News : Tornado or straight line winds? National Weather Service to seek answers Monday

While most people who saw or heard the early morning storm or looked at some of its damage are calling it a "tornado," it's too soon to say for sure exactly what kind of wind caused the significant damage to several homes and apartment buildings and other structures in Vinton Sunday morning, says Benton County Emergency Management Director Scott Hansen.

The National Weather Service will send a team of experts to reveiw damage Monday morning, said Hansen.

Sirens not activated

A press release from the Vinton Police Department explained why the storm warning sirens were not activated.

"At the time of this event, the City of Vinton was under a severe thunderstorm warning issued by the National Weather Service that had been issued at 4:40 a.m. This warning included a stated a hazard of 60 mph wind gusts which did not meet the criteria to activate the storm sirens. Residents are reminded that events such as this are always possible with any severe thunderstorm and can occur with little or no warning," said the VPD.

Hansen agreed with the VPD assessment, saying nothing in weather radar or the NWS storm warnings predicted the dangerous storm which struck Vinton.

Witnesses said the storm was over quickly; many said it sounded like a "freight train."

Hansen estimated that the damaging wins lasted 15 seconds or so. He said he would leave it up to the NWS to label the storm as a tornado or otherwise.