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CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>008-120100-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1225 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2009

...A WEAK TORNADO CAUSED DAMAGE IN SUNDERLAND MASSACHUSETTS SATURDAY
EVENING...

A DAMAGE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY A TRAINED SKYWARN AMATEUR
RADIO COORDINATOR AND AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT BY THE
SUNDERLAND POLICE CHIEF INDICATE THAT A SMALL AND WEAK
TORNADO OCCURRED IN SUNDERLAND AROUND 705 PM EDT SATURDAY
MAY 9. THE MOST NOTABLE DAMAGE WAS A TOBACCO BARN THAT WAS
BLOWN ONTO ROUTE 47 OR RIVER STREET. THERE WAS ALSO SOME TREE DAMAGE
IN THE AREA.

MAXIMUM WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 60 TO 70 MPH. THIS
TORNADO WILL BE CLASSIFIED AS AN EF0 ON THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE.
THE TRACK WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ONE HALF TO THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE
LONG AND A WIDTH THAT VARIED FROM 100 TO 400 FEET WIDE.

THE DAMAGE SURVEY REVEALED CONVERGING DAMAGE BASED UPON THE
ORIENTATION OF DOWNED TREES AND DISTURBED VEGETATION. AFTER
HEARING THE INITIAL WIND AND RAIN FROM THE STORM...THE POLICE
CHIEF OBSERVED THE FUNNEL CLOUD REACH THE SURFACE. SINCE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IMAGERY DID NOT REVEAL ANY ROTATION IN THE LOW
TO MID PORTIONS OF THE STORM...THE VERTICAL EXTENT OF THIS WEAK
TORNADO WAS LIKELY RATHER SHALLOW.

$$