The National Weather Service confirms an EF-1 tornado hits Crawford County Monday night leaving damage in Uniontown and Cedarville. Late Tuesday, the official damage survey was released confirming winds of 95 to 105mph. The tornado was on the ground for 13 miles and had a maximum width of 400 yards.
Dozens of trees were uprooted in the area. Several were knocked down in Caron Park’s yard in Cedarville. Some fell just feet away from her house.
"About 11 p.m., I was sitting there watching TV,” says Park, “All the sudden the wind come up fast, and I heard limbs hitting the house."
Shortly after the tornado warning was issued in Crawford County, Park says she began to hear trees crackle in her yard.
"It was a horrible sound,” says Park,” It was loud."
Entire uprooted trees block her driveway Tuesday. The shop beside her home is also damaged from fallen limbs.
“I got up and went to the door and I couldn’t open it,” said James “Pete” Howard, a storm victim.
The tornado uprooted trees in Howard’s yard along Highway 220. Wind damaged his shed. “I looked outside and stuff was, it was a bit time wind, but no rain,” said Howard.
County crews worked throughout the day clearing Lucian Wood Road in Cedarville.
"We use chainsaws, back hoe, dump trucks, and just mowed it up and hauled it out," says Steve Lackey with the Crawford County Highway Department.
The crews filled two dump trucks with tree limbs.
In Uniontown, trampolines were seen tangled in trees. Fences were also knocked down with debris scattered in yards.
“I’m just glad it wasn’t any worse than what it is,” says Park.
County crews say continuing rain could cause the next problem. Swollen creeks and rivers in Crawford County are already on the rise closing down streets like Pevehouse Road in Van Buren and a section of Highway 282 between Mountainburg and Alma.
