Tornadoes · United States · Indiana · 2023

EF1 tornado, Swanington to Remington, Indiana, March 31, 2023

From Swanington to Remington, this EF1 tornado ran 10.2 miles across Benton and Jasper counties on March 31, 2023, touching down at 9:41 PM EDT and reaching 500 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mph

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
EF1
Date
March 31, 2023
Touchdown
9:41 PM EDT (01:41 UTC)
Lifted
9:50 PM EDT (01:50 UTC)
On the ground
9 minutes
Path length
10.2 miles (16.4 km)
Path width
500 yards (457 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Counties
Benton and Jasper counties
Touchdown point
40.712, -87.278
Lift-off point
40.770, -87.099
Record number
2303311941-01

The damage survey

96 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS IWX and NWS LOT, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 120 mph.

  • Large trees snapped some rot.
  • Large tree onto the house. Could be some rot.
  • Large trees down. Rot in trees.
  • 6 small power poles leaning.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

What the Weather Service recorded

During the afternoon and evening of the 31st, a wave of severe thunderstorms produced numerous tornadoes, severe hail, and extensive wind damage across northwestern Indiana. A total of 23 tornadoes were confirmed across the state. The NWS Chicago office tied a record for the most tornadoes to occur in a single calendar day within the office's county warning area with 22, 5 of which occurred in Indiana. Two EF-2 tornadoes occurred in Benton County and one other in Lee County, Illinois. Some of the more notable damage includes a few homes with walls and portions of roofing blown away, a wind turbine that had been snapped in half, and wind turbine blades thrown as far as 600 yards, all a result of the two EF-2 tornadoes in Benton County.

This tornado touched down near the intersection of E County Road 200 S and S Adeway Rd south of Fowler. The tornado tracked to the northeast for nearly 12 miles. Along the way, it damaged a few homes and multiple wind turbines. The tornado reached its maximum intensity just east of Fowler where it snapped the base of a wind turbine about halfway up and threw the blades of wind turbines as far as 600 yards to the northeast. Wind speeds during this time are estimated to be around 120 mph. The storm also downed trees and power poles. It lifted near N County Road 800 E and E County Road 600 N in northeast Benton County.

The tornado touched down northwest of Oxford near the intersection of S County Road 200 E and E County Road 500 S. It tracked northeast for over 10 miles before crossing into southwest White County at E County Road 100 S. It lifted just east of South County Road 850 W at S US Hwy 231 in rural White County. The storm primarily downed trees and damaged farm outbuildings. However, it also caused damage to a few homes. The tornado is believed to have reached EF-2 intensity with wind speeds near 115 mph after crossing S County Road 875 E where large portions of a roof and some siding were torn off of a home.

The tornado dropped south of Goodland in rural Benton County south of E County Road 800 N east of N County Road 200 E. The storm tracked northeast and crossed into Jasper County at E County Road 900 N southwest of Remington. It lifted east of town north of W US Hwy 24 just west of N County Road 1200 W. Damage mostly consisted of snapped power poles, downed trees, and damage to small farm outbuildings.

The tornado dropped south of Goodland in rural Benton County south of E County Road 800 N east of N County Road 200 E. The storm tracked northeast and crossed into Jasper County at E County Road 900 N southwest of Remington. It lifted east of town north of W US Hwy 24 just west of N County Road 1200 W. Six semi trucks were reported flipped over on I-65 near the junction at US Hwy 24. Additionally, a trailer with a tractor in it had rolled over several times in a field off of US Hwy 24 just west of I-65. Damage otherwise mostly consisted of snapped power poles, downed trees, and damage to small farm outbuildings.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

26 minutes of warning. NWS LOT issued a tornado warning for this county at 01:15 UTC, 26 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 01:47 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 19:38 UTC and running to 03:00 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
19:38 UTC03:00 UTCTornado WatchLOT
20:00 UTC18:00 UTCWind AdvisoryLOT
01:15 UTC01:47 UTCTornado WarningLOT

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 01:04 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Lincoln, IL (KILX), 00:00Z

