Overview
On October 29, 2018, two separate EF-0 tornadoes briefly touched down in northwestern Oregon. The first tornado occurred north of Forest Grove, Oregon around 2:15 PM. A little over an hour later, another tornado developed and touched down a few miles outside of Jefferson, Oregon. See the tabs below for more detailed information about each of these tornadoes.
Forest Grove tornado:
Tornado - Forest Grove, Oregon
Washington County, Oregon
| Date |
October 29, 2018 |
| Time (PDT) |
2:17 PM - 2:17 PM |
| EF Rating |
EF-0 |
| Est. Peak Winds |
65-70 mph |
| Path Length |
0.10 miles |
| Max Width |
20 yards |
| Path Start Lat/Lon |
45.55872 / -123.13861 |
| Path End Lat/Lon |
45.55836 / -123.13720 |
| Injuries/Deaths |
0 |
|
Survey Summary:
Damage was found to multiple greenhouse structures located at a farm on Thatcher Road, around 3 miles north-northwest of Forest Grove, Oregon. In particular, damage to the galvanized steel pipe and base of the westernmost greenhouse was consistent with tornado damage. The survey was also assisted by witness accounts of the tornado. These accounts were consistent with damage patterns and helped to establish both the track and duration of the tornado. The tornado was likely on the ground for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Little to no damage was evident to the east of the location. Very minor tree debris was inconclusive to extend the path the west before entering the farm property. Radar signatures and public videos suggest the tornado may have lifted and remained as a funnel cloud to the east along Kemper Road, but no additional tornado damage was discovered in these locations.
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Track Map
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Tree branches and debris in power lines along Thatcher Road.
(Credit: NWS Storm Survey) |
Damage to several greenhouses near Thatcher Road.
(Credit: NWS Storm Survey) |
Damage to the frame and structure of a greenhouse off Thatcher Road.
(Credit: NWS Storm Survey) |
Damage to a greenhouse structure from the inside of the greenhouse.
(Credit: NWS Storm Survey) |
Click on a thumbnail above to view a larger version of the photo. Right-click and select "Save Image As" to download the full resolution photo.
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The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0
Weak
65-85 mph |
EF1
Moderate
86-110 mph |
EF2
Significant
111-135 mph |
EF3
Severe
136-165 mph |
EF4
Extreme
166-200 mph |
EF5
Catastrophic
200+ mph |
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Jefferson tornado:
Tornado - Jefferson, Oregon
Marion County, Oregon
| Date |
October 29, 2018 |
| Time (PDT) |
3:30 PM - 3:31 PM |
| EF Rating |
EF-0 |
| Est. Peak Winds |
65-70 mph |
| Path Length |
0.10 miles |
| Max Width |
10 yards |
| Path Start Lat/Lon |
45.734816 / -122.966601 |
| Path End Lat/Lon |
45.736239 / -122.966615 |
| Injuries/Deaths |
0 |
|
Survey Summary:
Damage was found to multiple small shrubby trees just north of the railroad track along Libby Lane in Marion County. Libby Lane is a north-south oriented dead-end road off the Jefferson-Marion Rd to the northeast of Jefferson, Oregon. All tree damage was consistent with low end EF-0 wind speeds. There was also a sign knocked over at the NW corner of the Libby Lane and Jefferson-Marion Rd intersection, but whether or not it was caused by a tornado or something else could not be determined given no other signs of damage were located within 100+ yards of the sign. No additional damage was found along the Jefferson-Marion, Green Bridge and Marion Hill Roads despite extensive searching. The tornado was likely on the ground for one minute or less.
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Track Map
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| Intersection of Libby Lane and Jefferson-Marion Road, where a knocked-over street sign was found. (Credit: NWS Storm Survey) |
Tree damage along Libby Lane.
(Credit: NWS Storm Survey) |
Wider angle look at tree damage along the west side of Libby Lane.
(Credit: NWS Storm Survey) |
Closer look at tree damage found along Libby Lane.
(Credit: NWS Storm Survey) |
Click on a thumbnail above to view a larger version of the photo. Right-click and select "Save Image As" to download the full resolution photo.
|
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0
Weak
65-85 mph |
EF1
Moderate
86-110 mph |
EF2
Significant
111-135 mph |
EF3
Severe
136-165 mph |
EF4
Extreme
166-200 mph |
EF5
Catastrophic
200+ mph |
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