A major tornado outbreak sequence took place between June 5-6, 2010 affecting the Midwestern United States and parts of the Great Lakes region, starting the weekend of June 5, 2010, and extending into the morning of June 6, 2010. At least 53 tornadoes were confirmed from Iowa to southern Ontario and Ohio as well as in northern New England. Seven people were confirmed dead in Ohio just outside Toledo in Wood County, and one in Dwight, Illinois. Damage from the tornadoes in the United States totaled over $266 million.
Meteorological synopsis
A low pressure system moved across the central United States on June 5 where a moderate risk for severe thunderstorms was issued for areas along Interstate 80 from the Quad Cities area to near Cleveland, Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Strong storms developed early in the afternoon across most of the area covered under the moderate risk and into central Iowa. Tornadoes were reported near Interstate 35 as well as in parts of central Ohio.
Severe weather shifted into Illinois during the early evening hours as the daytime heating and instability peaked. Tornadoes were reported in the Peoria, Illinois area as well as in areas just west of Chicago during the early evening hours. Heavy damage was reported in LaSalle County, Illinois as well as in Livingston County, Illinois. A tornado emergency was issued in the Peoria area after multiple sightings just outside the city. Heavy damage was reported in the Elmwood and Yates City area. In Streator, an EF2 tornado damaged 180 homes, destroyed 20 homes and injured 17 people. Two other tornadoes (rated EF0 and EF3) touched down just outside Streator as well, causing additional damage to homes and power lines. In Dwight a second EF2 tornado struck a mobile home park, destroying 12 homes and leaving several others uninhabitable. Other buildings were damaged in town and several well-built homes lost their roofs. Two separate EF0 tornadoes touched down in Dwight as well, causing damage to roofs, trees, and derailing a train. Six people were injured from the tornado, one of whom died from his injuries at the end of the month.
After midnight, storms moved into northern Indiana, northern Ohio, southern Michigan and southwestern Ontario where heavy damage was reported just outside Toledo in Wood County where seven people were killed. In Allen Township, eight homes were destroyed, three received major damage and 10 received minor damage. Heavy damage was also reported in Leamington, Ontario where a state of emergency was declared. In Michigan, shortly after midnight, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Hillsdale, Jackson, Ingham, Branch, Berrien, Van Buren, Saint Joseph, Washtenaw, Wayne, and Monroe counties were all under simultaneous tornado warnings, including two separate simultaneous warnings covering all of Calhoun County.WLNS live television reporting during outbreak Damage in Calhoun County included downed trees and a metal flagpole bent at a right angle in Homer, Michigan due to extreme winds. The decision to sound tornado sirens was made in many communities. An EF1 tornado was confirmed just south of Battle Creek by the NWS; damage included a roof being torn off of a church. An EF2 tornado damaged a total of 311 houses, apartments and commercial and public buildings in Monroe County.
A moderate risk was issued for June 6 across the northeast coast of the United States primarily due to damaging wind, with tornadoes also a significant threat. However, it busted for the most part, with only scattered wind damage and no tornadoes.
