Heavy Rain in the Southern Appalachians; Fire Weather and Heat in the West; Monitoring Tropical Storm Erin

Heavy to excessive rainfall over the southern Appalachians may bring areas of flooding today. Gusty winds and low relative humidity will bring critical fire weather conditions to parts of the Great Basin and northern Rockies today and Thursday. Hot to extremely hot temperatures are in place through today across parts of the western U.S. Read More >

Overview

An active week of severe weather continued to affect portions of the Four State Region on February 21, 2013. While still cleaning up from a tornado outbreak on February 18 , another strong, late-winter storm system moved across the region spawning severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Several instances of straight-line wind damage were recorded in Cherokee County northwest of Wells, TX. Based on the damage northwest of Wells, wind speeds were estimated to be near 100 mph.

Two tornadoes have been confirmed by survey teams from the National Weather Service: one in Sabine County, TX, and another in Natchitoches Parish, LA. Unfortunately, an EF1 tornado near Pineland, TX, resulted in one fatality. A 74-year old woman was killed when a tree fell onto her while she was sleeping in her mobile home.

Meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Shreveport conducted damage surveys in the days following the storms. The report below is presented in chronological order of when the tornadoes occurred. More information may be added to this page in the coming days as it becomes available.

TOTAL TORNADO COUNT = 2

EF1 = 2

Tornado Table

Photos

Damage Map

TOR. #	START POINT	END POINT	RATING	PEAK WIND	START TIME	END TIME	LENGTH/ WIDTH	FATALITIES/ INJURIES	REMARKS
#1	5 miles N of Pineland, Sabine County, TX	3 miles W of Hemphill, Sabine County, TX	EF1	104 mphh	1:10pm CST	1:19pm CST	4.5 miles/ 150 yards	1 fatality / 0 injuries	This tornado began as an EF-0 along Charlie Forse Road snapping large tree branches. The tornado intensified to EF-1 as it crossed FM-1 at Strickland Crossing West snapping and uprooting numerous trees. A mobile home was also rolled on its side. Other trees fell onto several homes as the tornado continued east along Strickland Crossing West. A 74-year old woman was killed as a result of severe head injuries when a tree fell onto her while she was sleeping in her mobile home. The tornado continued northeast and finally dissipated along Bennet Road.
#2	20 miles SE of Provencal, Natchitoches Parish, LA	20 miles SE of Provencal, Natchitoches Parish, LA	EF1	88 mph	3:07pm CST	3:07pm CST	60 yards/ 30 yards	None	This tornado began in Vernon Parish about 3.6 miles ESE of Kurthwood. Several branches were broken and a large pine tree were snapped by this tornado in the Kisatchie National Forest in southern Natchitoches Parish.


Photos of straight-line wind damage northwest of Wells, TX, in Cherokee County. Photos are courtesy of Wells Fire Chief Robert Kalka.

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Heavy Rain in the Southern Appalachians; Fire Weather and Heat in the West; Monitoring Tropical Storm Erin

February 21, 2013: Tornadoes Strike Deep East Texas & Western Louisiana