Tornado touches down in Western Washington
04:58 PM PDT on Thursday, May 27, 2004
KING This barn in Tenino was hit by the funnel cloud. |
SEATTLE – A tornado tore part of the roof off a barn near Tenino, Wash., while torrential downpours hit Western Washington Thursday.
The tornado touched down shortly after 3 p.m., four miles southwest of Tenino. It was down for 1 or 2 minutes.
Authorities on the scene said the debris from the barn was spread over a quarter mile.
Originally described as a funnel cloud, it was classified as a tornado because it touched down, said Allen Kam of the National Weather Service.
Kam described it as a very weak tornado. Since then it weakened.
Courtesy Jerry Silcox Storm clouds threaten Auburn, Wash. Thursday, May 27. Click to enlarge |
Nobody was injured, but the weather gave area resident Ricky Johansen.
"It looked like a giant fist came down from the sky and pulverized this shed. It was like a hammer. I was afraid it was going to come back and get me," he said.
Drivers were advised to be extra careful on the very wet roads.