The National Weather Service says a weak tornado touched down in Monroe, Snohomish County, Thursday morning, toppling at least two RVs, throwing a trampoline in the air and damaging a car.
No one was injured.
The storm was reported about 10:30 a.m. in the area of West Main Street and 170th Drive, causing minor property damage, officials said.
Law enforcement and meteorologists quickly headed there to investigate, looking for clues to determine whether a tornado touched down, including whether the winds created a “swirling vortex” that caused damage in every direction, said Andy Haner, a weather service meteorologist. Surveillance video captured the event.
Meterologists confirmed later an EF0 tornado did touch down in Monroe, which means the wind speeds ranged from 65 to 85 mph, according to the weather service’s standards.
“It didn’t last long — probably not much longer than a minute,” meteorologist Danny Mercer said.
A couple storms like these are typical this time of year, he said.
“Flukey spinoffs come off the Puget Sound convergence zone” when winds in the upper atmosphere collide over the region, Haner said.
Strong tornadoes have a “good core” of fierce winds and happen during thunderstorms, Haner said.
No other details were immediately available.
by Jessica Lee
March 30, 2017
