Results of the Jackson, Nebraska Tornado Damage Survey - August 17, 2001

A GROUND AND AERIAL SURVEY OF TORNADO DAMAGE TO JACKSON, NEBRASKA 
WAS COMPLETED TODAY BY NWS SIOUX FALLS METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE GREG 
HARMON.  BASED ON INFORMATION OBTAINED DURING THE DAMAGE SURVEY... 
THE NWS WILL OFFICIALLY RATE THE AUGUST 17 2001 JACKSON NEBRASKA 
TORNADO AS AN F2 ON THE FUJITA SCALE.

THE TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS NORTH OF 
JACKSON...CUTTING A 2 TO 3 BLOCK WIDE PATH OF DAMAGE AS IT CHURNED 
SOUTH THROUGH JACKSON.  FIVE HOMES ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN WERE 
COMPLETELY DESTROYED...WITH SEVERAL OTHERS SUSTAINING VARYING 
DEGREES OF DAMAGE.  THE TORNADO DAMAGE...AND AREAL SURVEY...SEEM TO 
INDICATE THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN...LIFTED 
BRIEFLY...THEN TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 
20...DOING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO AT LEAST ONE COMMERCIAL BUILDING AND 
SEVERAL MORE HOMES.  TOTAL LENGTH OF THE TORNADO PATH WAS 
APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES LONG...ENDING IN A CORN FIELD SOUTH OF 
JACKSON.  SEVERAL EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS PLACE THE TIME THE TORNADO HIT 
JACKSON AS 5:45 PM FRIDAY AUGUST 17 2001.

F2 WIND SPEEDS RANGE FROM 113 TO 157 MPH...CAUSING CONSIDERABLE 
DAMAGE...SUCH AS MOBILE HOMES BEING DEMOLISHED, LARGE TREES SNAPPED 
AND UPROOTED...AND ROOFS TORN OFF FRAME HOUSES.  IN THE CASE OF THE 
JACKSON TORNADO...THE WIND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 130 MPH...AT 
ITS PEAK...IN THE AREA OF HEAVIEST DAMAGE ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN.

THE F-SCALE IS A SCALE OF WIND INTENSITY DEVELOPED BY THE LATE 
PROFESSOR THEODORE FUJITA OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.  
THE F-SCALE RATING IS INFERRED FROM AN ANALYSIS OF WIND DAMAGE. 
THE SCALE RANGES FROM F0...THE WEAKEST...TO F5...THE MOST DAMAGING. 
F0 WIND SPEEDS RANGE FROM 40-72 MPH WHILE THE F5 WIND SPEEDS ARE 
ESTIMATED IN EXCESS OF 260 MPH.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE JACKSON NEBRASKA TORNADO OR THE DAMAGE 
SURVEY...PLEASE CONTACT GREG HARMON AT NWS SIOUX FALLS.

GREG HARMON
METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE
NWS SIOUX FALLS

Originally distributed as a Public Information Statement: August 18, 2001 at 530 pm CDT.

Damage photos in and around Jackson, NE
(Click on image to enlarge)

Aerial view of damage in town.
Heavily damaged homes.	Heavily damaged house and trees.
Basement of damaged house.	Uprooted pine trees.
Damaged mini-van.	Close-up of blown out windows in van.
Car lifted onto house foundation.	Stop sign bent flat to ground.
Aerial view of tornado path in field.	Aerial view of tornado path in field.