1.7 hours before the tornado, 136 km from the path. April 1, 2023.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 2023-04-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 638 joules per kilogram, CIN -39, lifted condensation level 921 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 00:00Z on 2023-04-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 347 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 63 knots.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
638 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-39 J/kg
Surface CAPE
972 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
921 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
347 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
369 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.4
Supercell composite
7.1
0-3 km lapse rate
6.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Lincoln, IL (KILX), 12:00Z

10.3 hours after it, 136 km from the path. April 1, 2023.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2023-04-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -104408, lifted condensation level 1171 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2023-04-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 60 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 73 knots.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-104408 J/kg
Surface CAPE
24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1171 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
73 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
60 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
166 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
5.3 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The radar

The Chicago radar (KLOT), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 01:42 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
01:33 UTCTORNADO2 Wnw OxfordBenton, INAN NWS DAMAGE SURVEY DETERMINED AN EF-2 TORNADO WITH PEAK ESTIMATED WINDS NEAR 115 MPH, PATH LENGTH OF 15.3 MILES, AND MAXIMUM WIDTH OF 400 YARDS STARTED NEAR OXFORD, INDIANA AND ENDED NEAR ROUND GROVE. DAMAGE ALONG THE
01:33 UTCTORNADO3 S FowlerBenton, INAN NWS DAMAGE SURVEY CONFIRMED AN EF-2 TORNADO WITH PEAK ESTIMATED WINDS OF 120 MPH, PATH LENGTH OF 12.5 MILES, AND MAXIMUM WIDTH OF 400 YARDS BEGAN SOUTH OF FOWLER AND ENDED IN RURAL NORTHEASTERN BENTON COUNTY. DAMAGE A
01:36 UTCHAIL 14 W RainsvilleWarren, IN
01:36 UTCHAIL 14 W RainsvilleWarren, IN
01:36 UTCHAIL 14 W RainsvilleWarren, IN
01:38 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Ne OxfordBenton, INREPORTS OF NUMEROUS STRUCTURES DAMAGED ALONG COUNTY ROAD E 330 S FROM NEAR ATKINSON EAST TO THE COUNTY LINE. CORNER OF 2ND FLOOR AND NEARLY ENTIRE ROOF OF NEW CONSTRUCTION DESTROYED. TIME ESTIMATED.
01:41 UTCTORNADO1 N WadenaBenton, INAN NWS DAMAGE SURVEY CONFIRMED AN EF-1 TORNADO WITH ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS OF 105 MPH, PATH LENGTH OF 10.3 MILES, AND MAXIMUM WIDTH OF 500 YARDS TOUCHED DOWN EAST OF EARL PARK AND LIFTED ON THE EAST SIDE OF REMINGTON. DAMA
01:44 UTCTORNADO7 W Badger GroveWhite, INCORRECTS PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM 7 W BADGER GROVE. TORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED QUICKLY NORTHEAST, ENDING 4 NW BADGER GROVE. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 400 YARDS. CONTINUATION OF THE OXFORD, BENTON COUNTY TORNADO.
01:44 UTCTORNADO7 W Badger GroveWhite, INEF2 TORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED QUICKLY NORTHEAST, ENDING 4 NW BADGER GROVE. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 400 YARDS. CONTINUATION OF THE OXFORD, BENTON COUNTY TORNADO.
01:44 UTCTORNADO7 W Badger GroveWhite, INTORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED QUICKLY NORTHEAST, ENDING 4 NW BADGER GROVE. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 400 YARDS.
01:49 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 E RemingtonJasper, INREPORTS OF 6 SEMIS FLIPPED AT SOUTHBOUND EXIT 201 ON I-65. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.
01:50 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Nnw Badger GroveWhite, INSPOTTER REPORTS VEHICLES BLOWN OVER AND DAMAGE IN THE MEDIAN ALONG I-65 MILE MARKERS 187-190, NEAR SR-18 EXIT.
