WOOD CO. TORNADO REACHED 160 MPH - Wirt Had High Tree Damage

(09/23/2010)

Last week's tornadoes in Wood and Wirt County left a lot of damage in its wake. Weather experts are saying the tornado was actually one of the worst tornadoes this state has seen in decades. The National Weather Service started keeping records on tornadoes over 40 years ago with a Fujita Scale. The scale was introduced as a way to rate tornadoes on the damage they produce, giving meteorologists the wind speeds connected to the tornado. On a scale of 1 to 5 and it was very close to an EF-4 said officials. The Wood County tornado was rated high EF-3, with wind speeds near 160 miles per hour. One photo showed a steel girder through a pick-up truck. The National Weather Service says there was a tornado of similar magnitude in northern WV in the Preston County region. The National Weather Service said the historic Shinnston tornado was stronger than the Wood County tornado. The state Division of Forestry says the most concentrated tree damage from last Thursday night's tornado is in Wirt County. About 40 acres of timber were destroyed on Highlog Run near the Little Kanawha River. A certified tornado also struck the Palestine area. The area is not far from another 18 acres of timber destroyed just off of Route 5 between Elizabeth and Grantsville along State Rt. 5. See related story from 2003   HIGH VELOCITY TORNADO STRIKES LUBECK - Thirty Homes Damaged

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