STORM2K

2 years ago, a deadly F3 tornado struck Evansville, Indiana, killing 25 people.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/?n=evansvilletornado-nov.6,2005

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evansville_Tornado_of_November_2005

I know there have been deadlier and more intense tornadoes in recent years, but for some reason, I've always felt the Evansville tornado stood out.

The Evansville tornado was basically a worst-case scenario that played out. Add in the fact that 2005 had been a quiet year in regards to tornado activity, plus the fact it was November, this was just a shocking event.

The high death toll was most shocking for me.

It was definitely a tragic worst-case scenario event - a mobile home park in the middle of the night outside of the peak tornado season, with not much pre-warning. It also set off a barrage of activity as well in November with quite a number of outbreaks. 29 people were killed in tornadoes that month.

CrazyC83 wrote:It was definitely a tragic worst-case scenario event - a mobile home park in the middle of the night outside of the peak tornado season, with not much pre-warning. It also set off a barrage of activity as well in November with quite a number of outbreaks. 29 people were killed in tornadoes that month.

I think a tornado warning was issued 15 minutes before it struck. However, being 2AM in the morning, most people were asleep. I read somewhere that those at the mobile home park who did get the warning, said there was nowhere to go.

Another problem was that conditions had not been favorable for tornadoes, so only a severe thunderstorm watch was posted. The problem was that the storm system was a squall line that broke up and allowed supercells to form and produce isolated tornadoes.

HurricaneBill wrote:

CrazyC83 wrote:It was definitely a tragic worst-case scenario event - a mobile home park in the middle of the night outside of the peak tornado season, with not much pre-warning. It also set off a barrage of activity as well in November with quite a number of outbreaks. 29 people were killed in tornadoes that month.

I think a tornado warning was issued 15 minutes before it struck. However, being 2AM in the morning, most people were asleep. I read somewhere that those at the mobile home park who did get the warning, said there was nowhere to go.

Another problem was that conditions had not been favorable for tornadoes, so only a severe thunderstorm watch was posted. The problem was that the storm system was a squall line that broke up and allowed supercells to form and produce isolated tornadoes.

That's correct. There was little evidence that there would be more than severe storms and maybe an isolated tornado or two, so that watch was all that was warranted. Unfortunately, one of the few tornadoes hit Eastbrook Mobile Home Park which was a highly vulnerable target.

Who would have thought, with one of the quiestest tornado years (apart from the tropics) in recent memory up to October, that it would be one mean November that year?