2012 Henryville tornado
| EF4 tornado | |
|---|---|
 View of the EF4 tornado from Memphis, Indiana. | |
| Max rating1 | EF4 tornado |
| Highest winds |
|
| Damage | $58.575 million (2012 USD)[1][2][3][4] |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale
| |
The Henryville Tornado, a violent EF4 stovepipe tornado, was the deadliest tornado of the Tornado outbreak of March 2-3, 2012, which carved a 49 mi (79 km) path of damage from Fredericksburg, Indiana to the Bedford, Kentucky area. Along its track, the tornado destroyed hundreds of homes and killed eleven people. An unknown amount of people were injured. The most severe damage took place in and around the small communities of New Pekin, Henryville, Marysville and Chelsea, Indiana.[5] The tornado tore through 49 miles (79 km), causing heavy damage along its entire path.
Meteorological synopsis[edit]
Before the tornado, the day started out unseasonably warm in Henryville, Indiana.[6] In addition, dew points were in the mid to low 60s°F (16-18 °C) that day.[7] The day before the outbreak, the area was put into a moderate risk of severe weather.[8] A high risk of tornadoes was issued by the Weather Prediction Center before the storm, but this was one of few tornadoes in the area.[9] A closed 850 millibar low in Missouri, Iowa and Indiana helped generate a strong southwesterly flow, and with thermal and moisture advection developing, the atmosphere became destabilized. In addition, wind shear was 40–45 knots (46–52 mph; 74–83 km/h).[8] As such, a PDS Tornado Watch was issued for portions of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky at 1:05 p.m., lasting until 9 p.m. The PDS Tornado Watch also included a risk of hail over 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) in diameter, wind gusts of over 70 miles per hour (110 km/h), and destructive lightning.[10] The supercell that formed the tornado originated in southern Illinois. Small showers appeared in Evansville, and intensified into three supercells further east. By 1:45 p.m. on March 2, the supercells had hooks on them, indicating significant rotation. The tornado first formed in Palmyra, Indiana and continued into Bedford, Kentucky.[11]
Tornado track[edit]
The tornado first touched down in Washington County around 2:50 p.m. EST at the south edge of Fredericksburg, snapping trees at EF1 strength along a narrow path as it moved to the northeast. Several minutes later, the tornado intensified to high-end EF2 strength as it destroyed a metal truss tower and snapped numerous trees. The tornado intensified further as it passed to the north of Palmyra, where it crossed State Route 135 and ripped 6 in (15 cm) thick slabs of asphalt off the roadway and tossed them 10 to 30 yd (9.1 to 27.4 m). Just beyond this point, the tornado path began to widen and tremendous tree damage was observed. Homes in this area sustained damage ranging from EF2 to EF3 in intensity. As it neared the south side of New Pekin, the tornado widened and strengthened even more. By this time, it reached EF4 strength with winds estimated at 170 mph (270 km/h). The tornado clipped the southern fringes of town, and a large factory building was leveled to its foundation with large amounts of debris swept away. A metal building on the edge of the circulation had metal sheeting pulled off, apparently from the force of inbound winds towards the circulation. Several mobile homes and mobile homes were heavily damaged or destroyed in the New Pekin area as well, which led to 5 deaths. As it neared the Clark County border, the tornado produced high-end EF3 to EF4 strength damage to many homes and farmsteads as it traversed rural areas. Several cows missing from this vicinity were never located, and thousands of trees were mowed down along a swath up to a half-mile wide. Outbuildings and grain bins were also destroyed, and a car was thrown 100 yd (91 m) from one residence as well.[5]
The tornado maintained EF4 strength as it crossed into Clark County, completely leveling several well-built homes shortly after crossing the county line. However, the tornado weakened briefly further to the northeast, as two double-wide mobile homes were destroyed at EF2 intensity, while a frame home sustained EF3 damage. One man was killed in one of the mobile homes shortly after he recorded video of the approaching tornado. As the tornado crossed Interstate 65, it restrengthened to EF4 intensity and serious injuries occurred as multiple vehicles were tossed and semi-trucks were flipped. The highway was closed for hours, and multiple people had to be extracted from their crumpled vehicles.
