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NWS: EF3 tornado traveled 11.5 miles and reached peak wind of 160 mph

thumbnail_arabi tornado.png
Posted at 1:35 PM, Mar 24, 2022
and last updated 2022-03-24 15:16:34-04

Tuesday's tornado in Arabi carved a 11.5 mile path and reached an estimated peak wind of 160 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service.

The tornado first touched down at 7:21 pm in Jefferson Parish, southwest of Terrytown, before moving through Jefferson, into Orleans, and finally into St. Bernard Parish.

Moving over the Westbank, the storm caused minor damage to trees and structures in the area.

Crossing the Mississippi River, the tornado touched down into the town of Arabi where the most intense damage was recorded from the riverbank to the canal.

Two concentrated areas of EF3 damage were reported.

EF3 tornado path.PNG

In one area, the National Weather Service says a home was swept off its raised foundation and had its walls and roof destroyed. The home was near the area where 25-year-old Conner Lambert was killed. Lambert was a Chalmette native and a recent graduate of UL Lafayette.

A second area of concentration occurred at a home that was shifted 50 yards from its foundation and rotated 90 degrees. A home next door was also swept off its foundation, moved and mostly destroyed.

The National Weather Service says that most of the homes north and south and within a four block radius from west to east of the tornado's path received damage.

The tornado continued on causing damage to electrical towers on the bank of the canal before moving northeast.

Damage was also noted on the other side of the Intracoastal Waterway in New Orleans East. The damage was reportedly minor tree damage and minor roof and siding damage.

The tornado lifted before Joe W. Brown Memorial Park at around 7:38 pm.

At least two people were injured.

NWS says the data is preliminary until it is finalized in the official NWS storm data record.

Read the full report, here.

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