01:50 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ese RemingtonJasper, INSTRUCTURAL DAMAGE REPORTED AT FBI BUILDINGS INC. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.
01:55 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nw Badger GroveWhite, INTWO HOMES DESTROYED AND DAMAGE TO SEVERAL OTHERS.
01:55 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Wnw Badger GroveWhite, IN2 HOMES DESTROYED AND SEVERAL DAMAGED.
01:55 UTCTORNADO1 Ssw SmithsonWhite, INCORRECTS PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM 1 SSW SMITHSON. TORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED 1.7 MILES NORTH TO 1 NW SMITHSON. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 125 YARDS.
01:55 UTCTORNADO1 Ssw SmithsonWhite, INEF0 TORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED 1.7 MILES NORTH TO 1 NW SMITHSON. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 125 YARDS.
01:55 UTCTORNADO1 Ssw SmithsonWhite, INTORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED NORTH TO 1 NW SMITHSON. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 125 YARDS.
01:56 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ne Indiana BeachWhite, INA FEW SMALLER TREE LIMBS DOWNED AND A FEW SHINGLES BLOWN OFF A ROOF.
01:56 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 W ChalmersWhite, INSHINGLES AND SHEATHING REMOVED FROM GARAGE. NUMEROUS TREES DAMAGED, SOME LARGE TREES DOWNED.
01:57 UTCTSTM WND DMGMonticelloWhite, INREPORT FROM MPING: TREES UPROOTED OR SNAPPED.
01:57 UTCTSTM WND DMGReynoldsWhite, INLARGE TREE DOWNED.
02:05 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 W Badger GroveWhite, IN62 MPH WIND GUST RECORDED IN ROUND GROVE, IN. BUILDING COLLAPSED.
02:13 UTCTORNADO4 Nnw Lake CicottCass, INCORRECTS PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM 4 NNW LAKE CICOTT. TORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED 1.7 MILES NORTHEAST, ENDING 3 MILES SSW ROYAL CENTER. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 300 YARDS.
02:13 UTCTORNADO4 Nnw Lake CicottCass, INEF1 TORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED 1.7 MILES NORTHEAST, ENDING 3 MILES SSW ROYAL CENTER. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 300 YARDS.
02:13 UTCTORNADO4 Nnw Lake CicottCass, INTORNADO BEGAN HERE AND TRAVELED 1.7 MILES NORTHEAST, ENDING 3 MILES SSW ROYAL CENTER. MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS 300 YARDS.
02:19 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Ssw WheatfieldJasper, INTREE DOWNED ONTO ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
02:20 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 E Bell CenterCass, INSEMI BLOWN OVER ON SR 16 AT 1050W.
02:20 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Sw Royal CenterCass, INSEVERAL HOMES DAMAGED AT 875W AND 400N.
02:20 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ene Fair OaksJasper, INTREES DOWNED EAST-NORTHEAST OF FAIR OAKS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
02:21 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Se Royal CenterCass, IN*** 7 INJ *** TREE ONTO VAN. PRELIMINARY REPORT OF 7 INJURIES, 5 MINOR.
02:22 UTCTSTM WND GST 78DemotteJasper, INPOWER POLES ALSO DOWNED IN THE DEMOTTE AREA.
02:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG8 Wnw Battle GroundTippecanoe, INTHUNDERSTORM WINDS FLATTENED 2 STRUCTURES TO BASEMENT. SEVERAL OTHER STRUCTURES WITH ROOFS BLOWN OFF NEAR JUNCTION OF BENTON TIPPECANOE AND WHITE COUNTIES. 1 INCH HAIL ALSO REPORTED NEAR US HIGHWAY 231. TIME ESTIMATED BY
02:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG8 Wnw Battle GroundTippecanoe, INTHUNDERSTORM WINDS FLATTENED 2 STRUCTURES TO BASEMENT. SEVERAL OTHER STRUCTURES WITH ROOFS BLOWN OFF NEAR JUNCTION OF BENTON TIPPECANOE AND WHITE COUNTIES. 1 INCH HAIL ALSO REPORTED NEAR US HIGHWAY 231. TIME ESTIMATED BY
02:32 UTCTSTM WND GST 56MonticelloWhite, IN

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2023 tornado in IndianaEvery tornado in Indiana since 1950Warnings in force in Indiana nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of March 31, 2023

