STARKE COUNTY, Ind. -- A tornado that caused widespread damage west of Knox Tuesday night was officially rated an EF-2 by the National Weather Service after storm survey teams assessed the destruction across the area.
The tornado packed maximum winds of about 115 mph and remained on the ground for nearly 15 miles. While the wind speeds place it in the middle of the Enhanced Fujita scale, the tornado’s size made it particularly notable for the region.
At its peak, the storm reached an estimated 1,000 yards wide — more than half a mile across. The width is equivalent to more than eight football fields placed end-to-end, illustrating the enormous scale of the rotating storm.
The large wedge-shaped tornado was visible from the nearby community of San Pierre, Indiana, where residents could see the broad funnel stretching across the horizon. Weather experts noted that an average person might take around 10 minutes — or possibly longer — to walk the entire width of the tornado at its widest point.
Despite its appearance, officials emphasize that tornadoes are not rated by their size, but rather by the damage they leave behind. Survey teams analyze destroyed structures, snapped trees, and debris patterns to estimate wind speeds and determine the official rating.
Similarities between Tuesday’s storm and other large wedge tornadoes in the region, include the devastating 1965 Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak that produced powerful tornadoes across parts of the Midwest.
Cleanup and recovery efforts are continuing across rural parts of Starke County as residents assess the damage left behind by the powerful storm.