Weekend storm produced 2 tornadoes in Lafayette County, NWS says

Published 9:00 am Tuesday, April 17, 2018

After further investigation to damage left in the wake of Saturday’s early morning storm, the National Weather Service determined that two tornadoes touched town in Lafayette County.

Tornado sirens went off at about 4:50 a.m. Lafayette County Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Quarles said most of the damage first appeared to be caused by straight-line winds. However, after closer inspection by Emergency Management and NWS, it was determined two tornadoes caused much of the damage in the northeastern part of the county.

According to the NWS, the first tornado registered as an EF1 with peak winds at 90 mph. It started at 4:48 a.m. Saturday in a wooded area west of County Road 215. The tornado damaged the roofs of several homes and farm buildings and destroyed three smaller outbuildings. The tornado crossed the road and damaged a home while uprooting several trees in the area before dissipating about a quarter of a mile east of CR 215.

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At 4:49 a.m., a weaker tornado touched down and moved along Highway 30 to the east and north of Oxford. The tornado registered as an EF0 with peak winds reaching about 75 mph. It uprooted several trees and caused minor roof damage to a few homes along Highway 30.

Both tornadoes lasted about a minute before dissipating.

The tornadoes broke three utility poles and downed power lines on CR 215 and along Highway 30, causing power outages for about 1,500 homes.