Friday updates: The National Weather Service survey of the Greensburg area revealed two tornadoes. A NWS-emergency management collaboration determined a tornado occurred in Parke County. A NWS survey determined straight-line wind damage in southeast Tipton County.
Across the state 13 tornadoes have been confirmed. At least six tornadoes occurred in Central Indiana, one near Bloomington, one east of Bedford, in Lawrence County, two in Greensburg in Decatur County, one just north of Morristown in northeast Shelby County and one just southwest of Cecil Harden Lake in Parke County. Numerous reports of high winds and large hail were common .
Lawrence County
Location: approx 5 miles east of Bedford
Estimated Time: 7:58 PM to 811 PM
Maximum EF-Scale Rating: EF-2
Estimated Wind Speed: 130 mph
Path Length: 3.3 miles
Max Path Width: quarter mile
National Weather Service storm survey teams determined an EF-2 tornado struck near Bedford, damaging or destroying several buildings in a 7 mile long swath up to a quarter mile wide.
Monroe County
Location: approx 3 miles southwest of Bloomington on SR45.
Estimated Time: 10:14 PM to 10:16 PM
Maximum EF-Scale Rating: EF-1
Estimated Wind Speed: 100 mph
Path Length: approx 1.0 miles
Max Path Width: 200 yds
A brief EF-1 tornado overturned and destroyed several mobile homes just west of Bloomington. The Bloomington tornado damage was along SR45. The same storm also produced a broad, long swath of significant straight-line wind damage along SR45 to SR37 and continued east across the south side of Bloomington. Winds within this path were estmated at over 80 mph.
Decatur County #1
Location: 2 WSW Greensburg to 1 W Greensburg
Estimated Time: 5:15 PM to 5:18 PM
Maximum EF-Scale Rating: EF-1
Estimated Wind Speed: 100-105 MPH
Path Length: 1 Mile
Max Path Width: 600 Yards
A high end EF-1 tornado, with maximum winds of 100-105 mph impacted the southwest side of Greensburg, with the most extensive damage from the Decatur County Airport northeast through Greensburg City Park, the Greensburg Country Club and the Country Club Estates neighborhood where about 30 homes sustained damage. Damage began at the airport where roofs were peeled and several garage doors were blown in on the hangar buildings. A Twin Otter plane tethered near the hangars was spun around and cartwheeled about 50 feet to the north. Numerous large oak trees in excess of 4 feet in diameter were completely uprooted through the park and the golf course. A park shelter building was destroyed when a 4 1/2 foot diamter oak tree fell on the structure. Homes throughout the Country Club Estates neighborhood sustained roof, siding and gutter damage with several garage doors blown out. One home had its exterior garage wall bowed. Homes also sustained significant hail damage, with siding severely damaged and windows broken. This tornado was determined to be a mile in length with a maximum width of 600 yards.
Decatur County #2
Location: 2 NW Greensburg
Estimated Time: 5:20 PM to 5:22 PM
Maximum EF-Scale Rating: EF-1
Estimated Wind Speed: 90 MPH
Path Length: 0.5 Miles
Max Path Width: 400 Yards
Additional tornado damage was discovered in the Rolling Meadows neighborhood about one half mile south of the Interstate 74 and US 421 interchange and just north of County Road 100 North. This was determined to be from a second tornado, rated EF-1 with maximum winds at 90 mph. Approximately 15-20 homes throughout the neighborhood sustained roof or siding damage, with garage doors buckling and blowing inwards on several of these homes. Much of the debris was strewn into an adjacent farm field. Just across US 421 off to the northeast, a small piece of plywood was found impaled into the stucco on a bank building. The path length was 0.5 miles with a maximum width 400 yards.
Severe hail damage to structures, homes and foliage was also observed throughout Greensburg. Hail was estimated to be as large as 3 to 3.5 inches in diameter.
Elsewhere, there was damage 1 mile west of the town of Letts in Decatur County near the intersection of County Road 800 South and 700 West. This damage was due to straight line winds. Damage in this area primarily consisted of downed trees, leaning power poles and lines, and part of a roof peeled off of a church. Evidence of additional straight-line wind damage was discovered to the south and east of both tornadoes through Greensburg.
Shelby County
Location: 1 N of Morristown
Estimated Time: 11:15 PM to 11:17 PM
Maximum EF-Scale Rating: EF-0
Estimated Wind Speed: 75 MPH
Path Length: 0.75 Miles
Max Path Width: 150 Yards
An EF-0 tornado with maximum winds of 75 mph was discovered in northeast Shelby County to the north of Morristown. Numerous trees were snapped along and just east of the Big Blue River and Asbury Road from near County Road 1100 North to the Shelby-Hancock County line. Two homes sustained minor damage, and a gentleman sustained injuries from a tree falling on his automobile. The path length of the tornado was 0.75 miles with a maximum width of 150 yards.
Parke County
Location: Approx 5 miles ESE of Rockville
Estimated Time: 9:40 PM to 9:43 PM
Maximum EF-Scale Rating: EF-1
Estimated Wind Speed: 90 MPH
Path Length: approx 1.0 Miles
Max Path Width: 150 Yards
