February 5-6: Super Tuesday Outbreak... 57 dead

[JonathanBelles]

Thats a pretty good Wiki page.

[CrazyC83]

Thats a pretty good Wiki page.

It's also quite pressure-packed in terms of working on it, knowing no tornado outbreak article has got anywhere near the attention of this one. After all it is the deadliest since 1985 and that was before the Internet even existed...imagine the pressure working on an article if there is a Super Outbreak II?

[Bunkertor]

It is the four-state or five-state region depending on who you ask.

BTW, 58 is once again the correct death toll - one of the two unconfirmed was confirmed, and a new one found

Yes, it´s more than 3 but thought it was called so...

[RL3AO]

Thats a pretty good Wiki page.

It has been hectic. Usually Crazy and a few others single handily make the page and it isn't a problem. But this one made the main page for "In the news" and it has gotten a lot of edits from people that don't know crap about meteorology who want to change the format even though 50+ other articles follow this same format.

[Squarethecircle]

It's also getting a lot of vandalism, from what I can tell.

Another EF-3 in, 44 total confirmed.

[HarlequinBoy]

I always check the Wiki page a lot after outbreaks, it's the easiest way to find out the ratings and confirmations.

On another note, I'm kind of surprised only one of the AR/TN/KY/MS tornadoes have gotten an EF4 so far.

[Squarethecircle]

Remember, though, that many reports are still being looked into and all intensities are subject to rapid and previously undisclosed change.

[wbug1]

http://www.kait8.com/global/Story.asp?s=7827423

Severe damage in Highland, AR

Cannot get any recent info on the Faxon, Benton event.

These are currently ?'s for EF scale in the wiki tornado list.

edit: correction, with Firefox I see photos up on that link. Unbelievable. Some photos from Mountainview as well.

edit 2: pics of highland, AR, zion,AR, mountainview,AR at the link above - 145 photos at that link. You'll need flash player 9 and maybe adobe pdf viewer installed to see it?
reader to see the slideshow. One photo shows a car trash park (former movie theater parking lot?), after the tornado moved through that is. Another somebody managed to catch a lightning strike on a power pole on a camera.

[simplykristi]

There's a lot of damage in Mountain View that is not listed on the wiki page... The hospital is in Mountain View not near it. The hospital was severely damaged.. only the ER is usable. The family clinic next to it was heavily damaged. At least 25 homes were destroyed and hundreds of others were damaged in Mountain View. A Chevrolet dealership across from the hospital was wiped out. Please add the info. It is probably the same tornado that hit Clinton. You should probably list the EF's for each area as the tornado may have different EF ratings for those areas. I aplogize for being blunt about Mountain View but I have relatives who live near the area and they rely on the services of Mountain View since it is the closest big town to them. Now they have to drive 25 miles to Batesville.

Kristi

[JonathanBelles]

Found this from Memphis NWS ^^



Little Rock ^^

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/?n=Feb508tornadoes
Numerous maps and pictures from Paducah


Nashville^^
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bna/surveys/ima ... 020508.php
link to clickable map


Huntsville ^^

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/lmk/?n=february5-6,2008outbreak
Numerous maps here from Louisville

[simplykristi]

I believe that the tornado that hit Atkins is the same that hit both Clinton and Mountain View and then hit Ash Flat.

Here's information on the AR tornadoes from the NWS in Little Rock: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/svr0208a.htm

Kristi

[wbug1]

Nice find, Kristi. If thisn't EF-5, I don't know what is. Of course, it's not building damage.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/imgvie ... orm020508c

[CrazyC83]

EF? on the Wikipedia article means that the area has not been surveyed yet, hence no rating. Only ratings from NWS offices (or local offices in other countries outside the US) are listed.

Also, if a range of possible ratings is listed (i.e. "EF3 or higher"), the policy is to go with the lowest rating in the range as an initial rating. That is why the killer supercell NE of Nashville is listed as EF2, even though it almost certainly was much stronger (my guess is EF3 or EF4). (A disclaimer below says "likely stronger".)

[CrazyC83]

I always check the Wiki page a lot after outbreaks, it's the easiest way to find out the ratings and confirmations.

On another note, I'm kind of surprised only one of the AR/TN/KY/MS tornadoes have gotten an EF4 so far.

It is sometimes prone to inaccuracies (i.e. someone jumping on a false media report), although with more people watching this time they should be shorter than normal. The media is not supposed to be a source for ratings.

[wbug1]

EF? on the Wikipedia article means that the area has not been surveyed yet, hence no rating. Only ratings from NWS offices (or local offices in other countries outside the US) are listed.

I know there's no final rating (prelim EF3). Pic shows pickup truck with entire body removed wrapped, or as it looks in the photo somehow "around the tree". The photo is from NWS Little Rock.

again: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/imgvie ... orm020508c

[Squarethecircle]

Jesus... That's really intense. There's some wicked damage in the background as well, although it's hard to see.

