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MEZ007>009-012>014-018>022-023>028-NHZ001>010-013-014-071200

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
400 PM EDT WED JUN 05 2002

...MAY 31 STORM SURVEY - TORNADO AND MICROBURST...

AFTER SURVEYING THE DAMAGE FROM LAST FRIDAY'S (MAY 31) STORMS IN 
OXFORD COUNTY, MAINE, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DETERMINED 
THAT DAMAGE IN THE TOWN OF WEST PARIS WAS CAUSED BY A TORNADO AND 
DAMAGE IN THE TOWN OF CANTON WAS CAUSED BY A MICROBURST.

THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST TO THE NORTH OF PORTER ROAD, CROSSED
PORTER ROAD, CROSSED HIGH STREET, CROSSED RT. 26 JUST SOUTH OF SNOW
FALLS, CROSSED PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD, AND THEN DISSIPATED.  

THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES AND HAD A 
MAXIMUM WIDTH OF ABOUT 125 YARDS.  THE TORNADO INTENSITY WAS 
CLASSIFIED AS F1 ON THE FUJITA SCALE.   MAXIMUM WINDS WERE ESTIMATED 
TO BE BETWEEN 90 AND 100 MPH AND OCCURRED TO THE EAST OF HIGH STREET.

THE TORNADO KNOCKED OVER MORE THAN A HUNDRED TREES AND DAMAGED OR
DESTROYED SEVERAL BUILDINGS.  

MAINE AVERAGES ABOUT TWO TORNADOES A YEAR.  THIS IS THE FIRST 
CONFIRMED TORNADO IN MAINE FOR 2002.

IN ADDITION, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEYED DAMAGE IN THE TOWN
OF CANTON IN OXFORD COUNTY AND HAS DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS 
CAUSED BY A MICROBURST.  MAXIMUM WINDS IN THE MICROBURST WERE 
ESTIMATED BETWEEN 70 TO 80 MPH.  THE WINDS KNOCKED OVER NUMEROUS 
TREES AND TORE THE ROOF OFF A BARN.  THE BARN ROOF WAS LIFTED INTO 
THE AIR AND LANDED IN A WOODED AREA A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET AWAY.

$$
JENSENIUS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
GRAY, MAINE

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