NWS revises details of deadly Hand County tornado (Audio)

September 10, 2020

ABERDEEN, S.D.–An August 30th tornado in Hand County that killed a Gettysburg man was slightly larger than originally thought.

Warning Coordination Meteorologist Kelly Serr at the National Weather Service in Aberdeen says additional evidence including drone footage, spotter video and satellite images has helped to fine tune the tornado’s details…

The initial survey found the tornado was on the ground for 1.1 miles, with a maximum width of 120 yards. But additional evidence finds it was larger and wider than that…

Serr says they have a few more weeks to analyze the storm…

The unique movement of the tornado, away from the parent thunderstorm, which was moving southeast, is likely to be examined by researchers in the future…

The maximum estimated wind speed was increased to 135 miles an hour, which is the top maximum wind speed for an EF-2 tornado. The tornado was on the ground three minutes longer than first thought, lasting for 10 minutes before ending.