- Rating: EF-1
- Location: Coe, WV (about 5 miles NNE of Richwood)
- County: Nicholas
- Start Time: 10:58 p.m.
- Estimated Peak Wind: 110 mph
- Path Length: 1,300 yards
- Path Width Maximum: 100 yards
- Fatalities: 0
- Injuries: 1
Details from NWS storm survey: The tornado touched down several times during the path. When it was on the ground, trees were blown down as well as snapped off above the ground. Between the times it was not on the ground, little tree damage was seen during the survey. One camper as well as several trucks were hit by the falling trees.
Radar Imagery
Panel of storm at time of tornado - click/tap on image for full resolution (Clockwise from top left: Base Reflectivity 0.5 degree, Base Velocity 0.5 degree, NROT 0.5 degree, Spectrum Width 0.5 degree)
Panel loop - click/tap on image for full resolution (Clockwise from top left: Base Reflectivity 0.5 degree, Base Velocity 0.5 degree, NROT 0.5 degree, Spectrum Width 0.5 degree):
Base Reflectivity Analyzed
A classic QLCS-embedded tornado situated in extreme northeastern Nicholas County. Though this was not an easy tornado to detect, a hook just south of the inflow notch of this storm just north of downtown Richwood could be seen on the 10:58 p.m. radar image above.
Although there is weak rotation shown along the QLCS as the tornado was forming, this was the scan with the least high NROT values in the nearby area, with a peak of only 0.81 north of downtown Richwood. A well-defined area of more well-defined rotation can be easily seen on the summation product.
Base Velocity Analyzed
Strong to damaging wind gusts could be found anywhere along this QLCS in Nicholas County, with widespread winds of 50 to 65 mph on Base Velocity a few thousand feet above ground level. Though there is no tight rotation shown, 34 knots of gate-to-gate shear was recorded on radar just north of downtown Richwood where the tornado was forming at 10:58 p.m.
Normalized Rotation Analyzed
Although there is weak rotation shown along the QLCS as the tornado was forming, this was the scan with the least high NROT values in the nearby area, with a peak of only 0.81 north of downtown Richwood. A well-defined area of more well-defined rotation can be easily seen on the summation product.
Spectrum Width Analyzed
Spectrum Width was particularly helpful in determining areas of interest within this storm, with the increase in SW values along the gust front itself denoting where wind is being kicked out along the QLCS and a nice blistering of SW values where the tornado is likely forming just north of Richwood.
