Williamston tornado rated EF-2
AN NWS SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED IN INGHAM COUNTY FOLLOWING THE TORNADO
THAT OCCURRED ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 18TH. BASED ON EXTENSIVE
DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS AND TREES THE TORNADO WAS RATED EF-2 WITH TOP
WINDS ESTIMATED BETWEEN 120 AND 130 MPH.
THE TORNADO BEGAN JUST NORTHEAST OF MASON AROUND 10:28 PM EDT AND
MOVED NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH THROUGH THE TOWN OF WILLIAMSTON
BETWEEN 10:40 AND 10:45 PM. APPROXIMATELY 100 STRUCTURES WERE
DAMAGED IN A SUBDIVISION ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF WILLIAMSTON. TWO
FATALITIES OCCURRED ABOUT 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF WILLIAMSTON WHERE A
MODULAR HOME AND ITS 2 OCCUPANTS WERE FLIPPED INTO A POND. THE
TORNADO THEN MOVED INTO SHIAWASSEE COUNTY AND DISSIPATED SHORTLY
THEREAFTER.
A TORNADO WATCH HAD BEEN IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF LOWER MICHIGAN SINCE
4:25 PM EDT. A TORNADO WARNING WAS ISSUED AT 10:04 PM EDT AND
SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED THE COMMUNITIES OF MASON AND WILLIAMSTON. A
FOLLOW-UP SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED AT 10:19 PM CONTINUED TO
MENTION THE TORNADO THREAT FOR THESE COMMUNITIES. A NEW TORNADO
WARNING WAS ISSUED AT 10:29 PM TO MENTION THE CONTINUED THREAT FOR
WILLIAMSTON AND FOR THE REST OF NORTHEASTERN INGHAM COUNTY.
THE LAST TIME A FATAL TORNADO OCCURRED IN INGHAM COUNTY WAS ON
AUGUST 14TH 1988...WHEN ONE DEATH RESULTED FROM A TORNADO THAT WAS
RATED F-2 ON THE ORIGINAL FUJITA SCALE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE EF SCALE...PLEASE VISIT
HTTP://WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/EFSCALE/ (ALL LOWER CASE)
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