Tornadoes in Worcester County, MA

[murrmac123]

I could hardly believe my eyes when I read tonight that two 100+ MPH tornadoes had hit Upton, in Worcester County MA.

In 1998-99 I spent two years in adjacent Westborough, and AFAIK there had never been any instance at that time of a tornado hitting MA.

Kansas and Texas, yes, but not Massachusetts.

The times, they are a-changing ...

[reeve21]

I wish I could agree with you!

Tornadoes are actually fairly common here in New England. We have had several devastating ones in Connecticut in my memory. We had four in one day this May, and another small one last week. This one took down an area known as the Cathedral Pines back in 1989.

[Dirk Hofman]

Major ones seem quite rare.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornad...land#Deadliest

[murrmac123]

Originally Posted by Dirk Hofman

Major ones seem quite rare.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornad...land#Deadliest

Interesting ...I was staggered to learn that the most devastating tornado in US history had actually happened in Worcester County MA ...

[Gitfiddlemann]

Kansas and Texas, yes, but not Massachusetts.

Correct. One of the deadliest tornadoes on record in the US occurred in Massachusetts in 1953. The great "Worcester" tornado.
On the ground for an hour and a half, traveled 48 miles, killed 94, and left over 10,000 homeless.
Since you're familiar with the state, it touched down near the Quabbin reservoir in Petersham, and didn't dissipate until it reached Framingham, getting there through Shrewsbury, Westborough and Southborough.
And here is a pic of the one that touched down in Springfield in 2011:

I actually recall that day in 2011. I was glued to the TV weather broadcast, because nasty storm cells would keep popping up out of nowhere, and be headed right for our area. I had never seen or experienced such volatility in a weather event. It was also the only time I ever prepared for taking shelter with our pets into the cellar.
The jury is still out on the event in Upton I believe. The damage was extensive, but very localized. It could have just been a micro-burst.

So yeah, they do happen here too, but of course, nothing like what the folks who live in Tornado alley have to contend with. The geography and topography of the country in that section make the area particularly vulnerable to super violent tornadoes and lightning/hail storms.

But we also need to "keep an eye to the sky", especially this time of year.

[HHP]

Here in Indiana, we build fake trailer parks as tornado decoys.

[Dirk Hofman]

Originally Posted by murrmac123

Interesting ...I was staggered to learn that the most devastating tornado in US history had actually happened in Worcester County MA ...

Found this site. Probably more interesting facts there.

http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com.../Massachusetts

Would be interesting to see this graphed out over time to see if there have been times when it's been more frequent. Maybe it's in there.

[cotten]

HHP, do you staff them with fake red necks to describe how it sounded like a freight train, or just rely on stock footage?

[HHP]

Originally Posted by cotten

HHP, do you staff them with fake red necks to describe how it sounded like a freight train, or just rely on stock footage?

Well, they are dual purpose. When not attracting tornados they lure the alien spaceships so as not to lose any productive citizens to abductions.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, In October (?) 1998 I was staying with a friend in Nashua NH, and another guy got me a gig in a folk club in Concord MA.
On the journey down the weather was appalling, and the radio stations were broadcasting tornado warnings and saying that we should stop driving, and get out of our cars and "take shelter!" I didn't fancy that much and as no-one else was stopping, I kept going.
Never seen hail like that in the UK, nor seen coloured lightening like we did that night.

We got there on time and I met the guy that got me the gig with his D35 with EJ17s on it just like he'd promised me!

No-one in the club seemed concerned about the weather outside.

It was all over by the end of the gig, and I don't know if a tornado hit ground or caused any damage.

[HHP]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi, In October (?) 1998 I was staying with a friend in Nashua NH, and another guy got me a gig in a folk club in Concord MA.
On the journey down the weather was appalling, and the radio stations were broadcasting tornado warnings and saying that we should stop driving, and get out of our cars and "take shelter!" I didn't fancy that much and as no-one else was stopping, I kept going.
Never seen hail like that in the UK, nor seen coloured lightening like we did that night.

We got there on time and I met the guy that got me the gig with his D35 with EJ17s on it just like he'd promised me!

No-one in the club seemed concerned about the weather outside.

It was all over by the end of the gig, and I don't know if a tornado hit ground or caused any damage.

I used to have to travel to California twice a month for meetings. Every once in a while, we would get a small earthquake. People from other area would express how they couldn't take living in a place subject to quakes.

One of the California guys piped in with "Well, in the Midwest you have tornados"

I advised him the key difference being tornados can miss, earthquakes don't miss.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by HHP

I used to have to travel to California twice a month for meetings. Every once in a while, we would get a small earthquake. People from other area would express how they couldn't take living in a place subject to quakes.

One of the California guys piped in with "Well, in the Midwest you have tornados"

I advised him the key difference being tornados can miss, earthquakes don't miss.

In Californye-a you got yer' earthquakes, yer' brush fires, and yer' mudslides, still runnin' 'round loose. It's a heckuva' thing!