| Duration: | 48 minutes |
| Formed: | November 17, 2013, 10:59 am. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Dissipated: | November 17, 2013, 11:47 am. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Basin: | atl |
| Winds: | 190mph |
| Fujita-Scale: | EF4 |
| Category: | 4 |
| Deaths: | 3 |
| Injuries: | 125 |
| Year: | 2013 |
| Damages: | $935 million (2013 USD) |
| Affected: | East Peoria, Washington, Roanoke, Benson, Minonk, Dana, Long Point, Illinois |
The 2013 Washington, Illinois tornado was an unusually violent and powerful tornado that caused catastrophic damage to the city of Washington and several farmsteads in rural central Illinois during the early afternoon of November 17, 2013. The tornado resulted in three fatalities and injured 125 people. This tornado was one of the two violent tornadoes in the Tornado outbreak of November 17, 2013 and was the strongest, costliest, and longest-tracked tornado. The tornado was the eighth violent tornado of the below-average yet destructive year of 2013.
The intense supercell responsible for the tornado first produced at 10:59 am CDT 2.5 miles east of North Pekin, it crossed I-474, intensifying to a strong EF2 tornado. The tornado crossed I-74, where it strengthened to an EF3; some homes suffered severe damage north of the interstate, fluctuating between EF2-EF3 strength as it passed near East Peoria. As it entered Washington, the tornado became violent as some homes in the Woodridge Trace subdivision were leveled; the tornado continued northeast, destroying an apartment complex and leveling an auto parts store before intensifying to a peak intensity of 190 mph (310 km/h), numerous well-built homes were demolished, rows of houses were leveled and swept away. The tornado maintained a high-end EF4 intensity through Washington. After leaving the city, the intensity remained the same, obliterating farmstead north of Washington. Soon, the tornado weakened, fluctuating between EF2 to EF3 strength; some homes either received minor to significant damage as the tornado passed near the towns of Roanoke, Minonk, and Dana. The violent tornado dissipated 48 minutes after touching down east of Long Point at 11:47 am CDT, covering a path length of approximately 46.2 miles (74.35 km) and reached a maximum peak width of 0.5 miles (880 yd) [1]
The tornado also caused $935 million (2013 USD) in damages ($1.23 billion adjusted for inflation); it caused $800 million in damage in Washington alone, becoming one of the costliest tornadoes of all time.[2] [3] The tornado was the first violent tornado to occur in November for the state of Illinois and the first violent tornado in November since Madisonville F4 in 2005.[4] [5] The tornado was also the strongest tornado to occur in November in the state of Illinois since 1950.
Based on computer models, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) began to assess the possibility of a widespread severe weather event for November 17 as early as November 12, though too much uncertainty existed at the time to delineate the probability and scale of the event.[6] As models gained a better consensus, the SPC later anticipated substantial increase in atmospheric instability along the periphery of a potential cold front, indicating the risk of damaging wind gusts and tornadoes.[7] Additional confidence over the next 24 hours resulted in a substantial expanding of this risk area into the lower Great Lakes on November 14, valid for Day 4. The overlap of increasing moisture in the atmosphere, wind shear, and high levels of CAPE were expected to contribute to the potential severe weather.[8] The development supercells and later squall lines was anticipated, and was also expected to impact the Mid-Atlantic states.[9] At around midday on November 15, the SPC issued a slight risk for severe weather for the 16th in regions concentrated primarily around Iowa and Missouri, forecasting the possibility of storms particularly during the evening to overnight hours of November 16.[10] The system associated with those storms was to track eastward and strengthen, as a result, the SPC also issued a Day 3 slight risk earlier on November 15 for a large swath of the Eastern United States in effect for November 17. The slight risk included a 30% chance of severe thunderstorm activity was forecast for an area concentrated on Indiana and Ohio.
