New England Severe Weather (6/1)

[Cyclenall]

People here should know by now that you can't determine intensity from radar returns or initial damage reports. Only a survey team on the ground after the storm can do that.

Yes we can, I actually have done it twice now since that EF5 tornado that hit near El Reno Oklahoma was upgraded yesterday. The moment I saw the first images coming out minutes after that one hit, I thought it was another EF5 because of the debarking and houses swept off their foundations reports. The same went for the Joplin EF5 twister. Usually you can get a good idea of the intensity before the NWS releases any information on the damage findings based on the radar returns and first pics. Were not claiming to know the exact strength right out of the gate or anything.

State of Emergency declared by Deval Patrick for the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

This is a big deal, yet the lamestream media pushes this one off the to side and only makes a brief mention of it on national news outlets.

So it appears another debris ball on radar was present to blast June off. This tornado season is getting closer and closer to being the equivalent to what the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane season was to tropical cyclones...and I reserve GREAT hesitation to utter such things! .

[alan1961]

Springfield Tornado

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9TIZX_6E_Q[/youtube]

[Tireman4]

I kept thinking as I was watching unfold, was...this is New England...Massachussetts...what in the world is going on. I know they have had big tornadoes before (1953 and 1995), bit seriously. Very weird. Hail in Maine. Goodness.

Baseball size hail hit several parts of the state on Wednesday when a strong line of storms tore through the area. Along with the hail there were water spouts and reports of funnel clouds.
In the Bethel area the hail damaged several cars as it fell late in the afternoon. The storm system, which also brought heavy rain, thunder and lightening took down trees in Bethel.
Jane Chandler who lives along North Pond in Woodstock says she saw the water spout form and then watch the wave that followed tear up her dock. Many snapped pictures of the storm and the hail saying they'd never seen anything like it before.Wild Weather brings baseball size hail to the state

http://www.wgme.com/newsroom/top_storie ... 8052.shtml

[Sanibel]

Incredible footage looking down at the funnel.

[Cyclenall]

^^ I second that, amazing footage and the first time a tornado over water has been clearly caught on film looking downwards! The way all that water was being sucked in was pure awesomeness.

The quantity of great to stellar footage this year is staggering.

[CrazyC83]

Rating: at least EF3 (maybe EF4?)

[tomboudreau]

Damage report has been posted for this storm -

NOUS41 KBOX 040202
PNSBOX
CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>008-041415-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1002 PM EDT FRI JUN 3 2011

...THREE TORNADOES CONFIRMED ON JUNE 1 2011 IN MASSACHUSETTS...

...EF3 TORNADO CONFIRMED FROM WESTFIELD TO CHARLTON...

LOCATION...WESTFIELD TO CHARLTON IN HAMPDEN AND WORCESTER COUNTIES
DATE...JUNE 1 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...417 PM TO 527 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF3
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...160 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...ONE HALF MILE
PATH LENGTH...39.0 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...42.10N / 72.75W
ENDING LAT/LON...42.10N / 71.99W
* FATALITIES...4
* INJURIES...200

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON MASSACHUSETTS HAS
CONFIRMED AN EF3 TORNADO FROM WESTFIELD TO CHARLTON MASSACHUSETTS
ON JUNE 1 2011.

A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPED OVER WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS STORM STRENGTHENED AND PRODUCED A LONG-
LIVED...VERY SIGNIFICANT TORNADO...THAT DID EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ACROSS
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH-CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS.

THIS STORM WILL BE NOTED NOT ONLY FOR ITS INTENSITY...BUT ALSO FOR
THE LENGTH OF THE CONTINUOUS DAMAGE PATH...APPROXIMATELY 39 MILES.
THE TORNADO WAS ALSO VERY WIDE AT SOME POINTS...REACHING A MAXIMUM
WIDTH OF ONE-HALF MILE.

THE TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN IN THE MUNGER HILL SECTION OF
WESTFIELD WITH DAMAGE MAINLY LIMITED TO TREES...MANY UPROOTED AND
SNAPPED. THE ROOF OF MUNGER HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS ALSO
DAMAGED. THE TORNADO RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED AS IT MOVED INTO WEST
SPRINGFIELD. THE TORNADO CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO INDUSTRIAL
BUILDINGS AND HOMES. SEVERAL BUILDINGS HAD THEIR ROOFS REMOVED BY
THE TORNADO...A FEW STRUCTURES COLLAPSED...AND SEVERAL MULTI-
STORY BUILDINGS LOST THEIR UPPER STORIES.

THE TORNADO THEN CROSSED THE CONNECTICUT RIVER AT THE MEMORIAL
AVENUE BRIDGE AND INTO THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD. HERE THE TORNADO
PRODUCED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA
WITH MANY HOMES DESTROYED. IN ADDITION COMMERCIAL BRICK BUILDINGS
SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. ROOFS WERE REMOVED FROM MANY OF THESE
LARGE COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES. THE TORNADO ALSO PRODUCED SEVERE
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO TOWN HOMES AND APARTMENTS NEAR SPRINGFIELD
COLLEGE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED MOVING EAST INTO THE ISLAND POND
SECTION OF SPRINGFIELD...WHERE CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL SUSTAINED
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE...AND MANY HOMES IN THIS PART THE CITY WERE
COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO MOVE EAST THROUGH WILBRAHAM NEAR THE
WILBRAHAM-HAMPDEN TOWN LINE PRODUCING NEARLY COMPLETE
DEFORESTATION AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO NEARBY STRUCTURES.

