Tornadoes Strike Deep East Texas & Western Louisiana--February 21, 2013

 

An active week of severe weather continued to affect portions of the Four State Region on February 21, 2013.  While still cleaning up from a tornado outbreak on February 18, another strong, late-winter storm system moved across the region spawning severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.  Several instances of straight-line wind damage were recorded in Cherokee County northwest of Wells, TX.  Based on the damage northwest of Wells, wind speeds were estimated to be near 100 mph.

Two tornadoes have been confirmed by survey teams from the National Weather Service:  one in Sabine County, TX, and another in Natchitoches Parish, LA.  Unfortunately, an EF-1 tornado near Pineland, TX, resulted in one fatality.  A 74-year old woman was killed when a tree fell onto her while she was sleeping in her mobile home.
 
Numerous trees down due to straight-line winds northwest of Wells, TX   Tree uprooted northwest of Wells, TX    Large tree broken at the trunk by straight-line winds in Cherokee County, TX
Photos of straight-line wind damage northwest of Wells, TX, in Cherokee County.  Photos are courtesy of Wells Fire Chief Robert Kalka.
Meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Shreveport conducted damage surveys in the days following the storms.  Below is a preliminary report from the findings of the survey.  The report is presented in chronological order of when the tornadoes occurred.  Click here to see a Google Map of confirmed tornado tracks.  More information may be added to this page in the coming days as it becomes available.

TOTAL TORNADO COUNT = 1

EF-1 = 2

  

  

LOCATION
RATING

PEAK WIND

START TIME – END TIME
LENGTH/WIDTH
FATALITIES/INJURIES
REMARKS

5 miles N of Pineland, Sabine County, TX – 3 miles W of Hemphill, Sabine County, TX
 EF-1
104 mph
1:10pm CST - 1:19pm CST
4.5 miles/150 yards
1 fatality/0 injuries

This tornado began as an EF-0 along Charlie Forse Road snapping large tree branches. The tornado intensified to EF-1 as it crossed FM-1 at Strickland Crossing West snapping and uprooting numerous trees. A mobile home was also rolled on its side. 

Other trees fell onto several homes as the tornado continued east along Strickland Crossing West. A 74-year old woman was killed as a result of severe head injuries when a tree fell onto her while she was sleeping in her mobile home.

The tornado continued northeast and finally dissipated along Bennet Road.

20 miles SE of Provencal, Natchitoches Parish, LA
 EF-1
88 mph
3:07pm CST
60 yards/30 yards
None

This tornado began in Vernon Parish about 3.6 miles ESE of Kurthwood. Several branches were broken and a large pine tree were snapped by this tornado in the Kisatchie National Forest in southern Natchitoches Parish
 
 
  

 

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Disclaimer
This survey data is preliminary and subject to change as more information becomes available.  Road accessibility and inconsistencies between mapping and GPS software may limit the accuracy of the tracks plotted on this map. Line widths are not representative of actual tornado widths.  The information plotted on this map is intended for general reference use only.

For official post-storm information, use Storm Data from the National Climatic Data Center.
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