WOOLWICH, Maine — Maine’s first tornado of 2012 touched down in Woolwich on Tuesday, uprooting trees and blowing lawn furniture around but causing no major damage, according to the National Weather Service’s bureau in Gray.
Meteorologist Margaret Curtis said the tornado was rated an F-0, which is the lowest tornado classification on the Fujita Scale. It produced winds of 50-60 mph and measured about 20 yards wide by about two-tenths of a mile long. Curtis said the National Weather Service made those determinations by studying photos and videos provided by area residents. A meteorologist visited Woolwich, which is in southeastern Sagadahoc County, on Wednesday and determined from the damage pattern that the storm was in fact a tornado.
The twister touched down about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday near Jake’s Run and made its way through a mostly forested area to Trott Road before dying out.
Curtis said the transition between Tuesday’s muggy air and Wednesday’s drier weather bred perfect conditions for a tornado, though they are very rare in Maine. Curtis said the state averages one or two tornadoes per year and tornadoes in Maine usually are weak in comparison to the more powerful ones which can cause devastation in midwestern states. The rugged geography here as well as the influence of the ocean keeps the most severe summer weather at bay.
In 2011, there were several tornadoes documented in Maine, according to Curtis and previous stories in the Bangor Daily News. There was one in the Norway area and western Oxford County, a few in Somerset County, two near Gray and three in Aroostook County. There were also several other weak tornadolike storms across the state in 2011, but many of them were not confirmed as tornadoes.
“Tuesday was a super muggy day,” said Curtis. “If we are going to see anything like this in Maine, that’s usually when it happens. We need not only winds, but those super-sticky, hot days.”
Curtis said southern Maine likely would experience showers and possibly thunderstorms Thursday, but that the best potential in the Northeast for severe weather, including tornadoes, is in Massachusetts. Curtis recommended taking cover — ideally in a basement or a room without windows — in the event of a tornado, or even a severe thunderstorm.
“Enjoy it from the living room, not standing outside,” she said.
My thoughts and prayers are with the trampoline. Wishing a speedy recovery for you!
thanks for the laugh ! lol
The end is near!
seriously though, what’s up with the weather nowadays?
droughts in the midwest, wildfires, tornados, hurricanes, sharks in the gulf of maine…
damn nature, you scary.
Dirt devil.
my grandmother used to talk about when she was a kid in the 1920s up north in maine they would have twisters from time to time,so at one point they were acuring more often.so maybe its something they goes in cycles in maine.
Rare sight in Maine I’m sure. Not so rare here in FL.
Another reason why we like it here in Maine. I lived in the Midwest and I don’t miss tornadoes one bit.
zzz
Just as long as we recognize it as strange weather and that is all and not some frenzy of global warming taking a hold of Maine. I am so sick of people blaming every little strange weather phenomenon on global warming and/or climate change.
And you’re the only one who brought up AGW, the article did not. Contributing to the alleged “frenzy”?
However, “strange” weather is and will be on the increase. If you want a sneak preview of what the weather–and climate–will be like, look into the current droughts, heavy weather, and locally excessive precipitation.
again in the 1920s n 30s they had many droughts in the mid west as they are now,,cycles is most likely.
Dirt devil on steroids.
Let her rip