Multiple Tornado Reports in Springfield, Massachusetts Area Update: NWS Confirms 3 Tornadoes, Including Springfield EF-3

Image (click to enlarge): Preliminary Springfield tornado path map from Boston Globe

Image (click to enlarge): Building damage in W. Springfield, Massachusetts, from WWLP-TV, Channel 22.

June 3, 11 PM Update: The National Weather Service confirmed tonight that there were 3 tornadoes in Massachusetts on June 1, including one rated at EF-3 intensity which moved through Springfield and caused a total of 4 fatalities. There were also 2 EF-1 tornadoes in Wilbraham and North Brimfield. According to National Climatic Data Center statistics, this was the largest single outbreak of EF-1 or higher tornadoes in Massachusetts since July 3, 1997.

LOCATION...WESTFIELD TO CHARLTON IN HAMPDEN AND WORCESTER COUNTIES
DATE...JUNE 1 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...417 PM TO 527 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF3
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...160 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...ONE HALF MILE
PATH LENGTH...39.0 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...42.10N / 72.75W
ENDING LAT/LON...42.10N / 71.99W
* FATALITIES...4
* INJURIES...200  

In Springfield:

THE TORNADO RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED AS IT MOVED INTO WEST
SPRINGFIELD. THE TORNADO CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO INDUSTRIAL
BUILDINGS AND HOMES. SEVERAL BUILDINGS HAD THEIR ROOFS REMOVED BY
THE TORNADO...A FEW STRUCTURES COLLAPSED...AND SEVERAL MULTI-
STORY BUILDINGS LOST THEIR UPPER STORIES.

THE TORNADO THEN CROSSED THE CONNECTICUT RIVER AT THE MEMORIAL
AVENUE BRIDGE AND INTO THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD. HERE THE TORNADO
PRODUCED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA
WITH MANY HOMES DESTROYED. IN ADDITION COMMERCIAL BRICK BUILDINGS
SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. ROOFS WERE REMOVED FROM MANY OF THESE
LARGE COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES. THE TORNADO ALSO PRODUCED SEVERE
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO TOWN HOMES AND APARTMENTS NEAR SPRINGFIELD
COLLEGE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED MOVING EAST INTO THE ISLAND POND
SECTION OF SPRINGFIELD...WHERE CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL SUSTAINED
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE...AND MANY HOMES IN THIS PART THE CITY WERE
COMPLETELY DESTROYED.  

The other 2 storms:

LOCATION...WILBRAHAM IN HAMPDEN COUNTY
DATE...JUNE 1 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...632 PM TO 640 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...90 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...200 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...3.6 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...42.14N / 72.48W
ENDING LAT/LON...42.15N / 72.40W
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...0

LOCATION...NORTH BRIMFIELD IN HAMPDEN COUNTY
DATE...JUNE 1 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...654 PM TO 657 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF1
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...90 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...100 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...1.3 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...42.14N / 72.23W
ENDING LAT/LON...42.15N / 72.20W
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...0   

June 3, 1 PM Update: Storm damage analysis is still underway, but the National Weather Service reports that the preliminary rating of the Springfield tornado is at least EF-3. As noted in the original post below, the last tornado of EF-3 or higher in Massachusetts was in 1995.

June 2, 5 PM Update: The National Weather Service reports that 2 damage assessment teams (7 meteorologists) conducted tornado surveys today from Westfield to Springfield and the Sturbridge area. Because of the extent of the area affected, however, a report will not be issued until Friday.

June 2, 11 AM Update: Raw tornado damage video in Monson, Massachusetts, from NECN:



June 2, 10 AM Update: Several teams of National Weather Service meteorologists will be surveying storm damage and issuing a preliminary report later today.

Midnight Update: More Springfield tornado coverage from the Boston Globe:
Four fatalities confirmed as tornadoes rip through Mass.

Storm video:

Tornado touches down in downtown Springfield: wwlp.com

Original post:
The National Weather Service reports multiple tornado sightings in the vicinity of Springfield, Sturbridge, and Westfield in western Massachusetts late this afternoon. Cars were reported overturned at an exit of route I-84, and a state of emergency was declared by the governor in response to damage in Springfield. According to media reports, the death toll is at least four, with 20 injured.

These are the preliminary Local Storm Reports from the NWS:

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0430 PM     TORNADO          WESTFIELD               42.14N  72.76W
06/01/2011                   HAMPDEN            MA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN SHAKER ROAD AREA.

0432 PM     TORNADO          SPRINGFIELD             42.12N  72.54W
06/01/2011                   HAMPDEN            MA   AMATEUR RADIO

            AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED TORNADO ON THE GROUND
            ONE HALF MILE FROM MAIN STREET. WIDESPREAD DAMAGE.

0524 PM     TORNADO          STURBRIDGE              42.10N  72.06W
06/01/2011                   WORCESTER          MA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            STATE POLICE NORTHAMPTON REPORTS TORNADO ON THE GROUND
            IN STURBRIDGE ON INTERSTATE 84 EXIT. CARS OVERTURNED.

0607 PM     TORNADO          WESTFIELD               42.14N  72.76W
06/01/2011                   HAMPDEN            MA   UTILITY COMPANY

            ELECTRIC COMPANY REPORTED TO POLICE A TORNADO ON THE
            GROUND IN SOUTHWEST PORTION OF WESTFIELD.

0620 PM     TORNADO          SPRINGFIELD             42.12N  72.54W
06/01/2011                   HAMPDEN            MA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            STATE POLICE REPORT TORNADO IN NORTH SPRINGFIELD AREA.


0725 PM     TORNADO          STURBRIDGE              42.10N  72.06W
06/01/2011                   WORCESTER          MA   AMATEUR RADIO

            AMATEUR RADIO REPORT OF A TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN
            STURBRIDGE AT ROUTE 49A   

According to the National Climatic Data Center, since official records began in 1950, there have been 155 tornadoes in the state of Massachusetts. The most recent report prior to this year was on 07/23/2008, when a minimal F0 storm occurred in South Swansea, causing an estimated $15K in damages. The last tornado to cause over $1 million in damage was an F2 storm in Franklin on 08/21/2004. The most recent F4 tornado was in N. Egremont, Berkshire County, on 05/29/1995. That storm caused 3 deaths and 24 injuries.

There have been a total of 11 tornadoes with magnitude F3 or higher in Massachusetts, of which 3 were F4. The F4 tornadoes included the N. Egremont storm, the infamous Worcester storm of 06/09/1953, and a Berkshire County storm on 08/28/1973.

Of the total 102 deaths caused by tornadoes in Massachusetts, the vast majority (90) were in the Worcester F4 storm.