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MEZ007>009-012>014-018>022-023>028-NHZ001>010-013-014-311200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAY ME
630 PM EDT TUE JUL 29 2008

...REVISED INFORMATION FOR E-F2 TORNADO IN NEW HAMPSHIRE...

AFTER REVIEWING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR DATA, NEW HAMPSHIRE 
STATE POLICE AERIAL VIDEO, AND ADDITIONAL GROUND SURVEY 
INFORMATION FOR THE JULY 24TH TORNADO IN NEW HAMPSHIRE...THE 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS REVISED THE OVERALL PATH LENGTH AND 
TIME ON THE GROUND FOR THE TORNADO...AND ALSO THE ENHANCED FUJITA 
(E-F) SCALE RATING FOR THE TOWN OF EFFINGHAM.  PLEASE NOTE THAT THE 
E-F RATINGS ARE BASED ON OBSERVED DAMAGE...AND THAT NOT ALL DAMAGE 
AREAS COULD BE ACCESSED.  ALTHOUGH DAMAGE IN ALTON AND NEW DURHAM 
WAS RATED E-F1, THERE COULD BE E-F2 DAMAGE IN AREAS THAT WERE NOT 
SEEN.

TORNADO DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED IN 11 NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMUNITIES 
INCLUDING (IN ORDER OF THE TORNADO PATH) THE TOWNS OF DEERFIELD, 
EPSOM AND NORTHWOOD, PITTSFIELD, BARNSTEAD, ALTON, NEW DURHAM, 
WOLFEBORO OSSIPEE, EFFINGHAM, AND FREEDOM.  THE TORNADO CUT AN 
ALMOST CONTINUOUS PATH OF DAMAGE OF ABOUT 50 MILES IN LENGTH WITH A 
MAXIMUM OBSERVED WIDTH OF MORE THAN 1/3 OF A MILE.  THE INITIAL 
TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER 11:30 AM AND THE FINAL LIFTOFF WAS 
SHORTLY BEFORE 12:50 PM MAKING THE TORNADO DURATION ALMOST 1 HOUR 
AND 20 MINUTES.

MANY THOUSANDS OF TREES WERE DOWNED BY THE TORNADO. NUMEROUS HOUSES 
AND OTHER STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BY FALLING TREES 
AND/OR WIND.  ONE FATALITY OCCURRED IN THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD IN A 
HOUSE COLLAPSE.

BASED ON OBSERVED DAMAGE, THE FOLLOWING RATINGS (BASED ON THE 
ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE) HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED FOR EACH TOWN. 

DEERFIELD -  E-F2
EPSOM -      E-F2
NORTHWOOD -  E-F1
PITTSFIELD - E-F2
BARNSTEAD -  E-F2
ALTON -      E-F1
NEW DURHAM - E-F1
WOLFEBORO  - E-F2
OSSIPEE -    E-F2
EFFINGHAM -  E-F2
FREEDOM -    E-F1 

E-F1 RATINGS INDICATE WINDS IN THE 86 TO 110 MPH RANGE. 
E-F2 RATINGS INDICATE WINDS IN THE 111 TO 135 MPH RANGE.

MOST OF THE DAMAGE OBSERVED IN TOWNS WITH EF2 RATINGS INDICATED WINDS
IN THE LOWER END OF THE E-F2 RANGE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE, PLEASE VISIT:
HTTP://WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/EFSCALE


NEW HAMPSHIRE AVERAGES ABOUT TWO TORNADOES A YEAR.  THIS IS THE FIRST
CONFIRMED TORNADO IN NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR 2008.

JENSENIUS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
GRAY, MAINE

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