Immediately east of the interstate, the tornado ripped through the town of Henryville, resulting in devastating damage throughout the town. The Henryville school complex was in the process of being dismissed as the tornado approached the community, and sustained EF4 structural damage including total destruction of its cafeteria, however most of the staff and students had already left the area by the time the tornado struck. One bus driver saved numerous student's lives by returning to the school. The small group of students that returned and took shelter in the school building survived without injury, despite being inside as it was destroyed around them. Many cars in the school parking lot were thrown and destroyed, one of which had a wooden beam speared through its hood and out of its undercarriage. One school bus was thrown through the front wall of a nearby restaurant, while a gas station, several large metal industrial buildings, and multiple other businesses and structures in town were severely damaged or destroyed. One piece of tree word slammed into a tree to form a perfect cross.[12] Numerous homes in and around Henryville were destroyed, and some were flattened or swept from their foundations. The tornado was at its most intense stage when in the Henryville area, with winds estimated at 175 mph (282 km/h). Damage surveyors found evidence of very intense multiple vortices as the tornado entered the community. Massive deforestation occurred in heavily wooded areas around town, and debris from Henryville was found as far east as Ohio.[5]
Past Henryville, the tornado dramatically weakened and lost its ominous shape, taking on a narrow rope-like appearance and inflicting only EF1 damage. However, this phase was short-lived as the tornado quickly re-intensified into a high-end EF3 storm with a dramatic multiple-vortex structure. The tornado moved east and struck the small town of Marrysville. EF3 damage continued to the east of Marysville as several homes and double-wide mobile homes were destroyed, with debris from the mobile homes was scattered up to a mile downwind. The tornado then briefly entered Scott County, regaining EF4 intensity and killing a man in the complete destruction of his frame home, obliterating five mobile homes, and severely damaging two other frame homes. The tornado then briefly crossed back into Clark County, causing major damage to two homes and several power poles before entering Jefferson County as an EF4.
In Jefferson County, the tornado skirted the south edge of the small community of Chelsea, completely leveling several well-built homes. An above ground pool missing from this area after the tornado was never found, and multiple trees were ripped out of the ground by their roots and thrown. One other person was also killed at another home in the Chelsea area as well. The tornado then narrowed, weakened to EF2 intensity, and crossed into Trimble County, Kentucky, destroying barns, mobile homes, and downing many trees and power lines before dissipating near the town of Bedford.[5]
Impact[edit]
In New Pekin, Indiana, an entire family of five were killed when their mobile home was destroyed.[13] The Saint Francis church sustained $250,000 in damage.[14] The tornado was described to have went from a beautiful weather day to pitch black in 15 to 20 minutes.[15] The Henryville High School was destroyed within a minute with multiple videos capturing the destruction.[16] However, due to an early dismissal, there were no casualties at the school.[17] Cable access was shut off during the storm.[18] One car dealership saw 84 cars destroyed. Despite the destruction in Henryville, however, only one person died.[19] However, many residents only barely survived and sustained severe injuries in the process.[20] Despite this, many residents were thankful the tornado wasn't worse than it was, and that their lives were spared.[21] In Marysville, Indiana the tornado moved the church off the foundation. Many homes were described as “destroyed beyond repair”, however no lives were lost in Marysville[22] despite some saying the town was “completely gone”.[23] One farmhouse in Lexington, Indiana was completely destroyed, killing 3 people.[24]
Aftermath[edit]
Days after the outbreak, a New Pekin resident began helping others recover lost items through a Facebook page called "I Found Your Memory."[25] Relief centers were opened in the heart of Henryville with the Henryville Community Church becoming the main center over the next weeks and months. On March 8, a long term recovery group, March2Recovery was formed to deal with the aftermath and rebuilding in the five affected counties. By March 14, FEMA deployed mobile disaster recovery centers across areas affected by the tornado outbreak. One of these centers was planned to be opened up on March 16 in New Pekin.[26] A local baseball team in southern Indiana began raising money on March 14 to help those injured pay for their medical fees.[27] International aid even came from countries such as Germany and Singapore.[28]
The elementary school was rebuilt within five months, and a museum was built to commemorate the tornado.[29] The town was able to mostly rebuild after two years, partly due to citizens stepping up to clean up debris following the tornado.[15] The diner that had a bus thrown into it was renamed the “Budroe’s Bus Stop”, and attracted many customers from across the country who wanted to see and hear stories of the bus being thrown.[30] A remembrance ceremony was held ten years after the tornado.[31]
See also[edit]
- Evansville tornado outbreak of November 2005 - Another deadly tornado event in southern Indiana
- 1974 Super Outbreak - Saw many intense tornadoes in southern Indiana
References[edit]
- ↑ Storm Events Database, NOAA
- ↑ Storm Events Database, NOAA
- ↑ Storm Events Database, NOAA
- ↑ Storm Events Database, NOAA
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "March 2, 2012 Tornado Outbreak". National Weather Service office in Louisville, Kentucky. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2012.
