National Weather Service Raw Text Product

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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
314 PM EDT Tue Aug 11 2020

...NWS DAMAGE ASSESSMENT RESULTS FOR TROPICAL STORM ISAIAS TORNADOES...

Updates:
1) Increased the wind speed to EF2, 115 mph, for the long-tracked
Kent to New Castle County Delaware tornado. Also extended the 
path length. 

2) An 8th tornado (EF1) has been added; Milford in Sussex/Kent 
County, Delaware.

Total Number of Tornadoes*: 8
EF2: 2
EF1: 4
EF0: 2

Number of Tornadoes by State*:
DE: 3
PA: 2
NJ: 2
MD: 1

*NWS Mount Holly coverage area.


.Kent and New Castle County Delaware Tornado...

Start Location...Dover in Kent County, Delaware
End Location...Southwest of Glasgow in New Castle County, Delaware 
Date...August 4, 2020
Estimated Time...8:55 AM EDT to 9:30 AM EDT 
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF2 
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...115 mph 
Maximum Path Width...500 yards
Path Length...35.5 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...39.10N/75.50W 
Ending Lat/Lon...39.58N/75.76W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
The tornado touched down in the vicinity of the Eagle Meadows 
Apartment Homes on Sorghum Mill Road in Kent County then moved 
across Route 10. It tracked nearly parallel to South State Street 
through Anneville, the south side of Dover, where significant tree
damage occurred, including some treetops shredded from Poplar 
Lane to the neighborhood around Steele Road. It was here where 
some roof damage occurred to some homes especially due to fallen 
trees, however a garage was significantly damaged on Dyer’s Tree
Farm. The tornado then crossed over Route 13 near the Eden 
Medical Center and very near the William Henry Middle School. A 
couple sections of the school’s roof were blown off along with 
some tree damage nearby. A warehouse adjacent to the school had a 
few sections of its metal walls torn off and a couple of tractor 
trailer trailers flipped onto their side. The tornado then crossed
over Walker Road at Route 15 then to Westminster Village at Dover
near the intersection of Route 15 and College Road.

The tornado continued northward just east of Cheswold where the 
tornado may have lifted for a time with discontinuous tree damage 
before moving through the east side of Smyrna where more notable 
tree damage occurred. A 96 mph wind gust was measured at a 
Delaware Department of Transportation weather station located on 
Route 1 just north of Smyrna as the tornadic circulation passed 
by. From here, the tornado continued nearly parallel to Routes 1 
and 13 on the east sides of Townsend and Middletown in New Castle 
County. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted along portions of 
Blackbird Landing Road and Gum Bush Road in Townsend with some 
damage to roofs. A garage at a residence on Blackbird Landing Road
was destroyed. The tornado then damaged homes in Middletown along
Spring Hollow Drive. In this neighborhood, some homes had roof 
material and siding blown off with numerous trees uprooted. 
Several garage doors were blown out and one home had an entire 
side wall blown off. One picture showed a home with a missing 
exterior corner walls on the second story.

The tornado continued north northwest to the Summit Bridge area 
just south of the C and D canal. It is here where substantial 
damage occurred to several homes, including one home that had more
than half of its roof completely torn off with a neighboring home
losing several sections of their roof. Some other homes lost a 
portion of their roof and siding was torn off with a garage door 
blown in, along with several trees down or snapped. The tornado 
crossed the canal and tracked near Lums Pond and through an 
adjacent wooded area where pictures and areal footage showed a 
clear path with numerous trees down. The tornado then crossed 
Route 896 and into the Brennan Estates where hundreds of trees 
were down or uprooted and around a dozen homes sustained enough 
damage that they were declared as uninhabitable. The tornado then 
looked to have lifted prior to crossing over into Cecil County 
Maryland.

Based on the damage to the homes in the Middletown to Summit 
Bridge to Brennan Estates areas especially (some non-tree related 
damage), the rating of this tornado was increased to 115 mph which
is equivalent to an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Doppler 
radar data showed a continuous and well defined rotational 
signature and also a tornado debris signature.

