were injured inside the modular home. F1 W of Richwood Union 1551 0.5 mile (0.8 km) Damage to a barn and a home. F1 E of Cygnet Wood 1554 4.5 miles (7.2 km) Three garages, one barn and a city maintenance garage in and around Jerry City were destroyed. Nine homes were also damaged including one home which it was moved off its foundation. F2 N of Fostoria Hancock, Seneca 1557 9 miles (14.4 km) Eight homes were destroyed and many others severely damaged as the tornado began 1 mile southwest of the city and cut a path running in a northeasterly direction through Fostoria to a point almost 5 miles northeast of town. One fertilizer plant southwest of town near the tornado's origination was completely destroyed, two businesses were heavily damaged and several barns were either destroyed or damaged. Two railroad cars were derailed when they were blown over near the Tiffin St crossing on the west side of town and a storage tank was damaged. Also in Fostoria, the hospital sustained damage while at the airport an administrative building and a hangar were damaged. F0 Marion Marion 1610 0.1 mile (0.16 km) Damage limited to trees F0 SE of Perrysburg Wood 1610 0.1 mile (0.16 km) Brief touchdown with no damage F3 SE of Tiffin Seneca 1615 21 miles (33.6 km) 1 death Second tornado that hit the town of Tiffin with the Honey Creek subdivision been heavily impacted as six homes were destroyed and several others damaged. Numerous other structures throughout the town were destroyed or damaged. Near Republic, one person was killed when a house was swept off its foundation. Across Seneca County, 32 homes and businesses were destroyed and nearly 80 others damaged by this tornado. F1 NW of Millbury Wood 1619 0.5 mile (0.8 km) Five homes sustained roof damage F1 Fremont Sandusky 1620 3.5 miles (5.6 km) Several homes had minor to moderate damage while a motor home and seven barns were destroyed. Several antique cars inside a barn were also destroyed. F2 Port Clinton Ottawa 1630 10 miles (16 km) 24 homes and 16 apartments were destroyed while 140 others structures were damaged some of them very heavily. 4 people were injured. The Port Clinton hospital and high school were also damaged. F1 W of Norwalk Huron 1642 7.5 miles (12 km) A few barns were destroyed while a few homes also sustained damaged. The Lyme Township hall was heavily damaged as well as its garage and several trucks and heavy equipment were destroyed. F1 SW of Ontario Richland 1645 1 mile (1.6 km) A cinder block building was leveled and there was extensive damage to one home. F2 W of West Salem Ashland, Medina 1648 9.5 miles (15.2 km) 5 homes were destroyed, about 40 others were damaged as well as other structures. The steeple of a church was also toppled and a couple of public buildings were damaged in Polk. In Medina County, an auto shop and a barn were destroyed and several homes were damaged at varying degrees. F1 NW of Milan Erie 1650 5 miles (8 km) Several barns were destroyed and a few homes were damaged. Transmission poles were also toppled. F2 SE of West Salem Wayne 1720 5 miles (8 km) Two homes were destroyed, three others severely damaged while several others had minor damage. F1 W of Massillon Stark 1727 3.3 miles (5.3 km) 23 structures sustained damage including homes and businesses. F3 Macedonia to Twinsburg Summit 1800 3.3 miles (5.3 km) Several homes were destroyed and a total of over 100 homes were damaged at varying degrees. See photo of damage above. F1 SE of Solon Cuyahoga 1808 4 miles (6.4 km) Over 100 homes, a middle school and a business were damaged F1 W of West Union Adams 1915 1.3 miles (2.1 km) One barn was destroyed while a church, three barns and two homes were damaged. Georgia F0 NW of Macon Bibb, Monroe 1621 0.8 mile (1.3 km) Minor shingle damage to homes although some homes were damaged by fallen trees. F2 S of Adairsville Bartow 0035 12 miles (19.2 km) Seven chicken houses and a barn were destroyed killing 7500 