Couple killed in tornado; more bad weather in forecast
Published: 3/12/2006 11:37:50 AM
ST. MARY, Mo. (AP) - A Missouri woman says she had just enough time to rush her family into the basement after a tornado warning sounded.
Virginia Moore was lucky. Her house suffered only minor damage.
But a husband and wife weren't as lucky. They were killed when their pickup truck was blown off Highway 61 near St. Mary, about 80 miles south of St. Louis. Officials say a twister hurled the truck beneath a roadside propane tank.
Also near St. Mary, mobile homes were tossed about and a brick ranch house was split in half. Several people were injured.
Across the Mississippi River in Illinois, a tornado damaged several homes and businesses in the small town of Fults. One person was hurt.
More bad weather is in the forecast tonight. One meteorologist says it may even be worse than last night.
http://www.fox6.com/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=AE1A50A8-7171-4FEB-BC5B-AAF0635C195C&rss=tick
Tornado reported in Springfield; power out
From Tribune staff and wire reports
Tribune staff reporter
Published March 13, 2006, 3:42 AM CST
Severe storms across the Midwest packed winds that knocked over airplanes, ripped roofs off homes and spawned tornadoes that killed three people.
In Illinois, a tornado caused widespread power outages and damage Sunday night to buildings on the south side of Springfield, according to a dispatcher with the Sangamon County 911 center, but he could not say if anyone was seriously injured.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-060313weather,1,1664777.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Tornado Tears Through Benton County
Homes Destroyed in Bentonville
Ty Hampton carries a dog named "Dixie" belonging to his sister, Cara Conly, and brother-in-law, Clay Conly, out of their house Sunday, March 12, 2006, in the College Place subdivision in Bentonville. The Conly's home was one of several in the subdivision that received heavy damage from a tornado Sunday. None of the Conlys were injured in the tornado.
The Morning News
A full moon and stars shone through clouds late Sunday night, only minutes after the same sky produced a large tornado that tore across Benton County, damaging buildings and homes.
The storm, which also brought large hail, strong straight wind and intense lightning, produced a twister that touched down near Gentry at 9:50 p.m. The storm then sped across the county at nearly 45 mph, damaging homes and buildings in Centerton, Bentonville, Little Flock and Avoca before moving off through Carroll County and into Missouri.
In all, the storm lasted 45 minutes in Benton County. There was at least one confirmed injury at press time.
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/03/13/news/regional/02tornado.txt
With tornado season here, Tuesday drill will remind us
By Phillip O'Connor
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/12/2006
After a year when weather patterns often dominated the nation's attention, Missouri and Illinois residents now have something new to look forward to climate-wise.
Tornado season.
On Tuesday afternoon, sirens will wail, schoolchildren will huddle in hallways and an electronic tone will be broadcast over television, radio and weather stations in Missouri. The annual springtime drill is designed to check emergency communication systems, but also to remind the public that we're entering a dangerous time of year.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/35DE16FB62746C50862571300021897A?OpenDocument
Tornado confirmed in Branson
An F-0 tornado touched down around Branson on Saturday night downing trees and power lines, Doug Cramer, National Weather Service meteorologist, confirmed today.
The tornado crossed over into southern Stone County, too.
A survey team is assessing the damage and will have more information this evening. Cramer did not know of any injuries caused by the tornado.
There were reports of damage caused by golf-ball size hail driven by winds in excess of 70 miles an hour, Cramer said.
?There were several people who experienced large hail that was driven into the siding of their homes,? Cramer said. ?Whenever you get hail that large and it?s driven by strong winds it makes it even more destructive, and that?s what was tearing up the homes.?
More severe weather is expected today.
?There?s a potential for more development into Southwest Missouri today,? Cramer said.
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch in effect until 10 p.m. for the following counties in the area: Barry, Barton, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Stone, Taney, Vernon, Webster and Wright.
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060312/BREAKING01/60312005
Tornado Watches Issued For Most of North Central Arkansas
Little Rock, AR - The National Weather Service (website/news) has issued tornado watch in effect until 10 pm this evening for 23 counties in Arkansas:
In Central Arkansas:
Conway Faulkner Perry Pope White Yell
In Eastern Arkansas:
Jackson Woodruff
In North Central Arkansas:
Baxter Boone Cleburne Fulton Independence Izard Marion Newton Searcy Sharp Stone Van Buren
In Western Arkansas:
Johnson Logan Scott
A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible warnings.
According to the National Weather Service, storms with very large hail and strong toviolent tornadoes are possible later this afternoon and evening. Storms are expected to move rapidly across Oklahoma into northwest Arkansas by late afternoon.
Stay tuned to Channel Seven throughout the day for the very latest severe weather developments.
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0306/309881.html
