Deadly EF3 tornado in Westmoreland, Kansas unleashed 140 mph winds, NWS reports

Kendrick Calfee
·1 min read

A tornado that leveled homes and resulted in one death in Westmoreland, Kansas, Tuesday was rated EF3 by the National Weather Service.

The tornado began around 4:40 p.m. and lasted around eight minutes in the town of about 730 people in Pottawatomie County, about 55 miles northwest of Topeka.

The twister touched down about 1.5 miles southwest of the town and traveled east, leveling at least 22 homes and injuring three people.

The storm’s estimated peak wind speed was 140 mph and it had a maximum width of 100 yards, according to the NWS.

Becky Ryan, a spokesperson with Pottawatomie County, said 22 homes were destroyed and uninhabitable. At least 13 other homes, four outbuildings and one commercial building were also damaged in the storm.

A second tornado was reported Tuesday night — an EF1 tornado near Vermillion, Kansas, 30 miles north of Westmoreland. The storm touched down around 5:02 p.m. and traveled about 3 1/2 miles. Its peak wind speeds were 110 mph and had a peak path width of 75 yards, the weather service reported.

There were no fatalities or injuries reported from the tornado near Vermillion.