This tornado path length set a new record in Delaware, greatly 
surpassing the previous tornado path length record of 13 miles 
which occurred in 1988.

Special thanks is extended to Kent County and New Castle County 
Emergency Management, trained spotters, and the public for their 
extensive assistance with this survey.


.Philadelphia and Bucks County Pennsylvania Tornado...

Start Location...Northeast Philadelphia in Philadelphia County,
                 Pennsylvania
End Location...Doylestown in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Date...August 4, 2020
Estimated Time...10:50 AM EDT to 11:10 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF2
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...115 mph
Maximum Path Width...500 yards
Path Length...20 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...40.34N/75.16W
Ending Lat/Lon...40.08N/74.96W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...6 all which were minor

...Summary...
A tornado touched down just east of the Philadelphia Mills Mall 
as it moved in a northwesterly direction along or near Knights 
Road and Medford Road toward Dunks Ferry Road. Three exhaust 
systems and 6 RTU systems were blown off the roof in less than 15 
seconds at the former Walmart Store currently undergoing 
reconstruction, and numerous trees, some close to 100 years old, 
were snapped or blown over along Knights Road, Medford Road, and 
Dunks Ferry Road. Roofs, siding, and awnings were blown off many 
homes in the area. A few cars were also tossed or turned over as 
the storm moved through. The estimated wind speed in this area was
100 mph, equivalent to EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Current 
evidence suggests the tornado then lifted off the ground as it 
proceeded in a northwesterly direction, briefly touching down in 
the Southampton area of Bucks County. Numerous trees were snapped 
in this area as well, with many homes and cars damaged due to 
falling trees and tree limbs. The Sycamore Drive and Harding Roads
areas were hardest hit. The estimated wind speed in this area was
90 mph, equivalent to an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
 
Current evidence again suggests the tornado lifted one more time 
as the parent circulation traveled to the Doylestown area, where 
it touched down one final time near the Central Bucks West High 
School. Here bleachers on the visitor’s side of the athletic 
field were picked up and tossed before the vortex moved on to the 
Doylestown Hospital complex where at least six automobiles were 
tossed some distance, and where substantial damage occurred to the
Children’s Village Day Care center with no serious injuries 
reported. Numerous trees were felled in and around the hospital 
center, and several metal lamp posts were bent from the wind. The 
estimated wind speed in this area was 115 mph, equivalent to a 
low-end EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. The tornado then 
continued moving in a northwesterly direction, snapping and 
falling trees, as well as causing damage to homes and other 
properties, especially along and near Sandy Ridge Road, Jefferson 
Avenue, and Lower State Road, before lifting along Ferry Road near
the Peace Valley Reservoir. The estimated wind speed in this area
was 100 mph, equivalent to an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

Special thanks is extended to the Bucks County Office of 
Emergency Management, and to the Philadelphia Office of Emergency 
Management, for field reconnaissance associated with this survey.


.Sussex and Kent County Delaware Tornado...

Start Location...Milford in Sussex County, Delaware
End Location...Milford in Kent County, Delaware
Date...August 4, 2020
Estimated Time...8:25 AM EDT to 8:30 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF1
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...100 mph
Maximum Path Width...400 yards
Path Length...2.7 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...38.89N/75.45W
Ending Lat/Lon...38.92N/75.46W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
A tornado touched down in the Evergreen and Meadow Brook Lanes 
area of southwest Milford (Sussex County) around 8:25 AM on August
4. There was extensive tree damage from Meadow Brook and 
Evergreen lanes north to Haven Lake then across the lake to North 
Shore Drive in Kent County. Numerous trees were uprooted and 
snapped along the path of the tornado, with several trees falling 
onto homes. The tornado turned more northwest and crossed 
Williamsville Road producing additional tree damage, then lifted 
before it reached Milford Harrington Highway. Due to the extensive
tree damage, power lines and some poles were also down along 
portions of the tornados path. Several of the trees were of 
softwood and snapped at their trunks, which is indicative of 100 
mph winds and this was used to rate this tornado. This wind speed 
corresponds to an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Doppler radar 
data showed a well defined tornado debris signature that quickly 
developed on the west and northwest side of Milford as the 
circulation moved through.
 