[wbug1]

Where's the engine block from that pickup truck in that photo? As you can see it's not in the pickup anymore.
Remember my comment before that even if NWS finds an engine block embedded in a tree that's not sufficient for EF-5 rating? That's a ridiculous statement, an example of damage so bad that it borders on the ludicrous. Now in this photo we see the engine block is gone (and eveything else in the front end), and probably has been moved over 400 meters from the original location of that vehicle and ripped out of it. Not quite embedded in a tree.. but not that far away from it. Nevertheless, unless trees with significant debarking and only branch stubs left or an "enhanced construction house" swept off it's foundations is found, this Clinton, AR tornado will never be rated more than EF-4. The incredible vehicle damage in that photo is not a damage indicator on the EF scale. It was on the old F scale. This would be, from this photo, an example of F5 damage on the old F-scale.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujita_scale

F5 damage - OLD SCALE

Incredible damage. Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distances to disintegrate; automobile sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 m (109 yd); trees debarked; steel reinforced concrete structures badly damaged; incredible phenomena will occur.

http://www.tornadoproject.com/fscale/fscale.htm

F5 - Incredible tornado 261-318 mph Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distances to disintegrate; automobile sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters; trees debarked; steel re-inforced concrete structures badly damaged.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f-scale.html
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f5.htm

F5 261-318 Incredible damage. Strong frame houses leveled off foundations and swept away; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air in excess of 100 meters (109 yds); trees debarked; incredible phenomena will occur.

[Brent]

EF? on the Wikipedia article means that the area has not been surveyed yet, hence no rating. Only ratings from NWS offices (or local offices in other countries outside the US) are listed.

I know there's no final rating (prelim EF3). Pic shows pickup truck with entire body removed wrapped, or as it looks in the photo somehow "around the tree". The photo is from NWS Little Rock.[color=#808000]

again: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/imgvie ... orm020508c

WOW.

..TORNADO SURVEYS IN VAN BUREN...STONE...IZARD AND SHARP COUNTIES...
TWO TEAMS FROM THE THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LITTLE ROCK SURVEYED EXTENSIVE TORNADO DAMAGE IN PORTIONS OF VAN BUREN... STONE...IZARD AND SHARP COUNTIES. ..VAN BUREN...STONE...AND IZARD COUNTIES ONE TEAM WORKED FROM AROUND THE SHIRLEY AREA OF VAN BUREN COUNTY NORTHEAST THROUGH PORTIONS OF STONE COUNTY AND MUCH OF IZARD COUNTY TO AROUND ZION. THE WORST DAMAGE WAS FOUND AROUND THE ZION AREA...WITH THE TORNADO RATED AS AT LEAST EF3. SEVERAL NEWER HOUSES WERE DESTROYED...WITH A SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE THROWN SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS. A JEEP WAS FOUND IN A TREE. THERE WAS A SPOT IN STONE COUNTY AROUND TURKEY CREEK WHERE DAMAGE WAS VERY MINIMAL. HOWEVER...THE DAMAGE PATH WAS CONTINUOUS...WITH NO GAPS NOTED.

..STONE AND SHARP COUNTIES
THE OTHER TEAM VIEWED DAMAGE AROUND MOUNTAIN VIEW IN STONE COUNTY...AND THEN HEADED TO ASH FLAT AND HIGHLAND IN SHARP COUNTY. DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE IN BOTH AREAS...WITH A CAR DEALERSHIP HEAVILY DAMAGED IN MOUNTAIN VIEW AND A STRIP SHOPPING CENTER AND A CHURCH FLATTENED IN HIGHLAND. HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED AS WELL. IN SOME SPOTS...AT LEAST EF3 DAMAGE WAS FOUND. AGAIN...DAMAGE FOUND BY THE TEAM WAS IN A CONTINUOUS PATH.

..QUICK RESPONSE TEAM AND FLIGHT A QUICK RESPONSE TEAM WILL BE IN ARKANSAS ON FRIDAY TO VIEW SOME OF THE WORST DAMAGE FROM ATKINS IN POPE COUNTY TO CLINTON IN VAN BUREN COUNTY TO MOUNTAIN VIEW IN STONE COUNTY TO ZION IN IZARD COUNTY TO HIGHLAND IN SHARP COUNTY. THIS TEAM WILL DETERMINE IF MORE THAN AN EF3 RATING WAS ACHIEVED AT ONE OR MORE LOCATIONS. IN ADDITION...A FLIGHT WILL TAKE PLACE OVER THE ENTIRE DAMAGE PATH TO DETERMINE IF A SINGLE TORNADO WAS RESPONSIBLE...OR IF SEVERAL TORNADOES WERE SPAWNED. IT IS HOPED THAT FINAL DAMAGE RATINGS WILL BE AVAILABLE BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

Looks to be over a 100-mile path using my map software.

[MiamiensisWx]

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/lzk/html/imgviewer2.php?pic=storm020508b

This image may present one of the best cases for EF5 damage in Van Buren County, AR. This was associated with the tornado near Clinton. Note that the Enhanced Fujita Scale utilizes damage to trees and vegetation, unlike the old Fujita Scale. Additionally, lower winds are required for EF5 status in the new scale. This image and other data from the county definitely shows extreme tree damage, including possible loss of bark.

[CrazyC83]

That may indeed be an EF5. If that is one single path, that would be the longest single tornado path in a long time...