With the overall upper-level system expected to track eastward across the United States High Plains on November 17, the SPC issued a slight risk for severe thunderstorm activity for an area surrounding the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, valid for the early morning hours of the day on November 17. Model data indicated the weakening of the capping inversion coinciding with increasing instability and wind shear, which would lead to the enhanced potential for storms and tornadoes as the night progressed and the low-level jet strengthened.[11] This overnight severe weather largely failed to develop, leading to only a very few isolated reports. However, at 0600 UTC on November 17, the SPC upgraded to a high risk for severe weather on the 17th (the second latest date in the year a high risk has been issued since 2000, and the latest in the Midwest) for regions of Illinois, Indiana, southwestern Michigan, and western Ohio, in anticipation of conditions becoming increasingly favorable for a significant tornado outbreak;[12] this area of high risk was expanded at 1300 UTC to encompass a roughly circular region of the United States Midwest containing nearly 19 million people.[13] Those same regions were listed as having at least a 30% chance of tornadoes, coupled with a 45% chance for wind. The issuance of a high-risk zone reflected the anticipation of an intense upper-level trough and a strong mid-level jet stream producing highly conducive conditions for the development and prolonging of severe weather.
This long-lived super-cell produced five tornadoes along its 219 miles path, the strongest and longest tracked tornado being the Washington, Illinois tornado.
The supercell that produced the tornado initiated over Brown County, Illinois at 9:20 am CDT and started organizing as it approached Peoria, it would develop a mesocyclone and maintain it for over 50 miles.[14] Then at 10:52 am CDT, the supercell produced a strong but short-lived EF2 tornado over at Pekin, the tornado touched down north of State Highway 9, mainly uprooting trees and downing power lines before it crossed the Illinois River. The tornado made it across the river into the residential side of Pekin. It rapidly strengthened to mid-range EF2 intensity roofs were ripped off of brick homes and an apartment complex suffered significant roof damages. Afterward, it weakened down, causing EF0-EF1 damage to trees and infrastructures before dissipating, the tornado was on the ground for two minutes and reached a width of 100 yards, no one died but ten people were injured by this tornado as well and $45 million in property damages.[15] [16] After the dissipation of the Pekin tornado, the super-cell quickly recycled and soon dropped the Washington tornado.
After the Washington tornado dissipated, the supercell recycled and produced another tornado near Coal City at 12:22 pm CDT. The tornado traveled northeast, uprooting several softwood trees at EF0 intensity. It crossed E Reed Road where a home sustained minor roof damages at EF1 strength, a nearby metal building also received some damage to its roof and exterior walls. The tornado crossed Berta Rd, and along this road, it intensified to an EF2 tornado as a home suffered significant damage, crossing E Spring Rd, the tornado entered a subdivision of homes at mid-range EF2 strength, several homes in this subdivision either sustained partial roof loss, or the second story walls of the home collapsed. Along State Route 113, many businesses suffered considerable damage. An RV dealership had numerous vehicles damaged and flipped over, a two-story home had its roof ripped away some portions of the walls collapsed, a model home was shifted off its foundation and a manufactured home lost its roof. As the tornado moved northeast approaching I-55, it caused widespread tree damage that occurred near the road, the tornado lifted northwest of Symerton at 12:33 pm CDT. The tornado was on the ground for 12.4 miles and had estimated wind speeds of 125mph, reaching a peak width of 200 yards and causing $12.75 million in damages.[17] [18]
The supercell produced its final tornado at 12:47 pm CDT southeast of Manhattan. Upon touching down, the tornado rapidly intensified to mid-range EF2 strength. A home on W Burns Rd sustained major roof loss, with walls partially collapsing. On S Schoolhouse Rd, four high-tension power line towers were bent, and near W Draffle Rd, two houses and a barn received heavy damage, with large portions of their roofs sheared away. The tornado then weakened to high-end EF1 intensity as it damaged a farm, causing significant roof damage. It lifted after traveling 5.4 miles, with a peak width of 200 yards, and caused $750,000 in damages. The estimated wind speed was 125 mph (201 km/h). [19] The supercell was eventually absorbed by a squall line and dissipated over Lake Michigan.[20]
