A tornado likely happened in Connecticut and Rhode Island Wednesday as severe thunderstorms made their way across New England, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather service said it will survey storm damage in those two states Thursday. But by looking at radar data and videos “it does appear likely that a tornado occurred.”
The survey will help the weather service determine its strength on the EF-scale, maximum wind speed and path length and width.
The EF, or Enhanced Fujita scale, ranks the intensity of a tornado’s wind speed. EF-0 and EF-1, between 65 and 110 mph, are considered weak; EF-2 and EF-3 tornadoes are expected to be strong, reaching speeds of 111 to 165 mph; and EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes reaching somewhere between 166 or over 200 mph are considered violent, according to the weather service.
Tornado warnings were issued for parts of Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol counties in Massachusetts Wednesday.
“TAKE COVER NOW!” the alert read. “Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.”
The weather service has not confirmed a tornado in those areas as of Thursday morning.
On Aug. 18, New England had five tornados in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
The tornado seen in Scotland, Connecticut was the first one that day, according to the National Weather Service. The tornado materialized at 7:53 a.m. and spun for about six minutes. This tornado scaled at an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale based on its wind speed and the damage caused.
This tornado reached wind speeds of 100 mph and traveled just under three miles. It touched down on Bass Road and continued along Route 14, then crossed Pinch Street before it eventually lifted near Brook Road, the weather service said.
“While there wasn’t much in the way of structural damage observed, other than gutter damage to two homes, there was significant tree damage,” meteorologists said. “It was estimated that well over one hundred trees were either downed or sheared off at their tops.”
Next came the EF-2 tornado that traveled from Scituate to Johnston to North Providence, all in Rhode Island, between 8:40 to 8:57 a.m. This tornado uprooted or snapped “hundreds” of large trees, some of which significantly damaged homes, and in one case “lifted a vehicle into the air before dropping it back onto the highway,” the weather service reported.
Then an EF-1 tornado struck the ground and traveled from North Attleborough to Mansfield in Massachusetts. From 9:07 to 9:22 a.m., this tornado snapped and uprooted trees, with one witness telling meteorologists she “saw swirling debris before taking shelter in her home.”
An EF-0 tornado briefly hit the ground in Stoughton between 9:37 and 9:39 a.m. It blasted part of a fence and left some damage to trees, the weather service said.
The last tornado landed in Weymouth, scaling at an EF-1. It lasted from 9:52 to 9:55 a.m. and uprooted “numerous” trees, while a “home at the intersection of Burton Terrace and Torrey Street had about 20 singles torn from its roof,” meteorologists said.
Tornadoes in New England can be expected through the summer months of June, July and August, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorologist Joe Dellicarpini said. In Massachusetts, Bay State residents can expect around a handful during that time, he added, though they are usually “weak and short-lived, only lasting a few minutes, but they can still produce damage.”
More information about Wednesday’s tornado is expected Thursday.