- ↑ Henryville residents recall 2012 tornado outbreak, WishTV, March 2, 2017
- ↑ National Weather Service Raw Text Product, Iowa Environmental Mesonet
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 March 2, 2012: Ten Years Later, ArcGIS, January 6, 2022
- ↑ 5 year anniversary of the Henryville tornado, WLKY, March 2, 2017
- ↑ Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Tornado Watch 58, Storm Prediction Center, March 2, 2012
- ↑ Analyzing the March 2 Tornadoes on the 8th Anniversary, WDRB, March 2, 2020
- ↑ 5 homes, 3 generations, 1 horrific day: Family reflects on devastating 2012 Henryville tornado WDRB, March 1, 2022
- ↑ Child found in field after tornado dies, CBSNews.com; retrieved October 26, 2015.
- ↑ 10 years after devastating tornado, Henryville rebuilt but forever changed, IndyStar, March 2, 2022
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Community reflects on Henryville tornado 10 years after disaster, News and Tribune, March 2, 2022
- ↑ Incredible Views of Henryville High School during the EF-4 Tornado., Fox41Blogs, March 24, 2012
- ↑ 'Like a nightmare' | Former Henryville students, principals remember impact of 2012 tornado on school, WDRB, March 2, 2022
- ↑ 'I know exactly what you’re going through' | Henryville students show support for western Kentucky, WTHR, December 17, 2021
- ↑ 10 years later: Henryville remembers deadly 2012 tornado that devastated community, WLKY, March 2, 2022
- ↑ Henryville residents remember devastating tornado, 8 years later, WDRB, March 2, 2020
- ↑ Indiana tornado victims count their blessings, USA Today, November 21, 2012
- ↑
John Hoeffel (March 3, 2012). "In Marysville, Ind.: Tornadoes take toll but, amazingly, no lives". LA Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
1891 Marysville Christian Church...pastor...said..."I hope to build bigger and better."
Unknown parameter|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Reeves, Jay (March 2, 2012). "Tornado rakes Southern Indiana; Marysville, town of 1,900, 'completely gone'". Huffington Post. Associated Press. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
- ↑ Part 3: 2012 Henryville tornado reshaped lives and landscape, IndyStar, March 2, 2017
- ↑ "Facebook helps tornado survivors find lost items". ABC Local News (WLS-TV). Associated Press. March 12, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
- ↑ "FEMA mobile center in Holton Wednesday, New Pekin Friday". Courier Journal. March 14, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
- ↑ Jim Johnson (March 14, 2012). "CHS baseball team aids tornado survivors". Journal Review. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
- ↑
"Volunteers from around the world working in Memphis, Ind". WHAS11.com. March 9, 2012. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved 2012-03-11.
Nearly 15 homes on Broadway were damaged along with barns and trees.
Unknown parameter|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 10 years later | Survivors remember the deadly Indiana tornado outbreak of 2012, Whas11, March 2, 2022
- ↑ Henryville: Five years later, how a courageous community survived devastating tornadoes, WTHR, March 3, 2017
- ↑ Henryville tornado survivors remember the day their lives changed 10 years ago, Wave3, March 6, 2022
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