MARSHALL, Mich. – A tornado that touched down in Marshall overnight into Wednesday morning caused significant property damage and downed power lines.
According to the National Weather Service, the preliminary findings indicate that the tornado reached max wind gusts of 110 mph, reaching the upper end of the EF-1 rating. There was tree damage and structural damage reported and the tornado track appears to bet four to five miles long.
Michigan State Police said a trooper spotted the tornado early Wednesday, Feb. 28, morning in Morengo Township. There was significant property damage and power outage, but no serious injuries were reported.
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The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office said reports of a tornado sighting came in around 12:35 a.m. The sheriff’s office said significant damage occurred in the area of L Drive North and 19 Mile Road in Lee Township. There was damage to trees, power lines, homes, and barns.
The Calhoun County Road Department cleared roads so first responders could access the area and search for anyone who was injured during the storm. No injuries have been reported.
The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office believes the tornado moved northeast from 17 1/2 Mile Road toward 24 Mile Road in Marengo Township.
“Although roads are starting to open, there continues to be powerlines down along the road or on private yards. Calhoun County Sheriff Steve Hinkley urges individuals to avoid the area to give Consumers Energy time to repair the damage,” the sheriff’s office said on social media.
The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who lives in the area to self-report property damage online at arcg.is.
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How the National Weather Service determines the scale of a tornado
The National Weather Service uses the EF Scale to rate a tornado based on wind speeds and damage.
The Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale) has been used since 2007 and the National Weather Service is the only federal agency with the authority to provide an official EF Scale rating of a tornado.
When the NWS surveys damage from a tornado officials compare the damage to a list of Damage Indicators (DIs) and Degrees of Damage (DoD), which help them estimate the range of wind speeds the tornado likely produced.
The EF scale is a set of wind estimates, not measurements, based on damage. It uses three-second gusts estimated at the point of damage based on a judgment of 8 levels of damage to 28 indicators.
Damage Indicators include barns, homes, mobile homes, motels, fast food restaurants, shopping malls, schools, hardwood trees, softwood trees, and many more.
After the range of wind speeds is determined, they assign an EF-0 to EF-5 rating. The goal is to give the tornado an EF Scale rating based on the highest wind speed that occurred within the damage path.
---> How the National Weather Service determines the scale of a tornado
| EF Rating | 3 Second Gust (mph) |
|---|---|
| EF-0 | 65-85 |
| EF-1 | 86-110 |
| EF-2 | 111-135 |
| EF-3 | 136-165 |
| EF-4 | 166-200 |
| EF-5 | Over 200 |