The supercell produced the tornado at 10:59 a.m. CDT, causing minor roof damage to homes paralleling W Muller Rd. After crossing the road, the tornado quickly intensified to high-end EF1 strength, uprooting multiple trees and causing the bedroom walls of a home to collapse due to flying debris from a roof, compromising the structure. The tornado then crossed I-474 and moved onto Harris Rd, causing light roof damage to homes along the road. The tornado abruptly intensified to high-end EF2 strength, snapping power poles and causing significant roof damage to homes on Marla St. The tornado slightly weakened to mid-range EF2 intensity, with estimated wind speeds up to 120mph, snapping power poles and continuing to cause significant roof damage to homes along Pinecrest Dr. After crossing I-74, the tornado uprooted and snapped many trees, then intensified to mid-range EF3 intensity with wind speeds up to 150 mph (241 km/h), collapsing the roof of a house into the structure, leveling most of it. A poorly built home along Helene Ct was completely leveled by the tornado. One house suffered major damage as the upstairs exterior walls collapsed, along with some of the interior walls. A long row of trees was uprooted and fell into a ravine as the tornado continued to travel northeast at around 55mph.[21]
Soon, the tornado significantly weakened to mid-range EF2 strength, continuing to uproot trees and strip away roofs from homes along Pleasant Hill Rd before quickly strengthening to high-end EF2 intensity as a trailer was destroyed. A car was rolled into a home along Veterans Rd, and significant roof damage was noted as the tornado continued to snap trees. It then suddenly intensified back to mid-range EF3 strength, almost completely leveling a well-built home at 150mph. Another home suffered major roof damage and loss of exterior walls, and the garage of a home was completely blown away along Farmdale Rd. Intense tree damage was also noted in this area, with a large debris field downstream from the location. The tornado briefly weakened back down to EF2, causing major roof damage, before strengthening back to low-end EF3 as multiple homes along School Rd lost their exterior walls, and an electrical transmission tower was completely crumpled by the tornado. Numerous trees in and around Farm Creek were snapped and uprooted.A 51-year-old man was killed in this area. Around the same time, the National Weather Service at Lincoln issued a Particularly dangerous situation tornado warning for Tazewell County and Woodford County at 11:06 am CDT.[22] [23] Overall, the tornado caused $110 million in damages in East Peoria.[24] As the tornado entered the city proper of Washington, it rapidly intensified to low-end EF4 strength leveling and partially sweeping away a couple of homes along English Oak St in the Woodridge Trace subdivision at 170mph, Nearby homes suffered major structural damage, an 84-year-old U.S army veteran suffered severe injuries here and later passed away from his injuries.[25] The tornado intensified further to mid-range EF4 strength as it struck the Georgetown Commons apartment complex along Georgetown Rd, completely destroying the top two stories, other nearby apartment buildings suffered major roof damage, trees were completely blown down, a truck in the parking lot of the apartment complex was lifted and wrapped violently around a tree, further north of the complex along the same road, a Lagondola Spaghetti house sustained severe damage from the tornado, due to the heavy structural damage, the apartment complexes and restaurant were later torn down.[26] [27] [28] [29] Now moving at 65 mph (105 km/h), the tornado directly hit the Hillcrest Golf course, the building on the course was leveled, shredding trees and tearing off the carpeting on the mini golf course, the golf course was later rebuilt and reopened almost two years later. [30] [31] The tornado crossed Washington Rd into Washington Estates, sustaining estimated wind speeds of 180mph, an Advance Auto Parts store alongside Washington Rd was completely leveled by the tornado.[32] On Fayette Ave., the tornado caused destructive damages to numerous homes at EF4 intensity, killing an 82-year-old elderly woman who initially survived but later passed away from her injuries a week after the tornado happened.