2015 Garland tornado
 EF4 damage in central Garland the following January | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 26, 2015, 6:46 p.m. CST (UTC–06:00) |
| Dissipated | December 26, 2015, 6:59 p.m. CST (UTC–06:00) |
| Duration | 13 minutes |
| EF4 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 170-180 mph |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 10 |
| Injuries | 468 |
| Areas affected | Dallas County, Texas |
Part of the Tornadoes of 2015 | |
The 2015 Garland tornado was a short-lived but extremely violent tornado that hit the Dallas, Texas suburbs of Garland and Rowlett in the evening hours of December 26, 2015, killing 10[1] and injuring another 468. Although the tornado only tracked 13 miles, it caused $20-26 million (2015 USD) in damages,[1][2] and was the deadliest tornado of the December 2015 North American storm complex.
Tornado summary
[edit]The tornado initially touched down on East Tripp Road, heading in a northeastward direction. It began to immediately widen before hitting Magic Lane and Mansfield Boulevard. The tornado retained EF0 intensity while growing in size at a steady rate, and continuing to head northeast. The tornado then crossed Longwood Drive before crossing Hearthstone Drive, where EF1 damage was first observed. The tornado then began to rapidly strengthen, hitting EF2 intensity as it crossed Creekwood Drive. The tornado retained this intensity while crossing West Fork Lane and Wooded Glen Drive. The tornado would continue to move northeast through Sunnyvale, before weakening to EF1 intensity on Eagles Crest Drive.[3]
The tornado crossed a small pond, before crossing Town East Boulevard, where it weakened don to EF0 intensity, before entering into areas with little struuctures. The tornado would continue in a northeastward direction, before crossing Barnes Bridge Road a short time later. The tornado would also track through Duck Creek, before rapidly intensifying to EF2 intensity and again to EF3 intensity on Christina Lane.[3]
The tornado would retain EF2 intensity while entering the downtown portions of Garland, and would run almost parallel to Lyons Road before crossing onto Westlake Drive. The tornado would also track through the intersection connecting Lakeway Drive and Bobtown Road. The tornado would also impact the westernmost portion of Jon Boat Drive, before rapidly intensifying to EF3 strength on Cresthill Lane.[3]v
The tornado would then reach EF4 intensity for the first time, hitting High Drive and Crestpoint Lane. A house that was located on Crestpoint Lane as heavily damaged, with all walls collapsed while windspeeds were estimated to be at 175 mph at this location. The tornado would retain EF4 intensity until weakining to EF2 intensity on Kelso Place.[3]
The tornado would continue to impact structures at EF2 intensity before strengthening to EF4 intensity for the second time on Locust Grove Road. A three-story apartment located off of Peninsula Way as almost completely destroyed, with the top two floors of the structure almost obliterated. Windspeeds at this area were 167 mph, and nobody was injured in the apartment.[3] The tornado would continue to impact structures in Garland before crossing East Interstate 30 and the President George Bush Turnpike.[3][4] Nine people were killed on the turnpike, all of whom were inside of vehicles.[1] A one-year old who was inside of a vehicle on the turnpike was killed.[2]
The tornado would then continue to run almost parallel to the turnpike, weakening to EF0 intensity on Lake Ray Hubbard, before strengthening to EF3 intensity almost immediately after tracking ashore, hitting La Costa Drive and Windward View Drive. The tornado would then weaken to EF2 intensity, hich it retained while crossing Garner Road and Yale Drive. The tornado also narrowly avoided Herfurth Elementary. The tornado then crossed Miller Road, before hitting EF3 intensity again on Channel Drive.[3]
EF1 damage was documented in this same area, on Lagoon Drive. A roof deck was completely uplifted, and shingles ere torn off of a roof. The same house also had a collapsed chimney and collapsed garage doors. Another 2 houses on Harbor Drive sustained EF2 intensity, with one having collapsed outer walls.[3] The tornado retained EF3 intensity, traveling northeastward until weakening on Lake Bend Drive. A manufactured house was rolled over at EF1 intensity on Martha Lane, and another nearby brick building sustained EF1 damage to its' roof.[3]
The tornado would retain EF2 intensity for a short period of time before again weakening to EF1 intensity on Kensington Drive. A house on the neighboring Woodside Road sustained EF2 wall damage. The tornado would then cross Allen Lane and Willowbrook Drive, before tracking across Shipman Street and Texas State Highway 66 at EF0 intensity. The tornaado would also traverse Golden Pond Drive and Briarcrest Drive, before beginning to thin out over Lake Ray Hubbard. The tornado dissipated over the lake at 6:59 P.M., tracking a total of 13 miles. 10 people were killed, 468 were injured, and the tornado caused $20-26 million (2015 USD) in property damages along this path.[3][1]
Aftermath
[edit]Damage
[edit]In Garland, more than 600 homes and businesses were either severely damaged or destroyed.[5] In Rowlett, more than 500 homes were surveyed, of which 80 were destroyed and 345 damaged. The city enacted a 24-hour curfew to keep roads clear to aid with search-and-rescue operations.[5]
Fatalities
[edit]A total of 10 people died as a direct result of the tornado, 9 of which occurred on the President George Bush Turnpike and Interstate 30.[4][6][7] All of the victims on the turnpike were inside of vehicles or towed trailers, which were tossed off of an overpass when the tornado struck, landing on traffic below.[8][5] The ages of the victims here ranged from 1 to 77 years of age.[2] One 77-year old male as also killed in Rowlett while sheltering in a home.[2]
See also
[edit]- 2015 Rochelle–Fairdale tornado, another EF4 tornado that struck Illinois earlier the same year
- List of F4 and EF4 tornadoes (2010–2019)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Today, U. S. A. "EF4 tornado on Dec. 26, 2015 18:46 PM CST". USA Today. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ a b c d "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "ArcGIS Web Application". apps.dat.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ a b "Husband Of Woman Killed In Tornado Reflects 1 Year Later - CBS Texas". www.cbsnews.com. 2016-12-21. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ a b c Montgomery, David; Southall, Ashley (2015-12-27). "Tornadoes Leave Paths of Rubble and 11 Dead in the Dallas Area". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ Press, Associated (2015-12-27). "Dallas area tornadoes leave 11 dead and dozens injured". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ "Damaging Tornadoes Strike Dallas Area, Killing At Least 8". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ Marshall, Tim; Fox, Mark; Cavanaugh, Dennis (August 1, 2016). "Tornado crossing Interstate 30 in Garland, Texas illuminated by a power flash. View looks east. Cars were tossed from the highway killing 10 people. Image courtesy of Scott Peake". ResearchGate. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
Bibliography
[edit]- Marshall, Timothy P.; Fox, Mark; Huffman, Melissa; Cavanaugh, Dennis (August 1, 2016). "Damage survey of the North Texas Tornadoes: December 26, 2015". Texas Tech University. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via ResearchGate.