A storm gathering strength over Texas today will shift to the Mid-Atlantic through Tuesday night. Areas of freezing rain and heavy snow will spread from the central Plains east into the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England. Further south, areas of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain are possible from the southern Plains into the Ohio Valley. A Pacific storm will move into the Southwest Monday. Read More >
...NEWTON COUNTY STORM...
INDICATIONS FROM A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM
SHOW THAT THE STORM THAT CAUSED DAMAGE IN THE NEWTON AREA OF
NEWTON COUNTY ON DECEMBER 19, 2002, SHORTLY AFTER 1 PM THURSDAY
AFTERNOON, WAS IN FACT A TORNADO. THE TORNADO WILL BE RATED AN
F2 ON THE FUJITA SCALE.
A tornado developed in Newton County, just southwest of the city
of Newton. It moved 5.5 miles northeast through the city,
resulting in approximately 50 injuries and damage to numerous
buildings. In all, over 150 homes and 95 businesses were either
damaged or destroyed. The most extensive damage occurred near
the city's Wal-Mart, which received heavy roof damage. The
tornado lifted just northeast of the intersection of State
Road 15 and Interstate 20.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON
601-936-2189