[33] [34] The tornado slightly weakened to low-end EF4 strength alongside Elgin Ave. and some homes on Flossomor Ave. were completely swept away, on the Trail Edge subdivision, the tornado abruptly intensified to high-end EF4 strength with estimated wind speeds up to 190mph, the most violent damages of the tornado occurred alongside Mackenzie St. where a row of well-constructed homes were completely obliterated and all debris were swept away, leaving only a bare foundation, along Bishops Ct, another home was obliterated and had all debris swept clean from the foundation and wind-rowed. Entering Devonshire Estates, the tornado maintained high-end EF4 intensity, leveling or sweeping away another row of homes on Converty Dr while traveling northeast at around 65 mph, four rows of homes on Holborn Ct were leveled and debris was partially swept off of their foundations. Along Westminster Dr, another row of homes was leveled and either partially swept away or completely swept away from their foundations, and trees were shredded and debarked, around the same at 11:07 a.m. CDT, a debris ball appeared on Doppler radar north of Washington accompanied by an intense velocity couplet.[35] The tornado continued to travel northeast, leveling or sweeping away more homes from their foundations before leaving the city proper of Washington after crossing W Cruger Rd. It scattered debris over the farmlands north of the road and carved deep spirals into the soils called cycloidal marks. A farmstead on N Main St was destroyed and debris was partially swept off its foundation. Still maintaining 190 mph (310 km/h) winds, the tornado crossed Duluth Ln where an entire farmstead was destroyed, the farmhouse was leveled and swept away, some outbuildings on the farmstead were destroyed and reduced down to their foundations, some grain bins lost their tops, around this time, the National Weather Service issued another Particularly dangerous situation tornado warning for northeast Tazewell, most of Woodford and the southern fringes of Marshall counties at 11:12 a.m CDT.[36] The tornado eventually left Tazewell county, causing $800 million in damage in city of Washington and $910 million in damage in the county, three people were killed and 121 people were injured.[37] [38]
The tornado weakened to EF3 intensity as an old, poorly built farmhouse along Mennonite Rd was leveled by the tornado alongside. the tornado further weakened to mid-range EF2, causing substantial damage to the roof of a home on County Road 1300 southeast of Metamora. The tornado made a close approach to the Parsons Company Inc. west of Roanoke, which was initially destroyed by another violent tornado nine years earlier, ultimately missing the plant by a few hundred yards. Just north of the plant, the tornado intensified to high-end EF2 with estimated wind speeds of 135mph as a farmhouse lost all of its exterior walls along County Road 1500 and an outbuilding had all of its walls collapse, the tornado maintained EF2 intensity, the tornado continued northeast, snapping multiple wooden power poles at low-end EF2 strength, two homes north of Roanoke sustained substantial damages; one had lost their exterior walls destroyed at near EF3 intensity while the other lost most of their roof, on State Route 117, northwest of Benson, the tornado restrengthened to EF3 intensity, causing a farmhouse to lose its exterior walls. As the tornado traveled further northeast, a cellphone tower was crumpled and the home was shifted off of their foundation at high-end EF2 intensity, a well-built home had its roof ripped off on County Road 2300 and trees in the area were snapped and uprooted.As the tornado approached I-39, it crossed State Route 117 where it regained EF3 intensity. A poorly constructed home was swept away, the station wagon that was in the garage was lofted and dropped into the basement, a nearby free-standing pole collapsed, the tornado would cross I-39 and directly impact the Road Ranger truck stop northwest of Minonk, overturning several semi-trucks and damaging hundreds of other vehicles, there were no fatalities but three truck drivers were injured. The tornado slightly weakened to high-end EF2, causing a home to lose its roof and the wall to partially collapsed, cars were displaced a cell tower was completely crumpled and trees and power poles were snapped along Base Rd before the tornado left Woodford county. The tornado caused $25 million in damages and four injuries.[39] The tornado maintained EF2 intensity as it strip away a large portion of a home's roof along E 7th Road, small outbuildings were destroyed and several power poles were snapped, 1/2 mile west of Dana, a machinery shed was destroyed as the tornado weakened to EF1 strength.[40] South of Long Point, the tornado restrengthened back to EF2 intensity, demolishing several outbuildings and snapping numerous power poles. The tornado produced a satellite tornado, it was rated an EFU due to being in open fields, and traveling for 2.6 miles. The main tornado caused extensive tree damage, a large shed containing a fire engine was destroyed and the fire engine tipped over onto its side, eventually, the tornado dissipated few miles east of Long Point.[41] [42] [43]
