Weather Service Confirms Tornado in Effingham, Fayette County

(THE HOME OF RETIRED CHIEF CIRCUIT JUDGE GENE SCHWARM NORTH OF ST. PETER WAS AMONG THE STRUCTURES DAMAGED BY TUESDAY'S STORMS)

The National Weather Service office in St. Louis has confirmed an EF-2 tornado occurred in Fayette County and an EF-1 twister Tuesday afternoon.

A strong tornado developed around 7 miles southeast of Vandalia, Illinois around 4:20 PM and traveled northeast to the Fayette/Effingham County line by 4:34 PM. The first tornado damage observed was near the intersection of E1050 Avenue and N1375 Street where a greenhouse lost portions of its roofing material and suffered other minor damage. The tornado continued northeast toward Gatch Lake causing damage to several outbuildings and one single family residence. The width of the tornado increased to nearly 100 yards wide and the strength increased from EF0 to EF1 during this time period. The tornado continued northeast causing mainly tree damage until it reached a farm along E1200 Avenue near N1780 Lane. Here a barn and several silos were destroyed, along with a single wide mobile home. The damage was rated EF2. Thankfully there were no occupants in the mobile home at the time of the tornado. The tornado continued northeast destroying another outbuilding, with the debris being tossed downwind hundreds of yards into the open field.

The greatest tornado damage occurred to the residence of retired Chief Circuit Judge Gene Schwarm near the intersection of Illinois Highway 185 and E1250 Avenue. The tornado destroyed their garage, ripped their roof and southeast walls off of their home. This damage was also rated EF2 with winds estimated to be 125 mph.

The tornado began to weaken as it moved northeast only causing minor damage to an outbuilding and downing trees in a narrow path, less than a hundred yards wide, to the county line.

An EF-2 tornado is rated a "significant" storm with winds ranging from 111 to 135MPH.

The tornado crossed from eastern Fayette County into Effingham County at 4:34 pm. The tornado did EF-1 damage in southwest Effingham County. It remained on the ground for more than 7 miles and dissipated at 4:41 pm 3.4 miles northwest of Mason.The tornado destroyed 5 outbuildings, a large grain bin, and a garage about one-half mile east-northeast of where it entered southwest Effingham County. The tornado also damaged the windows of a home and an automobile. As the tornado tracked to the east-northeast around 60 mph it damaged three additional farmsteads, where it damaged or destroyed six additional outbuildings, a camper, an unoccupied trailer, and numerous trees. The tornado dissipated in a forested area.

Peak winds from the storm in Effingham County were estimated at 111MPH.

Weather Service officials combed Fayette and Effingham Counties Wednesday to determine just what caused the damage through the southern parts of both counties.