STORM DAMAGE–Pictured on Monday afternoon, as clean up work was underway in Hecker, is a tree that had been toppled by the EF-1 tornado Saturday night. In the background, a green tarp covers the top of the former Hecker Country Store, as sections of the roof had been blown off.
A strong storm front moved in quickly on the afternoon of Saturday, April 15, bringing with it severe weather and tornadoes.
The National Weather Service’s St. Louis District reported that they were surveying a total of seven tornadoes that occurred on Saturday in their district. Two of those hit local areas between 6:30 and 7 p.m.
Both tornadoes were very strong, snapping trees and damaging buildings, but thankfully no one was reported as injured.
The National Weather Service reported an EF-0 tornado, with an estimated peak wind speed of 85 mph, struck in and around the Village of Valmeyer. This tornado’s path was measured at 5 miles long, with a maximum width of 150 yards.
The other tornado’s path spanned from Maeystown to Hecker. This tornado was classified as an EF-1, with an estimated peak wind speed of 100 mph, a path length of 19.5 miles and maximum path width of 100 yards.
For more on the tornadoes, please see this week’s print edition.