THE TORNADO THEN CONTINUED DIRECTLY THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE
TOWN OF MONSON. IN MONSON WIDESPREAD DAMAGE OCCURRED TO COMMERCIAL
AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS...WITH MANY HOMES COMPLETELY DESTROYED.
THE ROOF OF MONSON HIGH SCHOOL WAS DESTROYED. FORESTED PARTS OF
TOWN EXPERIENCED NEARLY COMPLETE DEFORESTATION AND IN SOME
LOCATIONS TREE BARK WAS STRIPPED FROM REMAINING TRUNKS.

THE TORNADO MOVED ACROSS THE BRIMFIELD STATE FOREST WHERE IT
REACHED IT MAXIMUM WIDTH OF APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF MILE. ADDITIONAL
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED BOTH TO STRUCTURES AND FORESTED AREAS
FOR MANY MILES BEFORE THE TORNADO REACHED THE SOUTHBRIDGE AIRPORT.
HERE NUMEROUS AIRCRAFT WERE LIFTED OFF THE GROUND AND INTO THE
WOODS EAST OF THE AIRPORT.

THE TORNADO THEN MOVED EAST BEFORE LIFTING IN THE SOUTHWEST PART
OF CHARLTON.

&&

...EF1 TORNADO CONFIRMED IN WILBRAHAM...

LOCATION...WILBRAHAM IN HAMPDEN COUNTY
DATE...JUNE 1 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...632 PM TO 640 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...90 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...200 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...3.6 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...42.14N / 72.48W
ENDING LAT/LON...42.15N / 72.40W
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...0

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON MASSACHUSETTS HAS
CONFIRMED AN EF1 TORNADO IN WILBRAHAM ON JUNE 1 2011.

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED THAT AN EF1
TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF WILBRAHAM. THE TORNADO
CONTINUED EAST CROSSING MAIN STREET AND MOUNTAIN ROAD...BUT
REMAINED SOUTH OF ROUTE 20. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS TO TREES WITH
LARGE LIMBS SNAPPED OFF...AS WELL AS NUMEROUS TREES DOWNED.
SEVERAL WERE UPROOTED.

&&

...EF1 TORNADO CONFIRMED IN NORTH BRIMFIELD...

LOCATION...NORTH BRIMFIELD IN HAMPDEN COUNTY
DATE...JUNE 1 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...654 PM TO 657 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...90 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...100 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...1.3 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...42.14N / 72.23W
ENDING LAT/LON...42.15N / 72.20W
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...0

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON MASSACHUSETTS HAS
CONFIRMED AN EF1 TORNADO IN NORTH BRIMFIELD ON JUNE 1 2011.

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED THAT A SECOND EF1
TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NORTH OF BRIMFIELD WEST OF ROUTE 19. THIS
TORNADO CROSSED ROUTE 19 AND LIFTED NEAR TOWER HILL ROAD. THE
DAMAGE WAS SURVEYED ON THE GROUND AND BY AIRCRAFT. THE DAMAGE
CONSISTED OF TREES WITH LARGE LIMBS SNAPPED OFF...AS WELL AS
NUMEROUS TREES DOWNED...A FEW OF WHICH WERE UPROOTED. THIS TORNADO
IS FROM THE SAME PARENT THUNDERSTORM THAT PRODUCED THE TORNADO IN
NORTH WILBRAHAM.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/BOX.

FOR REFERENCE...THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO
THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

EF0...WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.
EF1...WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.
EF2...WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.
EF3...WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.
EF4...WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.
EF5...WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE VARIOUS STATE
AND LOCAL AGENCIES AND THE CIVIL AIR PATROL FOR ALL OF THEIR
ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING THESE STORM SURVEYS.

$$
THOMPSON/MANNING/DELLICARPINI/DUNHAM/DOODY/VALLIER-TALBOT/MCCORMICK

[HurricaneBill]

East Longmeadow is right next to Springfield. I was working at the Longmeadow Big Y when the tornado happened. I was sweeping in the basement when I noticed the lights flicker a couple of times. We've had severe t-storms do that, so I didn't think much of it. However, I began to hear people talking about a tornado hitting Springfield. Although the tornado passed north of East Longmeadow and spared the town any damage, the power was out. Things got hectic as the Longmeadow Big Y was one of the only stores open with power. People began stocking up on ice, water, and flashlights.

The second round of weather struck around 8PM. i remember looking out the window and the clouds had a yellowish tint to them. Although these storms did not produce a tornado, they sure looked like they could.

I was able to get home fine. Many of my co-workers had difficulty because they lived in Springfield and the city had been pretty much closed off. In East Longmeadow, we were without power for more than 48 hours.

[tomboudreau]

While in CT this pass week visiting family, on our way home, we went up to Massachusetts to fill up the car on the way home and went through the tornado zone twice in Sturbridge. Once was along RT 131, to the south of the Mass Pike/I-84 interchange and the second time was along I-84. The tree destruction from this tornado was absolutely incredible to see. You can see the path the tornado took over the hills and acrsoss both roadways. The damage path was no more then 1 to 2 football fields wide, but every tree in this zone was either snapped off just a few feet off of the ground or down complete, and not a leaf or hint of green on any of these trees. There were still trees that had fallen onto homes and businesses in this area. I wish I had a few minutes to spare so I could take a few pictures of this destruction, but knowing we had a 10+ hour car ride back to the Pittsburgh area, we just kept motoring on. When I go back home, sometime next year, I am going to take another trip up to see what kind of recovery has been made to the forested areas up there.