Kris Lancaster recorded a video of the tornado as it approached his neighborhood, capturing the scene from the back patio of the home he was in. The tornado continued to grow in size and intensity as it neared the home. At the 1:47 mark in the video, the tornado crossed Mackenzie St., where it reached its peak intensity of 190 mph (310 km/h), destroying most homes along the street. As the tornado maintained high-end EF4 strength through Converty Drive and approached Hampton Rd., where Kris was filming, the strong winds from the tornado destroyed the home, despite it being just south of the main funnel. Kris survived the tornado but suffered an eye injury due to flying debris.[44] [45]
The tornado nearly caused $1 billion in damage, in the city proper of Washington, the tornado caused $800 million in damage for the city and debris was found as far away as Chicago.[46] Originally, it was estimated that only 500 homes were damaged or destroyed, but later, that number was revised to 1,000 homes according to the Mayor of Washington, Gary Manier, later on that number increased 1,484 homes damaged or destroyed according to Illinois Emergency Management Agency, East Peoria suffered $110 million in losses, 232 homes were affected, 75 homes sustained major damages while 20 were completely destroyed, an addition, seven businesses and five apartment buildings received major damages, and almost 400 vehicles were damaged, in Washington, seven businesses and apartment buildings were destroyed and 2,500 vehicles were demolished and thousands of trees and power poles were snapped, despite traveling through rural areas in Woodford county, many farmsteads were impacted, 24 homes were affected and seven were destroyed and $25 million in damages was done in this county.[47] [48] [49] Three people died from the tornado and 125 more people were injured. [50]
President Obama never visited Washington but other politicians, like Governor of Illinois Pat Quinn and Illinois senator Dick Durbin, visited the city, Obama approved disaster funding for 15 counties in Illinois.[51] [52] Pat Quinn declared seven counties as disaster areas.[53] The Illinois National Guard dispatched ten firefighters and three vehicles to assist in searching for survivors from the tornado, with reports about people being trapped under rubble.[54] [55] The city of Washington was placed under a curfew for a week and it ran from 7 a.m to 6 p.m for safety reason.[56] American Red Cross held relief drive in Annawan, Illinois to help victims from the Washington tornado, not only accepting donations through money but also supplies like bottled waters, volunteers also helped with the cleaning effort.[57] [58] The Salvation Army donated over 20,000 supplies to communities in Central Illinois and Eastern Iowa, and over 100 people received emotional and spiritual care.[59] Over 500 volunteers from All Hands and Hearts visited Washington, Illinois to help with debris removal despite the cold temperature from November to December of 2013.[60] Rock to the Rescue, a non-profit organization, raised more than $400,000 in a benefit concert in Bloomington for the communities that got hit by the tornadoes on November 17.[61] One week after the tornado struck, Jim Thome donated $100,000 to tornado relief for Washington and his family help to rebuild the city that got destroyed by the violent tornado.[62] Operation BBQ relief spent over six days in Washington, making over 25,600 meals for the victims of the tornado.[63] The Washington Illinois Area Foundation, or Washington Foundation, was created in the wake of the EF4 tornado to benefit the residents of the city through assistance to local charities and governmental entities, as of November 22, 2018, the group is nearly finished with the relief effort as they were donated $1.6 million to help citizens rebuild homes, churches, and government of the city, including more than $300,000 in "Washington Strong" shirt sales, and there's less than $10,000 left.[64] [65] [66] Reach Out Worldwide came to the Washington to help with the clean up effort, helping a power company cut down old power pole and removing tree debris from their yard, they cleared out trees and power poles off of roads and lands and cutting them.[67] Immediately after the tornado, students from Illinois State University set up a donation drive to send supplies like bottled water and money to the devastated communities in Central Illinois. On December 9, 50 students from the university traveled to Washington to help with the tornado cleanup.[68] [69] Even though the tornado went through densely-populated neighborhoods, only three people died, while we won't know the definitive reason why the fatalities were low, it's believed that, 1. A potential for a high-end tornado outbreak was being talked about, leaving people prepared, 2. The tornado outbreak occurred on a Sunday when people were either at Church or shopping for the holiday season, so not many people were at home when the tornadoes struck, 3. People were at home when the tornadoes struck and had basements or storm shelters, 4. There were ways people received warnings, either through Television or Social Media.[70]
