National Weather Service Raw Text Product

003 
NOUS43 KIND 031917
PNSIND
INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-040330-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Indianapolis IN
317 PM EDT Mon Apr 3 2023

...NWS Damage Survey for 03/31/23 Sullivan County Tornado Event - 
Update #2...

.Update...After some additional damage reports and surveys, updates
were made to the path length. It was confirmed that the tornado
crossed the Wabash River and entered Sullivan county near
Riverton. 

.Overview...
Thunderstorms developed across Southern Illinois Friday March 31, 
2023. Thunderstorms continued to move northeast across Southeast 
Illinois and crossed into Southwest Indiana in Sullivan County. A
tornado crossed the Wabash River and entered Sullivan County near
Riverton. The tornado continued to track northeast across the 
southern parts of the City of Sullivan before weakening east of 
Sullivan. 

..Sullivan County Tornado...

Rating:                 EF3
Estimated Peak Wind:    155 mph
Path Length /statute/:  13.21 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   3/8 of a mile
Fatalities:             3
Injuries:               1 (Possibly more)

Start Date:             03/31/2023
Start Time:             10:21 PM EDT
Start Location:         2 S Merom / Sullivan County / IN
Start Lat/Lon:          39.031 / -87.5723

End Date:               03/31/2023
End Time:               10:33 PM EDT
End Location:           3 E Sullivan / Sullivan County / IN
End Lat/Lon:            39.097 / -87.3442

Survey Summary: The survey team determined the tornado crossed the 
Wabash River and entered Sullivan County 3 ENE Merom. Near Merom, 
the tornado severely damaged 3 homes and destroyed a modular home 
which was thrown at least 200 yards to destruction. Two occupants of 
this home were killed. Furthermore, a large trailer and several cars 
were thrown tens of yards from their resting location. Many trees 
were sheared approximately 20 to 30 feet off the ground. 

The tornado continued across the southern parts of the City of 
Sullivan. Tens of homes and structures were severely damaged or 
destroyed. The tornado continued to locations southeast of Sullivan, 
again destroying at least 3 homes, including one modular home which 
was thrown at least 150 yards. One occupant of this home was killed, 
while the other was injured. Again, many trees were sheared 20 to 
30 feet off the ground.

Farther east the tornado began to weaken and continued into a wooded 
area, damaging numerous trees before lifting off the ground.

Much damage in the area reached the EF2 scale level (111-135 mph) 
with several locations where winds reached the EF3 scale level (136-
165 mph).

We would like to thank Shane Husband with the Terre Haute Fire 
Department and Christina Carrico with the Sullivan County EMA for 
their assistance to the National Weather Service in performing this 
survey.

&&

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in
NWS Storm Data.


$$