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The storm was an example of how structural planning, storm spotting, and awareness techniques can be used by companies. The plant owner's decision to include storm shelters in the building's design likely saved the lives of many employees. Just as important, the early notice provided by the company
110:. It is best known for the numerous videos and pictures taken of it as well as the complete destruction of the Parsons Manufacturing plant. Despite the damage, there were only three minor injuries and no fatalities. It was one of six tornadoes to touch down on July 13, 2004.
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with a maximum reported width of a one-quarter mile (0.40 km) struck west of the village of
Roanoke, damaging much of the area and cutting power to the main town of Roanoke for three days. Based on the extreme damage, the tornado was classified as a violent F4 on the
155:, which was leveled, losing its roof and outer walls. Although about 140 people were inside the building when the tornado struck, there were no fatalities and only a few minor injuries. This was attributed to preparations made during the construction of the plant and
176:-mile (1.2 km) away, and many of the employees' cars tossed into nearby cornfields. Three neighboring farmsteads were completely swept away, with only debris remaining in the basements. Trees were debarked, and farm machinery was thrown and mangled.
135:, located eight miles (13 km) west of Roanoke, and lifted approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southeast of Roanoke. The tornado moved roughly southeasterly for a distance of 9.6 miles (15.4 kilometers) over about 25 minutes.
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training given to some of the workers. Although no tornado sirens were heard at the plant before the tornado struck, an alarm sounded by one of the spotters allowed all the workers to move to
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over an extensive area of the Ohio and
Tennessee Valleys extending to the Gulf of Mexico. The outbreak produced three other tornadoes, all rated F0. The Roanoke 2004 Tornado was featured on
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storm-spotters allowed employees to reach the shelters before the storm struck. The
Parsons plant reopened in April 2005 with seven tornado shelters, five more than the original plant.
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https://web.archive.org/web/20110604123921/http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3669229307285179970&ei=_ZFvScGaEo3I-gGSnPm0BQ&q=roanoke,+il+tornado
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area to help raise funds for employees of the
Parsons plant, most of whom had lost their cars and were either underinsured or not insured.
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Preliminary Review of WSR-88D Radar
Signatures seen in the F0 & F1 Central IL Tornadoes during the Record Setting 2003 Tornado Season
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The July 13, 2004 Tornado Event: The
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341:"THE JULY 13, 2004 ROANOKE ILLINOIS TORNADO EVENT: THE WARNING RESPONSE PROCESS AT THE PARSONS COMPANY". 2004.
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the tornado for much of its 23-minute duration. They produced a half-hour-long video that was sold in the
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The July 13, 2004 Roanoke
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The July 13, 2004 Tornado Event: Analysis of
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The worst damage occurred at the
Parsons Company manufacturing plant, a parts supplier for
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289:"Central Illinois Weather Forecast Office The Roanoke F4 Tornado of July 13, 2004"
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The Parsons plant would come very close to being destroyed again during the
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Large steel beams from the Parsons plant were blown approximately
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The Roanoke tornado was the most significant tornado of a small
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385:"Washington Tornado (Tazewell/Woodford Counties) of 11/17/2013"
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The tornado hitting the Parsons plant (Scott Smith via NWS)
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On July 13, 2004, a powerful F4 tornado formed outside of
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List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
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On Tuesday, July 13, 2004, at about 2:30 p.m., a
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Aftermath at the Parsons Company manufacturing plant.
363:"ROANOKE, ILLINOIS TORNADO: STORM STORIES SEASON 3"
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255:List of F4 and EF4 tornadoes (2000–2009)
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203:which transitioned into a destructive
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410:Roanoke F4 Tornado of July 13, 2004
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311:"Illinois plant leveled by storm"
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593:Derechos in the United States
317:. nwitimes.com. 15 July 2004
250:List of F4 and EF4 tornadoes
47:July 13, 2004 c. 2:30 pm CDT
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416:Supercell of July 13, 2004
387:. National Weather Service
291:. National Weather Service
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588:Woodford County, Illinois
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491:Tornado outbreaks of 2004
94:tornado outbreaks of 2004
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573:F4 tornadoes by location
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433:June 27, 2017, at the
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262:List of derecho events
228:Washington, IL Tornado
180:Aftermath & impact
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38:Meteorological history
583:Tornadoes in Illinois
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568:F4 tornadoes by date
188:Two local residents
20:2004 Roanoke tornado
209:The Weather Channel
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578:Tornadoes of 2004
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365:. Rotten Tomatoes
220:Full Force Nature
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84:Roanoke, Illinois
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125:Fujita scale
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114:Description
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268:References
52:F4 tornado
507:May 21–31
343:CiteSeerX
315:NWI Times
502:April 20
431:Archived
391:31 March
369:31 March
321:31 March
295:31 March
234:See also
133:Metamora
108:Illinois
72:Injuries
517:July 13
205:derecho
171:⁄
157:spotter
127:by the
120:tornado
104:Roanoke
58:on the
511:Hallam
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194:Peoria
190:chased
139:Damage
44:Formed
393:2021
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323:2021
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