Catastrophic storm damage across Virginia, Carolinas, and Texas to the Gulf Coast, 26 confirmed tornadoes, US
A deadly storm system which already wreaked havoc across the South and East Coast, killing three people, continued moving north, sprouting tornadoes, accompanied by intense wind gusts and dangerous thunderstorms. 5 more people were reported dead while numerous others suffered injuries. Reported damage is catastrophic.
At least 26 tornadoes have been confirmed by the National Weather Service (NWS) from Texas to the Gulf Coast states, the Carolinas, and Virginia, as of February 25, 2016. The NWS survey is still underway, and more tornadoes will likely be confirmed soon.
At least six tornadoes have caused an EF2 or stronger class of damage, including those reported in Lamar County, Mississippi, and Convent, Louisiana on February 23. A tornado that ripped through Pensacola, Florida on the same day was rated at least EF3.
Video credit: WTVR.TV/Fox News
Four people died in Waverly, Virginia, after their mobile home was hit by a suspected tornado, on February 24, according to the police in Sussex County. Downed trees and extensive damage was reported in the area. The debris field was reportedly almost 5 km (about 3 miles) long. Significant damage was also observed in Tappahannock, and at least 20 injuries were reported during the evening of February 24 (local time).
Video credit: Weather Nation
Bob Henson, the Weather Underground meteorologist, stated that Wednesday, February 24, was the deadliest day from tornadoes in Virginia since the April 27, 2011 Superoutbreak. A state of emergency was declared in Virginia.
Violent thunderstorms spread into the Northeast and all the way to New England on the night of February 24. Toppled trees and widespread power outages were reported across the affected areas.
Deadly February tornadoes were first on record in Virginia
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY 8:46 AM EST February 25, 2016 https://t.co/xsdxRNwKEj— Link Worx Seo (@LinkWorxSeo) February 25, 2016
Wind gusts of 111 km/h (69 mph) were recorded in Boston, 120.7 km/h (75 mph) at South Glastonbury, Connecticut while 133.5 km/h (83 mph) was reported at the Blue Hill Observatory, Milton, Massachusettes on the morning of February 25 (local time). Over 70 000 households reported power outages in Connecticut on February 25.
Video credit: SoutheasternSky.com
One person died, after getting hit by a falling tree, in Darlington County, South Carolina. Several buildings collapsed in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, although, luckily, no injuries were reported from the event. As the cold front moved through eastern Pennsylvania, temperatures dropped from 13.3 to 7.8 °C (from 56 to 46 °F) in only 3 hours.
Video credit: CBSNewYork.com
On February 25, early morning (local time), the NWS in Caribou, issued a first severe thunderstorm warning for the month of February in their 17 years of work in the north and Downeast Maine. More than 7 000 households were left without electricity on February 25.
Featured image: Extensive damage in Pensacola, Florida, February 24, 2016. Image credit: Fox News
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