Jay County Tornado Destroyed Homes, Killed Cattle
Staff Report
PORTLAND – The tornado that destroyed several homes, killed some cattle and toppled a 100-foot communication tower on Friday in Jay County packed winds as strong as 130 mph, according to preliminary information gathered by the National Weather Service.
The tornado traveled more than five miles over the course of 17 minutes in northeast Jay County and was reported at 3:50 p.m. after a strong thunderstorm developed over southern Adams County quickly intensified.
The weather service said it strengthened to an EF-2 category as it moved to the southeast, damaging or destroying several rural homes and farmsteads and felled a 100-foot communications tower.
It then weakened and reintensified as it tracked south-southeast, hitting several more farmsteads, damaging numerous buildings and killing several cattle, the weather service reported.
The tornado dissipated in an open field 8 miles southeast of Bryant.
Jay County is northeast of Muncie and 50 miles south of Fort Wayne.
No injuries were reported.