The EF-1 tornado was on the ground for nearly two-miles, one person was injured
Charles Town, WV – The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado caused damage in Ranson, West Virginia on Monday May 3, 2021.
An EF-1 tornado with peak wind speed of 90 miles an hour, traveled 1.8 miles between 6:27 – 6:32 PM. The tornado was 125 yards wide.
The tornado touched down along Robelei Drive just west of West Virginia Route 115/Mildred Street. Two properties sustained substantial damage. One outdoor shed was blown from its foundation, and another shed was shifted from its foundation. The trailer section of a tractor trailer was pushed a few feet laterally, and then pushed over onto Route 115.
As the storm crossed WV-115, several large branches were snapped off trees in front of Two Crows Antique Mall.
The tornado then struck a warehouse at Universal Forest Products and reached peak intensity. On this property it pushed over a large warehouse building that was partially opened along its sides. People were in the building at the time, one person was injured.
The tornado weakened substantially as it traveled east from the warehouses. The tornado was witnessed by someone in the nearby Potomac Marketplace shopping center as it crossed WV Route 9. From there it passed through mobile home communities along Grayrock Road and Cambridge Drive causing a few large branches to be snapped as well as some roofing damage to at least one mobile home.
The tornado lifted before reaching Flowing Acres Road.