Special thanks is extended to the Delaware Department of 
Transportation and the local media, especially WRDE Coast TV 
Meteorologist Alex Seymore, for their assistance with this survey.


.Kent County Delaware Tornado...

Start Location...Sandtown in Kent County, Delaware
End Location...Sandtown in Kent County, Delaware
Date...August 4, 2020
Estimated Time...8:25 AM EDT to 8:28 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF1
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...100 mph
Maximum Path Width...200 yards
Path Length...2.6 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...39.01N/75.69W
Ending Lat/Lon...39.04N/75.73W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
The tornado touched down in the vicinity of Road 258 south of 
Sandtown Road, then tracked across a section of mostly open fields
but damaged some trees along the way. It then tracked down the 
western portion of Sandtown Road closer to Route 10 damaging 
several homes and snapping and uprooting several trees. A home had
some windows blown out along with roof damage, another home had 
its roof blown off and there was a large garage that had its back 
sheet metal wall torn off. The tornado crossed Route 10 near the 
intersection with Sandtown Road and moved across the Sandtown 
Landfill facility where additional trees were uprooted or snapped,
two front-end loaders had windows blown out and some truck 
trailers were flipped over. The tornado exited the landfill and 
may have dissipated before reaching the Maryland-Delaware state 
line. Doppler radar data showed rotation and a notable tornado 
debris signature near and just northwest of Sandtown as debris was
tossed into the air.

Special thanks is extended to the staff at the Country Cupboard 
store in Sandtown, Kent County Emergency Management and 911 Center
staff for their assistance with this survey.


.Ocean County New Jersey Waterspout and Tornado...

Start Location...Near Ship Bottom in Ocean County, New Jersey
End Location...Near Mud City in Ocean County, New Jersey
Date...August 4, 2020
Estimated Time...10:50 AM EDT to 10:54 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF1
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...110 mph
Maximum Path Width...Unknown
Path Length...3.0 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...39.63N/74.20W
Ending Lat/Lon...39.68N/74.21W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
A waterspout developed in Manahawkin Bay between Ship Bottom and 
Brant Beach. It tracked northwestward and video footage showed the
circulation with light debris in the air crossing the Route 72 
bridge over the bay. The waterspout then continued tracking to the
northwest and passed east of Mud City before moving ashore into a
marshy area of the Manahawkin Wildlife Management area. Other 
than some light debris reported in the air as it crossed the Route
72 bridge, no other damage reports have been received as of this 
report. However, the circulation tracked right over the Long Beach
Island WeatherFlow weather station located north of Egg Island 
and west of Flat Island in Manahawkin Bay which measured a 109 mph
wind gust at 10:53 AM EDT. This measurement was used to rate this
waterspout/tornado given the lack of actual damage. Doppler radar
data showed no evidence of a tornado debris signature. Doppler 
radar data however did indicate velocities to 112 mph at about 
1,600 feet above the ground very near the aforementioned weather 
station.

Special thanks is extended to the public who provided video that 
greatly helped with this survey.


.Cape May County New Jersey Tornado...

