F0 Tornado in Pittsfield Massachusetts - August 20, 2004
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS INVESTIGATED STORM DAMAGE IN
PITTSFIELD AND CONFIRMED THAT AN F0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN THERE AT
640 PM FRIDAY EVENING. AN F0 TORNADO PRODUCES WINDS OF UP TO ABOUT
70 MPH. THE TORNADO TRACK WAS ABOUT A MILE LONG AND 100 TO 200
YARDS WIDE.
THE SURVEY TEAM OBSERVED SEVERAL STRUCTURES WITH SHINGLE DAMAGE TO
ROOFS. SEVERAL TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN. UPON OBSERVATION...THESE
TREES WERE DETERMINED TO BE SHALLOW ROOTED. WAHCONAH PARK BASEBALL
STADIUM CLUBHOUSE ROOF AND DUGOUT ROOF WERE DISLODGED. EYEWITNESSES
WITH VARIOUS VANTAGE POINTS REPORTED ROTATING DEBRIS CONSISTENT WITH
A TORNADO.
Reflectivity image (left) and storm-relative velocity image (right) at 2242 UTC (642 EDT) or near the time of the tornado.
The Pittsfield storm show an appendage on the south side, but rotation was weak, and actually stronger with the storm to the north.
Below to left is reflectivity cross section as the storm produced large hail in Rensselaer County. Map below that shows approximate damage area
The first three pictures are from Keith Herzig and the fouth one is courtesy of L. Merry