126 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
March 312:18 PM CDTEF3Little Rock tornado, AR34.280054$90 million
March 312:37 PM CDTUnratedTazewell, IL0.310
March 313:15 PM CDTEF1Tazewell, IL0.910
March 313:23 PM CDTUnratedWoodford, IL0.620
March 313:36 PM CDTEF3Wapello, IA26.11,000$2.0 million
March 313:45 PM CDTEF1Prairie, AR1.1100
March 313:52 PM CDTUnratedPoweshiek, IA3.660
March 314:05 PM CDTUnratedLivingston, IL0.015
March 314:10 PM CDTEF4Keota–Wellman tornado, IA19.97003
March 314:22 PM CDTEF1Grundy, IA3.580$50,000
March 314:22 PM CDTEF1Grundy, IA4.180$50,000
March 314:30 PM CDTEF3Wynne–Parkin tornado, Arkansas and Tennessee72.51,600426$151 million
March 314:36 PM CDTEF2Benton, IA1.750
March 314:37 PM CDTEF0Johnson, IA6.150
March 314:46 PM CDTEF2Johnson, IA16.9752
March 314:47 PM CDTEF2Benton, IA4.950
March 314:49 PM CDTEF2Stone, AR6.8125
March 314:51 PM CDTUnratedBenton, IA1.410
March 314:53 PM CDTEF2Johnson, IA14.7100
March 315:03 PM CDTUnratedBuchanan, IA1.710
March 315:06 PM CDTEF2Johnson, IA9.075
March 315:06 PM CDTEF1Cedar, IA8.310
March 315:14 PM CDTEF2Cedar, IA16.4250
March 315:15 PM CDTUnratedScott, IL0.510
March 315:17 PM CDTEF1Cedar, IA5.2100
March 315:18 PM CDTEF2Cedar, IA19.62002
March 315:20 PM CDTEF1Delaware, IA4.150
March 315:27 PM CDTUnratedMorgan, IL0.710
March 315:32 PM CDTEF1Delaware, IA11.190
March 315:35 PM CDTEF0Morgan, IL1.130
March 315:41 PM CDTEF1Jones, IA1.450
March 315:41 PM CDTEF2Des Moines, IA0.9150
March 315:48 PM CDTEF3Covington tornado, TN39.22,000128$80 million
March 315:50 PM CDTEF2Clinton, IA18.03501
March 315:58 PM CDTEF1Jackson, IA1.250
March 316:09 PM CDTEF0Jackson, IA0.215
March 316:12 PM CDTEF2Sangamon, IL5.4400
March 316:16 PM CDTEF1Jackson, IA to IL1.91003
March 316:18 PM CDTEF2Sangamon, IL21.0200
March 316:24 PM CDTEF2Henry, IL3.5300
March 316:33 PM CDTEF2Henry, IL3.0200
March 316:36 PM CDTEF2Henry, IL9.3440
March 316:37 PM CDTEF2Henry, IL6.8650
March 316:39 PM CDTEF1Carroll, IL1.050
March 316:47 PM CDTEF0Macoupin, IL6.3150$25,000
March 316:48 PM CDTEF1Whiteside, IL13.9150
March 316:48 PM CDTEF1Iowa, WI1.175$300,000
March 316:50 PM CDTEF1Lafayette, WI5.575$1.0 million
March 316:50 PM CDTEF1Carroll, IL11.0200
March 316:55 PM CDTEF1Lafayette, WI6.675$600,000
March 317:03 PM CDTUnratedPhillips, AR2.8100
March 317:06 PM CDTEF0Christian, IL4.120
March 317:08 PM CDTEF2Lee, IL9.3350
March 317:13 PM CDTEF1Lee, IL7.875
March 317:13 PM CDTEF1Christian, IL1.730
March 317:16 PM CDTEF0Green, WI3.075$400,000
March 317:20 PM CDTEF1Green, WI10.250$600,000
March 317:24 PM CDTEF1Ogle, IL27.5600140
March 317:26 PM CDTEF0Green, WI5.875$400,000
March 317:31 PM CDTEF1Winnebago, IL5.8300

All 127 of them

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.