On December 19, 2013, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency requested federal assistance for the local governments in the nine counties that were ravaged by the tornadoes of November 17, this original request had $6.1 million in local government and electrical cooperative expenses, a few weeks later on January 9, 2014, FEMA sent a letter to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, stating how the devastation in Washington wasn't "severe" enough for federal help and therefore they wouldn't provide any aid for the state. Pat Quinn, Governor of Illinois, was disappointed by the decision, and U.S. senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk voiced their disappointment about FEMA refusing aid and their support for the appeal. On February 6, 2014, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency appealed the denial of aid, this time around, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency had $21.4 million in disaster-related expenses for the same local government in the nine counties, if approved, the local government could be repaid for 75% of the disaster-related expense.[71] [72] [73] On March 3, 2014, the mayor of Washington, Gary Manier, requested $26 million in aid from Federal Emergency Management Agency, controversially, the request was denied, Gary Manier would share his grievances at a conference at the City Hall.[74]
FEMA also told the mayor and other state officials that the debris clean up after the tornado was not going to be paid by the federal government, FEMA also thought that the federal government didn't need to pay for the damages done to the roads, curbs, and sidewalks by vehicles helping to clear the street, FEMA would later say Illinois's damage assessments on the tornadoes wasn't qualified for any federal payment, Manier points out how broken the federal guidelines are when calculating damages.[75] On March 4, 2014, the state appealed a request wanting disaster assistance to local governments that got affected by the tornadoes, the appeal was conclusively rejected, less than twelve hours later on March 5, 2014, Pat Quinn visited the city of Washington to announce a $45 million tornado relief plan for the towns and communities that got impacted the November 17 tornadoes, this aid package was not only helpful for Tazewell county, but also for eight other counties that got hit badly.[76] [77] The U.S House and Senate promised to fix FEMA's formula –calculating the certain amount of damage cities needs to sustain before the government qualify for federal aid to help rebuilt– but almost three years after the tornado happened, nothing has changed, during that time period, the state of Illinois had to pay for the recovery cost that FEMA should've covered for but refuse to due not reaching the formula's requirement.[78]
Homes started rebuilding, one in 20 homes rebuilt in Pekin, East Peoria, and Washington had an 18" reinforced concrete safe room in the basement of the new homes, there were more safe rooms than before the tornado.[79] [80] Six months after the tornado happened, over 650 building permits has been issued, it was initially estimated by Mayor Gary Manier that it would take a year to rebuild but that has been revised to two years due to the winter delaying the progress for a few months.[81] On September 5, 2014, Maurer-Stutz announced that they're continuing their recovery for the city by providing engineering services to Washington to help fix the roadways that were damaged by the tornado in their upcoming project, this also includes sidewalks, curbs, and gutters.[82] The phrase, "Washington Strong" was coined after the tornado recognizing the people who went out of their way to support and help neighbors in times of need, on September 22, 2015, the Community Spirit sculpture was unveiled on the south side of Five Points Washington, the sculpture, which was made out of bronze, was made by the artist Charles Strain, there were messages engraved in the sculpture to commemorate Washington after the tornado, the sculpture was funded through private donation according Jim Linsely, the president of the Five Points board. [83] [84] Ten years after the tornado happened, the neighborhoods that got destroyed by the tornado were rebuilt, some empty lots of land used to have homes there. [85] As of the 2018 census, Washington, Illinois has a population of 16,566 people, an increase from 15,134 people in the 2010 census. [86]