Confirmed tornado touches down in Higbee, injures two

Emergency Management Association officials confirmed a tornado touched down in Higbee on Monday night.

According to the officials, the tornado touched the ground near Route NN and crossed Route AA. There were 100 mph winds recorded.

According to the National Weather Services storm data, the tornado touched down for 15 minutes and reached up to 30 yards. NWS storm data graded it as an F-1, or a weak tornado.

A woman is currently in the intensive care unit who is being treated for injuries she suffered during the tornado.

A man who was working in his workshop at the time was also injured and sent to the hospital, but has since been released.

The woman in the hospital was found by her daughter, who said she just knew it was a tornado.

On Tuesday, Higbee residents were out helping clean up debris left from the storm.

ABC 17 News spoke with Emergency Management director Jim Charrier, for Randolph County, who also confirmed the statistics of the narrow tornado.

“They said the actual tornado was approximately 30 yards wide and it did hop, and had a maximum sustained wind with approximately 100 mph and it puts it right smack in the middle of a F-1,” Charrier said.

Charrier said December tornadoes are rare, but Monday night’s storm was a violent reminder that residents must be prepared at all times.