PANOLA COUNTY, Texas — The National Weather Service in Shreveport has confirmed three tornadoes touched down in East Texas on Saturday night.
The NWS released the following information on each twister:
TORNADO 1 - CENTRAL CHEROKEE COUNTY
- Rating: EF2
- Estimated Peak Wind: 120 mph
- Path Length: 20.67 miles
- Path Width: 500 yards
- Fatalities: 0
- Injuries: 0
Summary: The tornado original touched down just southwest of Russell Cemetery off FM 23 south-southwest of the city of Rusk in Cherokee County. The tornado continued onward to cross US- 69 with intermittent damage along CR 1101. The tornado crossed FM 343 and intensified and widened significantly to approximately 500 yards. Several hundred trees were snapped continuously along the 500 yard wide path along CR 1211 and CR 1209. The tornado then weakened and provided more intermittent damage before lifting in extreme NW Nacogdoches County northwest of the Sacul community.
TORNADO 2 - MT. ENTERPRISE
- Rating: EF2
- Estimated Peak Wind: 115 mph
- Path Length: 21.28 miles
- Path Width: 300 yards
- Fatalities: 0
- Injuries: 0
Summary: The tornado touched downed about 1 mile southwest of Mount Enterprise where it uprooted trees in an open field southwest of town. The tornado continued on to cause shingle damage on several single family homes. One home had its roof mostly removed near the intersection of US-84 and W 5th St. The tornado continued onward to damage a church steeple as it crossed US-84. The tornado continued to snap and uproot trees and produce shingle damage as it passed across the north side of Mount Enterprise. After moving out of Mount Enterprise, the tornado continued to uproot and snap trees until it reached several residences on the shore of Lake Murvaul. There, the tornado increased in intensity as it snapped or uprooted most trees and damaged the shingles on many homes. The tornado crossed Lake Murvaul, and it weakened as it began to produce more sporadic damage. A preliminary analysis indicates that the tornado lifted after uprooting trees northeast of Lake Murvaul and northwest of Gary City. While the prelim analysis does not show a continuous track, data from aerial surveys conducted by partners may indicate that there was one continuous track to just south of Carthage.
TORNADO 3 - SOUTHEAST AND EAST OF CARTHAGE
- Rating: EF2
- Estimated Peak Wind: 125 mph
- Path Length: 16.68 miles
- Path Width: 1,600 yards
- Fatalities: 1
- Injuries: 1
Summary: The tornado touched down near US-59 south of Carthage where it downed and uprooted approximately ten hardwood and softwood trees. The tornado intensified as it ran parallel to FM 2517 and ripped the roof off of a single family home. The tornado continued to completely destroy 3 metal outbuildings and shift another single family home off of its foundation. At this location along CR 405, the tornado tossed an antique vehicle 50 yards and wrapped sheet metal around approximately 10 trees. The tornado continued to snap large softwood trees along CR 407. The tornado crossed FM 699 and caused moderate roof damage to a brick home near the intersection of CR 407 and CR 408. A single-wide manufactured home utilizing a pan anchorage system was pulled free from the anchors, destroyed, and some of the debris was blown a couple of hundred yards into a field to the east. The tornado widened considerably and produced a wide swath of snapped trees north and south of FM 2517, likely numbering well into the hundreds, especially in an area along CR-448. As the tornado crossed Hwy 31, a large outbuilding was destroyed, but portions of the wooden frame remained anchored by bolts to the foundation. In this same area, a large pine tree was uprooted and fell onto a single-wide manufactured home killing one person and injuring another. The tornado continued northeast snapping and uprooting trees as it traveled north of FM 2517. It crossed CR 470, CR 471, and finally lifted just east of CR 332.