Officials: Damage in Fulton Co. likely from a tornado- F2... in Arkansas, says possible tornado in Mo.

Originally published November 29, 2005

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No injuries were reported from a powerful storm, possibly an F2 tornado, that swept through the township of Agnos in eastern Fulton County Sunday night. The storm destroyed at least three trailer houses, uprooted trees and damaged homes throughout the county.

Fulton County Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Al Roork said no injuries were reported in Fulton County from the storm, part of a larger weather system which pounded north central Arkansas throughout the night.


"It´s a miracle, but no one got hurt as far as we know," Roork said. "No question it was a tornado."

Fulton County Judge Charles Willett said county workers started clearing debris and grading roads immediately after the storm passed Agnos at 8:15 p.m.

"It looks like a bomb went off over here," Willett said.

Several county roads and a portion of Highway 289 were temporarily impassable after more than two inches of rain fell in the county over a span of approximately three hours.

North Arkansas Electric Cooperative manager Jerry Estes said between 600 and 700 people were without power in Baxter and Fulton counties after the storms passed, but all customers had their service restored by 4 a.m. Entergy also reported power outages, according to published reports.

Amy Abney, who lives in Agnos with her husband and two daughters, said she is grateful the twister spared their home.

"My mom called me on the cell phone and told me we needed to take cover," Abney said. "We stayed in the storm cellar for about an hour and a half waiting for the storms to pass."

Senior Meteorologist John McLeod with the National Weather Service said the weather system, which produced damaging winds and rains across the state, formed in an unusual way. McLeod said the storms were fueled by upper atmospheric wind shear which approached speeds of 140 miles per hour — much higher than average wind shear for this time of year.

"Add the wind shear in with the moisture that came in from the south, and extremely dry air that moved in from Oklahoma, and all the ingredients were in place for severe weather," McLeod said.

McLeod said he couldn´t confirm a tornado passed through Agnos until a team from the National Weather Service inspects the affected area today.

"Our models predicted an F1 or F2 tornado could have formed near Agnos, and all the information we´ve received from the Emergency Coordinator in Fulton County would indicate it was a tornado," McLeod said. "But official conformation won´t come until the team investigates the damage."

Multiple tornados struck across the state, killing at least one motorist on Interstate 40 near Plumerville in Conway County, McLeod said. He said the official number of tornados won´t be known for several days.

In Baxter County, straight-line winds, which gusted to more than 100 miles per hour, damaged homes, knocked down trees and scattered debris throughout the county, according to Baxter County Office of Emergency Management Director Tom Fischer.

"There is no evidence that a tornado touched down in the county," Fischer said. Several homes and at least one business — Sean´s Restaurant on Highway 5 South — received extensive damage.

Fischer said a tornado may have struck in Bakersfield, Mo.

The National Weather Service expects weather conditions to be cool and dry for the rest of the week in north central Arkansas, McLeod said.

Peace