01/29/08 DISC: MI / OH / IL / IN / KY / TN / AR

[Sam Sagnella]

Sheesh, widespread reports of significant damage across the region, caused by both thunderstorm and non-thunderstorm winds. Keeping in mind the extreme gradient that existed over the area yesterday (seen in the image MikeH posted in the NOW thread), it's not much of a surprise. Several people have died as a result of the strong winds across the area, and tens of thousands are without power from the Great Lakes southward to Tennessee, although those numbers have definitely come down some since this morning.

WISH-TV (CBS-Indy): "NWS: Preliminary indications of tornado on city's west side"
WEWS-TV (ABC-Cleveland): "High Winds Blamed for Knocking Train into Bay"
The Buffalo News: "Western NY slashed by winds of up to 70mph; 60,000 without power"
Kentucky New Era (Hopkinsville): "High Winds Cause Extensive Damage, Power Outages"

As I was putting this together, the two fatalities in Posey County, IN were attributed to an E-F2 tornado, which had peak winds of 120mph. Path length and width are 6.25 miles and 80 yards, respectively.
http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KPAH/0801301924.nous43.html

 

[Forrest lambert]

i just wanna add to that train derailment that i dont think 50 mph winds knocked over those freight cars, it would take more wind then that to derail them, i used to work for a railroad and grew up with a frieght railroad, i thought i would put my 2 cents in that

 

[Bart_Comstock]

Ft. Chaffee Fire

The winds also help spread a massive fire at Ft. Chaffee, just outside of Ft. Smith, Ar which destroyed over 15o barracks buildings and a few storage buildings as well as a pallet company.

 

[Sam Sagnella]

In addition to the four+ tornadoes, and widespread severe thunderstorm wind damage in association with that squall line last night, PAH has surveyed damage from what they have classified as a 90MPH non-thunderstorm wind (post-fropa) event in the MS River town of Hickman in Fulton Co. KY.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=pah&storyid=12582&source=0

Also, a pretty fascinating (and textbook) minute-by-minute timeline of the storm and cold front passage through Oakwood TN is in an LSR issued by the Nashville Office.
http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KOHX/0801302112.nwus54.html

Finally, an 81MPH wind gust was measured by a EM official with a truck-mounted anemometer in Gibson County IN; just one report among many measured >58MPH gusts across the area.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=ind&storyid=12589&source=0

 

[Joe Nield]

Finally, an 81MPH wind gust was measured by a EM official with a truck-mounted anemometer in Gibson County IN; just one report among many measured >58MPH gusts across the area.
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=ind&storyid=12589&source=0

I surveyed the damage in Martinsville, IN, and wrote the web story that Sam mentions in his link.

The damage in Avon, IN, actually was in the subdivision where I live. Unfortunately, I was napping when the winds hit (shift work will do that to you ) and didn't realize what was going on at first. I will say that it is the only time in the 6 months I've been living there that I was actually a little concerned for my safety. I was fortunate, though, in that I took no damage, although several of my neighbors lost shingles, and a few lost siding. Just a hundred yards or so to my east, several homes had roof, chimney, and siding damage, along with several broken windows and some actual wall damage.