NWS: Tornado East of Canton a Mile Wide
Posted/updated on: May 2, 2017 at 2:39 am
EAST TEXAS — The National Weather Service has released a preliminary report on four tornadoes which touched down on Saturday. One twister’s path of destruction was a mile wide. The one west of Canton has been upgraded to an EF-4 storm. According to KETK, a National Weather Service survey team began to survey the damage associated with at least four tornadoes that occurred in Henderson, Van Zandt, Rains and Hopkins Counties. Two of the four tornadoes were given a preliminary EF-0 rating while the other two were long-tracked tornadoes with more significant damage, leading to at least EF-3 ratings. Several survey teams will head out during the day Monday to continue to assess the damage.
Tornado #1 – Grand Saline Tornado
Rating: EF-0
Estimated Peak Wind: 80 mph
Path Length: 1.5 miles
Path Width: 100 yards
Injuries: 0
Start Time: 4:15 PM
End Time: 4:17 PM
Start Location: 5 SSW Grand Saline
End Location: 2 WSW Grand Saline
Summary: Damage to trees was observed.
Tornado #2 – East Canton #1 Tornado
Rating: EF-0
Estimated Peak Wind: 75 mph
Path Length /statute/: 2 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 75 yards
Injuries: N/A
Start Time: 5:10 PM CDT
End Time: 5:14 PM CDT
Start Location: 1 ESE Canton
End Location: 3 NE Canton
Summary: Tornado caused damaged to trees and barns just southeast of city center of Canton.
Tornado #3 – Eustace to West Canton Tornado
Rating: EF-4
Estimated Peak Wind: 175 to 185 mph
Path Length /statute/: 23.35 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 800 yards
Injuries: N/A
Start Time: 5:29 PM CDT
End Time: 06:09 PM CDT
Start Location: 2 SSE Eustace
End Location: 5 NNW Canton
Summary: Damage to four or five homes where exterior walls collapsed. Several cars and numerous manufactured homes were damaged in central part of this tornado’s path.
Summary: Damage to four or five homes where exterior walls collapsed. Several cars and numerous manufactured homes were damaged in central part of this tornado’s path. More details will be surveyed on Monday.
Tornado #4 – Log Cabin to Yantis Tornado
Rating: EF3
Estimated Peak Wind: 130 mph
Path Length /statute/: 55.5 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 1760 yards
Injuries: N/A
Start Time: 5:41 PM CDT
End Time: 7:28 PM CDT
Start Location: 5 ENE Log Cabin (Henderson County)
End Location: 8 NW Yantis (Hopkins County)
Summary: Tornado will be known as mile wide tornado which slammed into east side of Canton. More damage to be surveyed tomorrow. It is not yet clear whether this 55 mile damage path (51 miles in a straight line) is indeed one tornado, or was caused by more than one. More details to come late Monday.
The NWS has confirmed seven tornadoes touched down in East Texas during Saturday’s severe weather.