chickens. About 15 homes were damaged F2 W of Dawsonville Cherokee, Pickens, Dawson 0048 23 miles (36.8 km) 28 homes, two mobile homes, two businesses and several other structures were destroyed while over 150 other homes and two churches had varying levels of damage. Several livestocks were killed and 13 people were injured including 3 at a popular restaurant. Tennessee F0 N of Sunbright Morgan 1735 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Damage limited to trees F1 SW of Huntsville Scott 1740 4.1 miles (6.6 km) Several homes were damaged F0 SE of Milan Carroll 1740 0.3 mile (0.5 km) Damage limited to trees F1 N of Manchester (1st tornado) Coffee 1742 4.1 miles (6.6 km) Damage limited to trees F2 E of Shelbyville Bedford, Coffee 1745 5 miles (8 km) 5 homes and a mobile home were destroyed and 6 homes were damaged. A TVA tower was also toppled and 3 injuries were recorded. F1 SE of Huntsville Scott 1750 4.2 miles (6.7 km) 24 homes, six mobile homes, one modular home and one business were damaged, three of the mobiles destroyed. F0 N of Medon Madison 1755 0.3 miles (0.5 km) A barn was destroyed and a mobile home and a tavern were damaged F2 N of Manchester (2nd tornado) Coffee 1852 12.3 miles (19.7 km) 2 deaths The two fatalities occurred inside a mobile home. 24 homes and 9 mobiles were destroyed, while 51 homes, 5 mobile homes and 14 outbuildings were damaged. F1 S of Crab Orchard Cumberland 1908 3.4 miles (5.4 km) A tractor trailer was blown onto its side. F3 NW of Oliver Springs Morgan 1931 8.3 miles (13.3 km) 7 deaths 63 homes were damaged, 24 were destroyed. 18 mobile homes were damaged, 12 other destroyed. 28 people were injured F2 S of Lake City Anderson 1954 5.5 miles (8.8 km) 32 homes were damaged, 3 destroyed. 9 mobile homes were damaged. F2 N of Spencer Van Buren 2010 2.9 miles (4.6 km) A frame house was destroyed F1 NW of Pikeville Bledsoe 2030 6.2 miles (9.9 km) Five homes were damaged F0 S of Crossville(1st tornado) Cumberland 2046 0.1 mile (0.16 km) Weak tornado with no damage F3 S of Crossville (2nd tornado) Cumberland 2143 12.2 miles (19.5 km) 4 deaths 33 homes and mobile homes were destroyed, 128 other damaged. One public building was also damaged. All fatalities occurred inside mobile homes. Alabama F3 N of Fayette to S of Arley Fayette, Walker, Winston 1852 44.3 miles (70.9 km) 4 deaths Carbon Hill Elementary/Junior High School and several homes were heavily damaged. Close to 40 people were injured. F3 NE of Fayette to E of Cullman Fayette, Walker, Winston, Cullman 2015 72.6 miles (116.2 km) 7 deaths Close to 500 structures were damaged or destroyed F1 SE of Berry Fayette 2110 4.3 miles (6.9 km) A lumber mill and a mobile home were damaged F1 Dora Walker 2138 4.3 miles (6.9 km) Several structures in Dora were damaged including roof damage to homes. F2 W of Bessemer Tuscaloosa, Jefferson 2222 15.2 miles (24.3 km) A manufacturing facility was damaged. Several homes and businesses sustained varying degree of damage. F1 S of Allgood Blount, Etowah 2222 10.6 miles (17 km) Several structures were damaged. Two cows were killed by falling trees. F1 N of Steele St. Clair 2241 3.2 miles (5.1 km) Three homes were damaged F2 SE of Centre Cherokee 2320 10.5 miles (16.8 km) 1 death 88 homes were damaged or destroyed. 4 people were injured. Pennsylvania F2 Sharpsville Mercer 1854 7 miles (11.2 km) 1 death 15 homes were destroyed while 42 homes sustained minor to major damage. One business was destroyed another one damaged. F1 Cochranton Crawford 1930 1 mile (1.6 km) A barn and a cottage were destroyed while three homes and a barn were damaged. Mississippi F3 S of Columbus Lowndes, MS, Lamar, AL 1908 29.2 miles (46.7 km) One home was de-roofed in Alabama while 60 homes were heavily damaged in Columbus, Mississippi and several buildings at the Mississippi University for Women and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science were heavily damaged. 