Portions of New Orleans Cleaning Up After Damaging Tornado

Earlier this week, the southeast was impacted by a somewhat rare but by no means unprecedented February severe weather outbreak. And the hardest hit area was, without a doubt, the greater New Orleans area.

Preliminary severe weather reports from Tuesday, Feb. 7. Red dots indicate tornado reports. (Storm Prediction Center)

According to the storm survey from NWS New Orleans, an EF-3 tornado touched down at 11:12am CT in an area known as East New Orleans and stayed on the ground for around for about 20 minutes and left around a 10 mile long path of destruction in it’s wake from the estimated peak wind of 15o MPH.

A few photos from tornado damage in NO East indicating EF3 damage. Bent metal transmission lines & complete loss of roof on multiple homes pic.twitter.com/Fe8lsVdE1c

— NWS New Orleans (@NWSNewOrleans) February 8, 2017

Tornado damage everywhere you turn in the Sherwood Forest subdivision in New Orleans East. pic.twitter.com/GzGzhjBsje

— Paul Murphy (@PMurphyWWL) February 7, 2017

This tornado also went on to cause EF-2 damage at the NASA Michoud Assembly Center.

At 11:25am CT, a tornado impacted our Michoud Facility in New Orleans. Only minor injuries reported & personnel are being accounted for (1)

— NASA (@NASA) February 7, 2017

Our @NASA Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) after the tornado. No serious injuries so far, but considerable damage pic.twitter.com/FAQf2L5HQw

— Debi (@spacegirly) February 8, 2017

(Obviously this goes without saying, we do not condone or recommend going outside and taking pictures of or filming tornadoes. Seriously, you should stay inside and seek shelter).

However, this was not the only tornado to impact the deep south on Tuesday, another EF-3 tornado hit the Watson, Louisiana area with maximum winds estimated to have hit 140 MPH.

360 degrees of damage from tornado on Nan Wesley Road in Watson, absolutely terrible pic.twitter.com/OZdXrGTEtv

— Grace Toohey (@grace_2e) February 7, 2017

This was once a mobile home…leveled by the Watson #tornado. 2 people somehow walked away from this. Pic via @Jay_WAFB. #LAwx pic.twitter.com/1LmPT0xQju

— Steve Caparotta (@SteveWAFB) February 8, 2017

Seeing damage like that, it amazes me that no one was killed in any of the tornadoes that raked across the deep south on Tuesday. This is also an excellent reminder to those in mobile homes to have a plan in place if severe weather, especially tornadoes, are in the forecast. Mobile homes can be death traps in a tornado, therefore it’s best to know where you’re going to go in case a tornado warning is issued, whether that be a shelter or a friend or relative’s well built home.

And tornado preparedness isn’t just for those in mobile homes, even people living in well-built homes and people in business need a tornado plan of action. Kentucky Severe Weather Awareness Week is coming up in early March and the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management has great tips to keep you safe in any natural disaster.