NWS: Weskan tornado was an EF-1

WESKAN, Kan. (KSNW) – According to a damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service (NWS), the tornado that went through the small town of Weskan has been rated an EF-1.

Thursday evening, more than a dozen small tornadoes were reported in northwest Kansas, southwest Nebraska, and eastern Colorado. There were no reports of deaths or injuries.

After assessing the damage, the NWS concluded that “a multi-vortex tornado impacted the town of Weskan, Kansas, causing damage to the Weskan [High] School, numerous trees, and additional damage to properties in the town.“

Wallace County funnel on May 11 (Courtesy: Blake Mackey)

Wallace County funnel on May 11 (Courtesy: Blake Mackey)

Wallace County funnel on May 11 (Courtesy: Makala Holaday)

The results state that the tornado began at 4:45 p.m. and ended four minutes later. It traveled 1.2 miles and had a width of 30 yards.

The tornado was rated an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale due to peak winds reaching 110 mph:

RatingDamagePeak Wind SpeedEF-0Weak65 – 85 mphEF-1Weak86 – 110 mphEF-2Strong111 – 135 mphEF-3Strong136 – 165 mphEF-4Violent166 – 200 mphEF-5Violent>200 mph

In addition to this strain of tornadoes, as many as 10 tornadoes were reported in central Oklahoma, according to The Associated Press.