2012 — Feb 29, Severe Weather, Tornadoes, Harrisburg, IL, KS, KY, MO, NE, TN-12
— 12 CSM. “Rare, night tornadoes hit Harrisburg, Branson, and other Midwest towns.” 3-1-12
— 12 CNN. “Massive storm system claims at least 12.” 2-29-2012.
— 12 CNN. “Massive storm system weakens after 12 deaths.” 3-1-2012.
Illinois (6)
— 6 Harrisburg. CNN. “Massive storm system weakens after 12 deaths.” 3-1-2012.
Missouri (3)
— 1 Buffalo. CNN. “Massive storm system weakens after 12 deaths.” 3-1-2012.
— 1 near Cassville. CNN. “Massive storm system weakens after 12 deaths.” 3-1-2012.
— 1 Puxico. CNN. “Massive storm system weakens after 12 deaths.” 3-1-2012.
Tennessee (3)
— 2 Cumberland County. CNN. “Massive storm system claims at least 12.” 2-29-2012.
— 1 DeKalb County. CNN. “Massive storm system claims at least 12.” 2-29-2012.
CSM, March 1: “Harrisburg, Ill. Jeff Rann had ample warning that terrible weather was approaching before dawn. A frantic call to his wife from his mother-in-law alerted them to reports that a tornado was barreling down, and Rann heard the deafening wail of storm sirens. Rann was among those who survived the weather’s passing assault Wednesday, his home untouched. Yet just two blocks away in the southern Illinois town of Harrisburg, population 9,000, Rann’s parents were not as fortunate. Caught in the relatively uncommon night-time twister, the Ranns were among six people killed Wednesday when blocks of homes in Harrisburg were flattened by overnight storms that raked the nation’s midsection, killing at least 12 people in three states.
“In Harrisburg, which has a rich coal-mining history, Mayor Eric Gregg called the tornado strike “heartbreaking.” The National Weather Service preliminarily listed the tornado as an EF4, the second-highest rating given to twisters based on damage. Scientists said the tornado was 200 yards wide with winds up to 170 mph….
“…in Kansas, much of tiny Harveyville was in shambles from what state officials said was an EF2 tornado packing wind speeds of 120 to 130 mph.
“At least 16 tornados were reported from Nebraska and Kansas across southern Missouri to Illinois and Kentucky, according to the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., an arm of the National Weather Service.” (Christian Science Monitor. “Rare, night tornadoes hit Harrisburg, Branson, and other Midwest towns.” 3-1-2012.)
“(CNN)…. Three deaths Wednesday evening in Tennessee — two in Cumberland County and one in DeKalb County — followed six deaths earlier in Illinois and three in Missouri.
“It was not clear whether tornadoes were responsible for the Tennessee deaths. Several homes were damaged or destroyed in Cumberland County, and there were reports of downed trees and power lines, according to county emergency officials.” (CNN. “Massive storm system claims at least 12.” 2-29-2012.)
“(CNN)…. The death toll from the enormous storm system that plowed through the Midwest and spawned more tornadoes as it moved east was at 12 late Wednesday, authorities said.
“Hardest hit was Harrisburg, Illinois, a town that was thrashed by a pre-dawn killer tornado that packed 180 mph winds. Six people were killed in the southern Illinois city, and many were injured or left with harrowing stories….The dead included four women and two men. The tornado had a preliminary rating of EF4, the second most powerful on the rating scale, according to the National Weather Service. The twister appeared to have been on the ground for several miles, said Harrisburg Mayor Eric Gregg, and the path of destruction was about three or four football fields wide. Debris and collapsed houses littered the ground in the southern part of Harrisburg. Commercial and residential buildings were crushed. A tractor-trailer could be seen laying on its side, off the highway…. According to the sheriff’s office, some 100 people were injured and between 250 and 300 houses were damaged or destroyed. Among the structures hit was the Harrisburg Medical Center. CEO Vince Ashley said the tornado took out 80 feet of exterior wall, exposing patient rooms, and a significant portion of the roof.
“A smaller tornado caused significant damage in the music resort city of Branson, Missouri. Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley took cover with her family in the basement before immediately going out to survey the damage. The city’s entertainment district, which boasts 50 theaters, had five or six damaged, she said. Of the city’s 200 hotels, 15 had significant damage….
“Nearly 200 people were hurt across the region, officials said.
“Two twisters were reported Wednesday night near Hodgenville, Kentucky. Winds in excess of 100 mph were reported in northwestern Alabama.
“At least six counties in Kentucky also suffered storm damage. A shaken and bruised Steven Vaught of Greenville, Kentucky, recounted how he and his two dogs tumbled when his trailer rolled several times down the hill. They all survived. “I got up, took two steps off the couch, and then me and the two dogs that were with me and the trailer started rolling down the hill,” he said.
The trailer rolled over five times….
“An apparent tornado near Cassville, Missouri, left one person dead, the Barry County Sheriff’s Office said. That person was thrown out of a mobile home, the sheriff’s office said.
“One death each has been reported in Buffalo and Puxico, Missouri officials said….
“There were also three deaths Wednesday evening in Tennessee, authorities said….” (CNN. “Massive storm system weakens after 12 deaths.” 3-1-2012.)
Sources:
Christian Science Monitor. “Rare, night tornadoes hit Harrisburg, Branson, and other Midwest towns.” 3-1-2012. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0301/Rare-night-tornadoes-hit-Harrisburg-Branson-and-other-Midwest-towns
CNN. “Massive storm system claims at least 12.” 2-29-2012. Accessed 2-29-2012 at: http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/29/us/severe-weather/
CNN. “Massive storm system weakens after 12 deaths.” 3-1-2012. Accessed 3-1-2012 at: http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/01/us/severe-weather/?hpt=hp_c1