Three tornadoes confirmed in New Madrid, Stoddard counties last week

SIKESTON. Mo. — The National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, confirmed six tornadoes touched down in the region during last week’s severe thunderstorms.

And of those, three were confirmed in New Madrid and Stoddard counties.

On March 9, a cold front moved into the area, helping ignite thunderstorms and some supercells during the late afternoon over Missouri, the Weather Service said. These storms quickly merged and swept east-southeast over Southeast Missouri and far western Kentucky.

“There have been six confirmed tornadoes so far from this event, and there may end up being more,” the Weather Service said. “Additional surveys are planned in Southeast Missouri this week. There were also numerous reports of damaging winds and large hail.

“The strongest two tornadoes impacted Fulton County, Kentucky, including the town of Hickman. These were both confirmed as EF-2s and were associated with a supercell storm that was embedded within the line of storms moving out of Missouri.”

In New Madrid County, an EF2 tornado struck 11.5 miles east of New Madrid and went aloft 3.5 miles southwest of Hickman, according to the Weather Service.

Extensive tree damage occurred along the Mississippi River. A few farm sheds were destroyed, and power lines and poles were blown over. Several grain bins were destroyed as tornado winds peaked at 120 mph. The path length was 9.8 miles, and its width was 250 yards.

The first tornado that touched down in New Madrid County also was the weaker of the two. The EF1 tornado peaked at 95 mph and touched down from 8:10 to 8:12 p.m. about 3 miles west of Kewanee and went aloft 1.75 miles west of Kewanee, the Weather Service said.

A house roof was partially removed, and a small section of fencing was blown over. Several trees were uprooted, and underpinning was blown from underneath a nearby mobile home.

In Stoddard County, an EF1 tornado touched down from 7:28 to 7:46 p.m. 7 miles west of Bernie and lifted 4.5 miles east of Bernie. Farm machine sheds were leveled, and several homes in Bernie sustained minor to moderate damage, ranging from loss of shingles to blown-out windows and walls, the Weather Service said. Trees were uprooted or snapped.

The tornado winds peaked at 105 mph, and its path was 11.5 miles long and 300 yards wide.

The Butler County tornado touched down 2.5 miles southwest of Broseley and went aloft 1.75 miles southeast of Broseley. A farm machine shed was leveled, with other sheds or small structures damaged or destroyed. Large irrigation piping was blown hundreds of feet in several directions. At least four houses sustained minor to moderate damage to roofs, siding and windows. Trees were uprooted.

No injuries or deaths were reported in any of the six tornadoes.