Last week’s tornado which sliced through Jefferson County has been rated EF2, meaning it reached wind speeds of 115-125 mph, while the storm system spawning the twister caused an estimated $1.5 million-$2 million in damage in the county, officials said Monday.
The National Weather Service in Omaha gave the tornado the rating after studying photographs and performing on-site inspections in Jefferson County has declared the tornado that struck Jefferson County on Thursday reached from an EF0 rating to an EF2, according to the National Weather Service.
The tornado is believed to have caused an estimated $1.5 million-$2 million in damage, John McKee, Jefferson County Emergency Management coordinator, said.
The tornado in Jefferson County is believed to have started two miles west and a quarter mile north of Reynolds around 10:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the NWS. Maximum estimated wind speed range was 115-125 miles per hour with a 400-yard width and 15 miles in length.
The tornado crossed the Little Blue River and traveled northwest of Fairbury and then eastward where it gained the EF2 rating. The tornado lifted about three miles east and three mile north of downtown Fairbury.
Damage to Jefferson County included snapped and downed trees, downed power lines and poles, destroyed and damaged grain bins, sheds, houses and garages. The Fairbury Municipal Airport was also damaged.
After the tornado lifted, it changed character to wind-producing storm causing damage across eastern Jefferson County and damage in Gage County, the weather service reported.
The tornado was a continuation of the same tornado that moved from Jewell County, Kan., and moved through Republic County, Kan., and Thayer County before entering Jefferson County. In total, the tornado was on the ground for 54 miles, weather service officials said.
“There were a lot of people cleaning up,” McKee said. “Each individual property owner was getting it taken care of.”
The Jefferson County Highway Department spent Friday cleaning up and workers were continuing Monday, McKee said.