NWS upgrades Moundville tornado to EF2 rating

The National Weather Service in Springfield says an EF2 tornado tore through Moundville on Wednesday, April 2.

This is an update to their preliminary survey, which classified it as an EF1 tornado that also damaged portions of Nevada, Missouri.

Their latest findings found there were two tornadoes:

“A NWS survey team found EF2 tornado damage to a home along Highway F to the southwest of Moundville. The tornado moved northeast damaging a few more homes along with barns and numerous trees as it tracked west and north of Moundville. A second tornado that touched down near the same time to the southeast of this path eventually tracked toward and passed the initial tornado to its east, as determined by ground surveys and satellite damage imagery. This second tornado tracked into the Nevada area, causing extensive damage.”

The NWS says the twister that hit Nevada was rated as an EF1.

“A NWS Survey found that a EF1 tornado touched down north of Bronaugh and tracked northeast on a route just east of a separate tornado that tracked through the Moundville area. Based upon radar, satellite imagery
and ground surveys, the Bronaugh tornado caught up to the initial tornado then continued through Nevada and lifted west of Walker. In its early stages, two separate tornado debris signatures were detected by the KSGF 88D radar. Initially causing damage only to trees and barns, the tornado damaged several homes and outbuildings as it tracked toward Nevada, damaged numerous businesses as it crossed Highway 54 at Nevada. The tornado knocked over two sets of four railroad cars sitting on a side rail to the northeast of Nevada yet nearby trees only suffering limb damage. The tornado continued to damage outbuildings and barns as it tracked across open farmland before lifting near Walker.”

Fortunately, there were no fatalities reported with either tornado.

Below is what the radar looked like when the storm moved through Vernon County: