Friday, was a "down day" per say as I toured damage still evident in Kirksville, MO from a tornado earlier this month. Kirksville really got spared as a rain-wrapped tornado just brushed the north-side of town back on May 13th. The tornado's path took it through a GM auto-dealership (Jim Robertson) and a small subdivision along U.S. 63. Agree, with the NWS damage survey of a E-F1 (86- 110 mph) tornado intensity based on damage still apparent yesterday in Kirksville proper and also agree it was near E-F2 (111-135 mph) as it moved east. Roofs of houses definitely took a beating, trees limbs missing from many trees, and still notable damage at the dealership. I was chasing this same supercell earlier this month only to be disappointed thanks to an extensive tree-line and the tornado being rain-wrapped that blocked my view. It did produce a very nice wall cloud however before it began dropping brief tornadoes along it's path across northern Missouri that I observed. I've added a few photos from yesterday's damage tour below:
(Just goes to show you the intensity of a tornado)
This house took a direct hit no doubt
Amazed to find debris still tangled in some trees weeks later
After stopping to take a few photos I began the long drive back home to catch some photogenic thunderstorms developing along a weak cold front in central Illinois. I'll be posting some of those photos shortly...
