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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
1208 PM EDT Mon Aug 6 2018

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR THE AUGUST 4TH 2018 TORNADO EVENT...

The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes in Windham 
County Connecticut and southern Worcester County Massachusetts which 
touched down Saturday morning August 4, 2018. Both tornadoes
occurred from the same parent thunderstorm cell. 

.Tornado from Woodstock to Quinebaug / Thompson, CT...

Start Location...Northern Woodstock in Windham County, CT
End Location...Quinebaug area of Thompson in Windham County, CT
Date...August 4, 2018
Estimated Time...936 AM to 940 AM EDT
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF-0
Maximum Wind Speed...80 mph
Maximum Path Width...8 yards
Path Length...5 miles but discontinuous
Beginning Lat/Lon...42.0000 N / 72.0334 W
Ending Lat/Lon...42.0192 N / 71.9397 W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

...Summary...

A National Weather Service survey team concluded that a weak, narrow 
tornado touched down in the northern portion of Woodstock, CT. It 
continued east-northeastward on a discontinuous path for 
approximately five miles into a portion of Quinebaug in Thompson, 
CT. It then lifted. The tornado was only 8 yards wide. It was on the 
ground, in a discontinuous path, from 936 AM to 940 AM EDT. There 
were no injuries reported.

The tornado was ranked EF-0 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with 
maximum winds estimated at 80 mph. It touched down on Redhead Hill 
Road where it sliced a single, healthy oak tree in half and 
flattened small portions of two separate corn fields. The corn was 
laid down in different directions. A woman saw swirling of trees and 
other debris as it occurred, despite it being enshrouded in rain. 
She had heard the Tornado Warning on her cell phone just before the 
damage occurred. Additional isolated tree damage was spotted on 
Watson Road, near Green Acres Lane in Quinebaug, in the northwest 
portion of Thompson, CT.

.Tornado from Dudley to Webster, MA...

Start Location...Dudley in Worcester County, MA
End Location...Webster in Worcester County, MA
Date...August 4, 2018
Estimated Time...948 AM to 949 AM EDT 
Maximum EF-Scale Rating...EF-1
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...110 mph 
Maximum Path Width...300 yards
Path Length...0.5 miles
Beginning Lat/Lon...42.0454 N / 71.8912 W 
Ending Lat/Lon...42.0511 N / 71.8849 W
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...1

...Summary...

The National Weather Service (NWS) surveyed damage in the 
Massachusetts towns of Dudley, Webster, Sutton, and Grafton. We 
concluded that a high-end EF-1 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale 
struck Dudley and Webster, with the most significant damage in 
Webster. Maximum wind speeds there were estimated at 110 mph. The 
tornado was 300 yards wide and traveled 0.5 miles in length from 948 
AM to 949 AM. Tree damage in Sutton and Grafton was not indicative 
of a tornado. All of the damage was the result of the same storm 
that produced the EF-0 tornado in northeast Connecticut.

In just a couple of minutes, it wreaked havoc in the easternmost 
part of Dudley from roughly Route 12 (Schofield Avenue) to west of 
Laprise Court northeastward onto Main Street in Webster, and lifted 
near the French River by Oxford Avenue. Many trees were snapped and 
debarked. In Webster, a gas station overhang was twisted. An old 
brick rooftop was damaged, with bricks having fallen onto Main 
Street. The rubber roof covering of another building was peeled 
completely off. Windows were blown out at a business on Main Street 
and the street was littered with broken glass. The side walls of an 
apartment complex were bent slightly outward toward the tornado. 
Window screens were sucked outward. A car windshield and side mirror 
was damaged. There were other reports of trees fallen onto cars. 
Utility poles were snapped and numerous wires were downed.

Initially, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued 17 minutes 
before the damage occurred. It was upgraded to a Tornado Warning 13 
minutes prior to the tornado touchdown in Dudley.

Tornado Warnings trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts and nearly 
everyone we spoke to had heard the warning via their cell phones 
well in advance. This undoubtedly played a big role in the fact that 
there were no fatalities. According to media reports there was one 
minor injury when an automobile was struck by falling debris.

The NWS would like to thank many people for their assistance with 
conducting this survey. In particular, special thanks to the Amateur 
Radio Skywarn Operators, who accurately and quickly found the 
damaged areas and helped link up the NWS with on-scene State 
Emergency Management officials. We would like to thank the 
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency for patiently driving the 
survey team from Woodstock, CT through Sutton, MA. The Connecticut 
Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management also helped 
us by having their Region IV Director travel with the team. The 
Emergency Management Directors and fire and police officials in the 
aforementioned towns were very helpful as well. We would especially 
like to thank the people who took time out to speak with us and 
allow us to photograph their damaged property.

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.

$$

Field/Cadima