Confirmed tornadoes Note: 5 tornadoes in Ontario are using the older Fujita scale
June 5 event List of reported tornadoes – Saturday, June 5, 2010EF# Location County Coord. Time (UTC) Path length Comments/DamageOhio EF0NE of LucasRichland1746A barn was destroyed and there was porch damage to a house. Four cattle were injured by flying sheet metal. EF1Walnut Creek areaHolmes, Tuscarawas1850About 20 structures sustained roof damage. Trees were knocked down and a trailer was flipped over. EF2N of Liberty CenterFulton0238Damage to houses, branches and power lines. Several weak houses were destroyed. A bicycle was found embedded into the wall of one house. EF1NW of WhitehouseLucas0300Several houses sustained roof damage, and outbuildings were also damaged. EF4Millbury areaWood, Ottawa03207 deaths – See article on this tornado – At least 28 others were injured.Vermont EF1SW of CraftsburyOrleans1830Discontinuous path length with one house losing parts of its roof and many trees knocked down.New Hampshire EF0GorhamCoos2014Brief tornado in town. Two houses sustained minor damage and a few trees were damaged.Ontario F1E of DalkeithStormont, Dundas and Glengarry2100Extensive damage to houses, mobile homes, grain bins, barns, trees and power lines along the path. Dissipated just before the Quebec border but may have redeveloped again.Maine EF1South ParisOxford2119Hundreds of trees and several structures were damaged.Illinois EF0NE of AbingdonKnox0034Brief tornado resulted in minor crop damage. EF2Elmwood areaKnox, Peoria0056About 30 businesses, 12 houses and many vehicles were damaged or destroyed by the tornado, particularly in downtown Elmwood. Numerous outbuildings, garages and sheds were also heavily damaged or destroyed. EF1Oak HillPeoria0110Trees and power poles were knocked down, a grain bin was blown away and sheds were destroyed. Minor damage to homes including shingles torn off and a garage door was blown in. EF2Magnolia areaPutnam, LaSalle0110A communications tower was destroyed and four houses were heavily damaged, along with numerous farm buildings. Widespread and extensive tree damage along the path. EF1S of KickapooPeoria0118Many trees were knocked down, some of them landing on houses. Roof damage was reported to other houses. A few barns were damaged or destroyed. EF0W of OttawaLaSalle 0132Brief tornado with damage to a few trees. EF0Orange PrairiePeoria 0132Several houses sustained minor damage and trees were snapped. EF2Streator areaMarshall, LaSalle 0134Over 20 houses were destroyed and over 180 other houses were damaged, including many where roofs were blown off well-built houses. An athletic park was heavily damaged. Barns and silos were also damaged and extensive tree damage also took place. At least 17 people were injured. EF0W of Streator areaLaSalle 0150Brief satellite tornado adjacent to the main Streator tornado with no damage. EF2N of WashingtonTazewell, Woodford 0151Two houses were severely damaged and many barns and outbuildings were destroyed. Trees and power poles were also snapped. EF3E of StreatorLaSalle 0158Tornado touched down immediately after the Streator town tornado lifted. Transmission towers were destroyed and several barns and houses were heavily damaged. Several trees were also debarked. EF2Dwight (1st tornado)Livingston 02121 death – A mobile home park was severely damaged by the tornado. Some mobile homes were completely destroyed while others were severely damaged and rendered inhabitable. Numerous other houses and buildings were damaged. Seven people were injured, one of whom later died from his injuries. EF0Dwight (2nd tornado)Livingston 0216A train was derailed, a house sustained minor damage and some trees were damaged. EF0E of DwightLivingston 0231Minor damage to tree limbs and a metal farm outbuilding. EF1SW of KankakeeKankakee 0302A machine shed was destroyed, fencing was damaged and trees were uprooted. EF0NE of FairburyLivingston 0308Corn was twisted in a field and a barn sustained minor damage. EF3St. Anne area (1st tornado)Kankakee 0318Several houses were destroyed and others were damaged. Many trees were also damaged, a few landing on houses. One person was injured. EF1St. Anne area (2nd tornado)Kankakee 0319A brief satellite tornado touched down in an open farm field and destroyed a machine shed and grain trailer. EF0SW of BeasonLogan, DeWitt 0357Two houses were damaged, trees were also damaged and corn crops ruined.Iowa EF0SW of St. Mary'sWarren2311Tornado reported by the VORTEX2 team near Interstate 35. EF1MaquoketaJackson0040Many mobile homes and vehicles were damaged, along with one house and several outbuildings. An elementary school was also damaged. One person was injured. EF0NNE of Goose LakeClinton0100Damage limited to a few tree branches snapped.Michigan EF2StevensvilleBerrien 0328A roof was blown off a house. Trees and power poles were also snapped. EF1SE of StevensvilleBerrien 0336A pole barn was destroyed and trees were blown down. EF2SE of DowagiacCass 0359Several houses sustained damage in a housing subdivision. Severe and extensive tree damage along the path. EF2S of ConstantineSt. Joseph 0432Two cell towers were blown down and structures were damaged. Trees were damaged and twisted. Sources: SPC Storm Reports of 06/05/10, NWS Burlington, NWS Chicago, NWS Quad Cities, NWS Northern Indiana, NWS Cleveland, NWS Central Illinois, NWS Gray, NCDC Storm Data
June 6 event