Weak Tornado in Washington State

news image
Top Stories
5 Oct 2019 7:42 AM
You read the headline right -- a weak and brief tornado was confirmed in Thurston County, WA, on Friday afternoon according to preliminary data from the local National Weather Service. The quick touchdown happened just minutes before 2 PM PT to the southeast of Grand Mound, which is along the I-5 corridor south of Olympia.  The NWS in Seattle determined that this was a tornado based on videos taken by people in the area, and did not do a storm survey.  Both media as well as the radar at the time this occurred were used to make this evaluation. Because there was no damage or injuries from this storm, the team ranked it an EF-U, which means the peak winds were unknown.  This is a preliminary rating, and there would need to be confirmed damage to rate it on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The tornado was estimated to have a width of less than 50 feet with a path of under 100 feet, being on the ground for less than one minute. Tornadoes rarely happen in the Evergreen State, as they are one of numerous states out west that average less than 5 per year. https://twitter.com/NWSSeattle/status/1180276325673652224?s=20 You can read the full report here from the National Weather Service: https://twitter.com/NWSSeattle/status/1180247230910910464?s=20
All Weather News
More
Solar Storm Visible as far south as The South - Another Round Arrives Tonight

Solar Storm Visible as far south as The South - Another Round Arrives Tonight

The Northern Lights (Auroras—commonly seen ne

13 Nov 2025 2:45 AM
Weekend System Brings Snow & Ice In Northeast

Weekend System Brings Snow & Ice In Northeast

Low pressure will track through the Northeast

13 Nov 2025 2:40 AM
Record Heat Spreads into the Plains

Record Heat Spreads into the Plains

A ridge of high pressure that brought record

13 Nov 2025 2:05 AM
Western Waves Bring Soggy, Snowy Pattern

Western Waves Bring Soggy, Snowy Pattern

SET-UPA digging mid to upper-level trough wil

13 Nov 2025 2:00 AM
Last Morning of Record Cold - Digging Out the Rest of the Week

Last Morning of Record Cold - Digging Out the Rest of the Week

The season’s first Arctic blast surged into t

12 Nov 2025 7:30 PM
Lake Effect Snow Wraps Up Today

Lake Effect Snow Wraps Up Today

The lake effect snow season has arrived, with

11 Nov 2025 5:05 PM
Severe Threat Ending With Florida

Severe Threat Ending With Florida

The much-anticipated cold front that will sla

10 Nov 2025 12:50 AM