The National Weather Service confirmed four tornadoes in Southern Indiana on Sunday, including three near Salem, Indiana, as severe storms passed through Southern and Central Indiana.
Storm surveyors from Louisville office of the National Weather Service determined that damage in Washington County was caused by three tornadoes with winds as high as 95 miles per hour.
A fourth, separate tornado was confirmed in Lawrence County near Springville, west of Bedford.
Ahead of this front strong storms moved into southern Indiana Sunday afternoon, a broad swath of 40-55 mph winds results in numerous power outages across the regino including nearly 1600 customers from Jackson County REMC.
A front that passed through around 11p resulted in 3 tornadoes in Washington County, IN.
The first tornado hit 6 miles west of Salem on West Washington School Road and registered as at least an “EF0” on the Enhanced Fujita Scale with winds of 80 mph.
The scale rates the severity of tornadoes on a scale of 0 to 5.
A second tornado near South Main Street in Salem registered as an “EF1” with 90-95 mph winds.
A third tornado 4 miles east of Salem at the intersection of Canton and Howell Road registered as an “EF1” with 90-95 mph winds.
National Weather Service storm surveyors from Indianapolis, which cover counties north of Washington, confirmed the tornado in Lawrence County. The EF rating had not yet been determined.
“EF0” tornadoes register a three-second-gust speed of between 65 and 85 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service website. “EF1” tornadoes register a three-second-gust speed of between 86 and 110 miles per hour.
All three tornadoes hit between 11 and 11:30 p.m. Sunday.
Investigators are still determining the extent of the damage, but pictures showed heavy wreckage on South Main Street in Salem.
NWS investigated a tornado in Orange County but there was little damage.
