BALTIMORE, MD — An EF-1 tornado touched down in Baltimore City and Baltimore County Friday night, according to the National Weather Service. The storm ripped roofs from buildings, tipped over tractor-trailers, left two people dead and injured one, officials said.
At peak intensity, authorities said the tornado packed 105 mph winds as it tore through the area of the Amazon distribution center in southeast Baltimore.
Initially, the tornado touched down on I-95 north of the Fort McHenry Tunnel, where it blew over a tractor-trailer and a fence line on South Newkirk Street at 9:42 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 2, officials reported.
Moving parallel to Holabird Avenue, the tornado tracked east, blowing in large garage doors on both sides of Flexi-Van Leasing in the 4900 block of Holabird Avenue, authorities said.
“As it moved east and impacted the north building of the Amazon sorting facility, the tornado reached peak intensity of approximately 105 mph, which supports the rating of EF-1,” the National Weather Service reported.
To be a category EF-1 tornado, there must be 86 to 110 mph winds.
At the Amazon fulfillment center, part of the building’s roof — including iron rafters — was blown off, officials said.
“With the loss of the roof, the 8-inch concrete wall panels pushed in and collapsed into the building…” the National Weather Service said in its damage survey summary.
“Two fatalities occurred inside the building with the wall collapse,” the summary said. “About a dozen truck trailers were pushed over, moved or rolled by the wind. Two of the trailers were noted to have been blown in an opposite direction of the wind that toppled the wall. Several light stanchions and signs were blown over. Several car windows were blown out by flying debris.”
The tornado continued moving east along the south side of Holabird Avenue, uprooting trees and snapping branches, authorities reported.
The storm traveled 2.5 miles and while officials said it appeared to travel west-southwest to east-northeast, there were some instances of damage in other areas.
A firefighter outside the Baltimore City firehouse in the 1600 block of Broening Highway reported seeing “swirling debris” and “the funnel cloud as it passed.”
Authorities said the tornado lifted at the intersection of Dundalk Avenue, then briefly touched down again at an apartment complex at 4 Georges Court in Dundalk.
Officials said two buildings had their roofs taken off, and the National Weather Service said one resident reported seeing “swirling winds.”
Weather officials confirmed there was also an EF-1 tornado near Mount Airy on Friday night.
by Elizabeth Janney (2018, Nov 3 / Updated 2018, Nov 4) Patch Staff
