Alert archive / Massachusetts / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

August 4, 2020Franklin County, Hampshire County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this tornado warning at Aug 4, 2020, 8:45 AM EDT for Franklin County, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 45 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Aug 4, 2020, 8:45 AM EDT (12:45 UTC)
Expired: Aug 4, 2020, 9:30 AM EDT
In force: 45 min
Issued by: NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Franklin County, MA, Hampshire County, MA

The radar

The Albany radar (KENX), 89 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:44 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 72 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 71 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -67 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 818 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 135 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 223 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

825 
WFUS51 KBOX 041245
TORBOX
MAC011-015-041330-
/O.NEW.KBOX.TO.W.0003.200804T1245Z-200804T1330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
845 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020

The National Weather Service in Boston/Norton has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Hampshire County in western Massachusetts...
  Northwestern Franklin County in western Massachusetts...

* Until 930 AM EDT.
    
* At 845 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Middlefield, or 13 miles east of Pittsfield,
  moving north at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Cummington around 855 AM EDT.
  Plainfield and Hawley around 900 AM EDT.
  Charlemont around 910 AM EDT.
  Monroe and Rowe around 915 AM EDT.
  Heath around 920 AM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4238 7307 4238 7301 4263 7295 4266 7295
      4267 7300 4270 7295 4270 7302 4274 7302
      4273 7282 4234 7290 4234 7296 4231 7300
      4231 7303 4233 7306
TIME...MOT...LOC 1245Z 193DEG 42KT 4239 7301 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

Frank

3 follow-up statements

919 
WWUS51 KBOX 041258
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
858 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020

MAC011-015-041330-
/O.CON.KBOX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-200804T1330Z/
Hampshire MA-Franklin MA-
858 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 AM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN HAMPSHIRE AND NORTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES...
    
At 856 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over East Windsor, or 15 miles east of Pittsfield, moving
north at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated two areas of rotation. One area was near 
         Worthington and the other just west of Charlemont.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This dangerous storm will be near...
  Cummington around 900 AM EDT.
  Plainfield and Hawley around 910 AM EDT.
  Charlemont around 925 AM EDT.
  Monroe around 930 AM EDT.
  Heath and Rowe around 935 AM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4238 7296 4238 7301 4263 7295 4266 7295
      4267 7300 4270 7295 4270 7302 4274 7302
      4273 7282 4236 7290 4236 7292
TIME...MOT...LOC 1256Z 195DEG 29KT 4245 7296 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

Frank

448 
WWUS51 KBOX 041305
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
905 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020

MAC011-015-041330-
/O.CON.KBOX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-200804T1330Z/
Hampshire MA-Franklin MA-
905 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 AM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN HAMPSHIRE AND NORTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES...
    
At 904 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Plainfield, or 16 miles southeast of North Adams,
moving north at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation. One area was approaching 
         Plainfield with a secondary area near Rowe.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This dangerous storm will be near...
  Hawley around 910 AM EDT.
  Monroe and Charlemont around 925 AM EDT.
  Heath and Rowe around 930 AM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4245 7299 4263 7295 4266 7295 4267 7300
      4270 7295 4270 7302 4274 7302 4273 7282
      4243 7288 4243 7289
TIME...MOT...LOC 1304Z 201DEG 33KT 4251 7291 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

Frank

854 
WWUS51 KBOX 041317
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
917 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020

MAC015-041326-
/O.CAN.KBOX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-200804T1330Z/
Hampshire MA-
917 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

LAT...LON 4263 7295 4266 7295 4267 7300 4270 7295
      4270 7302 4274 7302 4273 7282 4254 7286
      4255 7289 4256 7297
TIME...MOT...LOC 1316Z 181DEG 41KT 4266 7292 

$$

MAC011-041330-
/O.CON.KBOX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-200804T1330Z/
Franklin MA-
917 AM EDT Tue Aug 4 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 AM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY...
    
At 916 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Rowe, or 10 miles east of North Adams, moving north
at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

This dangerous storm will be near...
  Monroe around 925 AM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4263 7295 4266 7295 4267 7300 4270 7295
      4270 7302 4274 7302 4273 7282 4254 7286
      4255 7289 4256 7297
TIME...MOT...LOC 1316Z 181DEG 41KT 4266 7292 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

Frank

The office that day

Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 4, 3:24 AM EDT	Coastal Flood Advisory	BOX	Bristol, Plymouth	17 hr
Aug 4, 8:37 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BOX	Berkshire	23 min
Aug 4, 9:27 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOX	Franklin	15 min
Aug 4, 9:30 AM EDT	Tornado Warning	BOX	Franklin	13 min
Aug 4, 1:57 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	BOX	Middlesex, Worcester	25 min
Aug 4, 3:07 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	BOX		38 min
Aug 4, 3:44 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	BOX		91 min
Aug 4, 4:14 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	BOX		31 min
Aug 4, 4:58 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	BOX	Middlesex, Worcester	21 min
Aug 4, 5:10 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	BOX		50 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Massachusetts, 2020 Every tornado warning in 2020 Tornadoes in 2020

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.