Track of a large tornado that could be seen from Greensburg on April 14

One of the tornadoes that developed during the April 14 outbreak touched down just northwest of Greensburg – so close that residents of the town all but wiped out by a 2007 tornado could see it.

Here’s a photo of the tornado taken from Greensburg by Grant Neuhold, which can be seen on Greensburg’s Facebook page.

The tornado moved northeast, taking it away from Greensburg but perilously close to Macksville. Chillingly, this tornado threatened some of the same small towns as the massive “Trousdale” tornado that touched down about the same time as the deadly Greensburg tornado was falling apart on the night of May 4, 2007.

The April 14 tornado was on the ground for 38 miles and was a mile wide at its largest point. It was on a path that would take it right into Macksville – before it shifted to the east and just missed the town. Ironically, it crossed U.S. 50 not far from where the Trousdale tornado of 2007 struck a law enforcement officer’s patrol car as he tried to warn residents of the approaching twister.

Robert “Tim” Buckman, 46, a Macksville police officer and Stafford County sheriff’s officer, died four days after his car was crushed and thrown into a field.

A National Weather Service damage survey team rated the April 14 tornado an EF3, with maximum winds of 140 miles an hour.

This story was originally published May 1, 2012 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Track of a large tornado that could be seen from Greensburg on April 14."