55 people were injured. F1 Crawford, Mississippi Winston, MS, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Lowndes, Pickens, AL 1920 49 miles (78.4 km) 1 death Damage in Alabama was limited to trees but several homes were destroyed in Mississippi. F2 E of Pickens Attala, Leake 1930 10 miles (16 km) One home and a barn were damaged F1 N of New Hope Lowndes, MS, Pickens, AL 1936 9.5 miles (15.2 km) Damage in both states was limited to trees F1 S of Louisville Winston 2020 15 miles (24 km) Two mobile homes were destroyed while several homes and outbuildings were damaged F1 SE of Canton Madison 2034 2 miles (3.2 km) Damage limited to trees F1 S of Columbia Marion 0050 4 miles (6.4 km) One mobile home was destroyed while a mobile home and house were damaged. Kentucky F0 N of Liberty Casey 1930 0.1 mile (0.16 km) Damage limited to trees F0 SE of Hustonville Lincoln 1945 0.1 mile (0.16 km) Damage limited to trees Louisiana F1 NW of Covington St. Tammany 0055 0.3 miles (0.5 km) Three homes and a few outbuildings were damaged. Sources:Storm Data, November 10, 2002 November 11, 2002 event
F# Location County Time (CDT) Path length Damage South Carolina F0 S of Piedmont Anderson, Greenville 0422 6 miles (9.6 km) Damage limited to trees F1 S of Simpsonville Greenville 0430 4 miles (6.4 km) One hotel sustained extensive damage to its roof while outbuildings, a scoreboard and fences were destroyed. Other structures sustained damage and 2 tractor trailers were blown over F0 NW of Troy McCormick 0445 9 miles (14.4 km) Damage limited to trees but 2 people were injured by a tree crushing a vehicle. F0 S of Willington McCormick 0520 5 miles (8 km) Damage to trees and power lines F1 W of Newberry Newberry 0542 1.5 mile (2.4 km) Damage to trees and power lines F1 N of Little Mountain Newberry 0635 1.2 mile (1.9 km) A few homes sustained minor damage while a shed was blown down Georgia F0 NW of Lincolnton Lincoln 0515 1 mile (1.6 km) Damage limited to trees Sources:Storm Data for November 11, 2002 See also
Outbreak death toll State Total County County
totalAlabama 12 Cherokee 1 Walker 10 Winston 1 Mississippi 1 Lowndes 1 Ohio 5 Putnam 2 Seneca 1 Van Wert 2 Pennsylvania 1 Mercer 1 Tennessee 17 Carroll 2 Coffee 2 Cumberland 4 Montgomery 2 Morgan 7 Totals 36 All deaths were tornado-related References
External links
- Veterans Day Tornado Outbreak (NWS Birmingham, AL)
- November 10, 2002 (NWS Huntsville, AL)
- Severe Weather Event - November 10-11, 2002 (NWS Jackson, MS)
- Tornadoes in Middle Tennessee on November 10, 2002 (NWS Nashville, TN)
- Tornadoes devastate parts of northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana (NWS Northern Indiana)
- Cumberland Plateau Tornado Outbreak on November 10, 2002 (NWS Morristown, TN)
- Severe Weather Outbreak - November 10, 2002 (Midwestern Regional Climate Center)
- NWS Service Assessment
- The severe weather outbreak of 10 November 2002: Lightning and radar analysis of storms in the deep South (22nd Conference on Severe Local Storms, American Meteorological Society)
- Video of the Van Wert, Ohio F4 tornado, from the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Tornado events in Alabama Enigma (1884) • Palm Sunday (1920) • May 1929 • March 1932 • April 1936 • Birmingham (1956) • April 1957 • Super Outbreak (1974) • January 1975 • Birmingham (1977) • Huntsville (1989) • November 1992 • Palm Sunday (1994) • Huntsville (1995) • Birmingham (1998) • Tuscaloosa (2000) • November 2001 • Veterans Day (2002) • Hurricane Katrina (2005) • November 2005 • September 2006 • November 2006 • March 2007 • January 2008 • Super Tuesday (2008) • April 2009 • April 2010 • April 2011Categories:- F4 tornadoes
- Tornadoes of 2002
- Tornadoes in Alabama
- Tornadoes in Indiana
- Tornadoes in Mississippi
- Tornadoes in Ohio
- Tornadoes in Pennsylvania
- Tornadoes in Tennessee
- 2002 natural disasters in the United States
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