Eighty-three tornadoes in 17 states
It was the first major outbreak of the 21st century and the second biggest outbreak in November.
The 2002 Veterans Day Weekend Tornado Outbreak was large, widespread and rare. It started during the late afternoon hours on November 9th and continued through the early morning hours on Veterans Day, November 11th.
Out of the 83 tornadoes, the most notable and photogenic tornado of the outbreak was the one the occurred in Van Wert, Ohio.
On November 10, 2002, all schools in Van Wert County were cancelled. The tornado reported in Van Wert County was a violent F4 with 2 fatalities. Wind speeds were as high as 260mph.
A couple was in the upstairs portion of their home. As the tornado approached, the husband attempted to cover his wheelchair-bound wife. As he was doing this, the home was hit, and a projectile struck the husband in the back of his head. His wife was sent to the hospital in critical condition.
Another casualty occurred when the tornado swept a car off the road near Van Wert's Twin Cinemas, killing the driver inside.
It's actually suprising that more people didn't die that day.
The average warning time of the fiercest tornadoes, ones with winds in excess of 150 miles per hour, is 18 minutes. The fact that tornadoes come and go so quickly is one of their most dangerous aspects.
In Van Wert, Ohio, the citizens were fortunate--with nearly 26 minutes of warning time before the twister struck their community.
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