Start Location...Strathmere in Cape May County, New Jersey
End Location...Marmora in Cape May County, New Jersey
Date...August 4, 2020
Estimated Time...9:45 AM EDT to 9:50 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF1
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...100 mph
Maximum Path Width...150 yards
Path Length...5.25 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...39.19N/74.66W
Ending Lat/Lon...39.27N/74.66W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
A waterspout came ashore near the southern end of Corson’s 
Inlet State Park near Strathmere then across marshy areas. The 
tornado then crossed the Garden State Parkway then tracked along 
Route 9 across the south side of Marmora. There were several 
pictures and videos of the waterspout and tornado including a 
trained spotter reporting a tornado on the ground with debris in 
the air. The tornado produced significant damage to homes and 
businesses on the 500 block of Route 9, starting in the vicinity 
of a Coca Cola facility where containers were tossed around with 
even a truck trailer flipped onto its side. Adjacent to the Coca 
Cola facility, a large shed at a residence was upended and 
vehicles were moved from their original locations. Several homes 
had portions of their roofs blown off with a couple of homes 
sustaining significant damage to a side wall or corner walls. The 
tornado crossed Route 9 to the Pine Hill Mobile Home Court where 
significant damage occurred to trees and buildings. One home was 
shifted off its foundation and others had roof damage and downed 
trees crushed several cars. The tornado tracked north northwest 
crossing Tuckahoe Road and may have dissipated over the adjacent 
marsh areas. Doppler radar data showed a well defined tornado 
debris signature as the tornado moved through portions of Marmora.

Special thanks is extended to Cape May County, trained spotters, 
and the local media for their help with this survey.


.Montgomery County Pennsylvania Tornado...

Start Location...Worcester Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
End Location...Worcester Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Date...August 4, 2020
Estimated Time...10:44 AM EDT to 10:50 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF0
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...80 mph
Maximum Path Width...200 yards
Path Length...2.8 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...40.16N/75.33W
Ending Lat/Lon...40.20N/75.36W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
An EF0 tornado occurred in Worcester Township in Montgomery 
County, Pennsylvania as Tropical Storm Isaias moved northward 
along the East Coast of the United States. With southeastern 
Pennsylvania being in the northeastward, right front quadrant, the
tornado and parent storm moved in an unusual northwestward 
trajectory ahead of the main center of the tropical storm. An area
of circulation tightened in a strong cell within a rainband in 
southeastern Montgomery County. As this circulation tightened, a 
brief tornado formed near the intersection of Brindle Court and 
Township Line Road in Worcester Township, where a few small trees 
were downed in a small residential subdivision. From here, the 
tornado continued its northwestward trajectory through the 
township, downing trees along Potshop Road. The circulation may 
have lifted with the path being somewhat discontinuous. A somewhat
denser area of trees were downed as the tornado moved across 
Valley Forge Road and northwestward along Heebner Road. Several 
tree tops were sheared off in addition to several utility poles 
being pushed over along Heebner Road near the intersection of 
Shefley Lane. The tornado continued northwest from here, 
eventually downing several hardwood trees along Hollow Road. One 
tree brought down several utility lines as it fell. From here, the
tornado lifted with only a few other trees being downed a little 
ways from Hollow Road in a small wooded area. 
 
Special thanks is extended to the Montgomery County Emergency 
Management Office along with Skywarn Spotter Lou Ruh for their 
help in this survey.


.Queen Anne's County Maryland Tornado...

Start Location...Queenstown in Queen Anne's County in Maryland
End Location...Queenstown in Queen Anne's County in Maryland
Date...August 4, 2020
Estimated Time...8:18 AM EDT to 8:19 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF0
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...70 mph
Maximum Path Width...35 yards
Path Length...0.60 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...38.93N/76.13W
Ending Lat/Lon...38.93N/76.15W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...
The tornado touched down along Stagwell Road in Queenstown. 
Pictures and video showed a distinct but narrow path in a corn 
field parallel to the road which is mostly east to west. The 
downed corn was in a circular pattern, and aerial footage over the
corn field showed some downburst signatures on the right side of 
the tornado path. In addition to the cornfield damage, sporadic 
tree damage occurred along Stagwell Road across from the corn 
field. The tornado looks to have lifted before it reached the Wye 
River as there was no additional visible damage north of this 
path. Radar showed defined rotation, however given the weak 
intensity of the tornado it appeared to have occurred on the north
side of a larger rotational signature and therefore tracked more 
east to west.

Special thanks is extended to Queen Anne’s County Emergency 
Management and local media for their assistance with this survey.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

* The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

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Davis/Gorse/Miketta/Staarmann