Alert archive / Massachusetts / Tornado Warnings in 2022

Tornado Warning 1, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

July 21, 2022Franklin County, Middlesex County, Worcester County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this tornado warning at Jul 21, 2022, 3:17 PM EDT for Franklin County, Middlesex County, Worcester County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 58 min. 8 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Jul 21, 2022, 3:17 PM EDT (19:17 UTC)
Expired: Jul 21, 2022, 4:15 PM EDT
In force: 58 min
Issued by: NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.25 in

Counties Franklin County, MA, Middlesex County, MA, Worcester County, MA

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 101 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:16 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 21, 3:20 PM EDT	TSTM WND GST 58	Orange Ap, MA
Jul 21, 3:23 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Erving, MA	ROUTE 2 CLOSED FROM MULTIPLE TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
Jul 21, 3:23 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Erving, MA	NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ON NORTH SHORE ROAD. RELAYED BY AMATEUR RADIO.
Jul 21, 3:23 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Erving, MA	TREE DOWN WITH WIRES AND ELECTRIC POLE ON ROUTE 2. RELAYED BY AMATEUR RADIO.
Jul 21, 3:27 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Royalston, MA	TREE DOWN ON WIRES WARWICK ROAD.
Jul 21, 3:30 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Orange, MA	MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ON HOLTSHIRE ROAD.
Jul 21, 3:30 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Orange, MA	MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ON DUKAKIS DRIVE. RELAYED BY AMATEUR RADIO.
Jul 21, 3:45 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Templeton, MA	TREE AND WIRES DOWN BLOCKING BRIDGE STREET. RELAYED BY AMATEUR RADIO.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 21, 11:37 AM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 152 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: 279 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -135 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1183 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 186 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 179 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

701 
WFUS51 KBOX 211917
TORBOX
MAC011-017-027-212015-
/O.NEW.KBOX.TO.W.0001.220721T1917Z-220721T2015Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
317 PM EDT Thu Jul 21 2022

The National Weather Service in Boston/Norton has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northern Worcester County in central Massachusetts...
  Northwestern Middlesex County in northeastern Massachusetts...
  East central Franklin County in western Massachusetts...

* Until 415 PM EDT.
    
* At 317 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Wendell, or near Orange, moving east at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and half dollar size hail.

  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...
  Orange around 330 PM EDT.
  Athol around 335 PM EDT.
  Phillipston and Petersham around 340 PM EDT.
  Templeton around 345 PM EDT.
  Winchendon around 350 PM EDT.
  Gardner around 355 PM EDT.
  Westminster and Ashburnham around 410 PM EDT.
  Fitchburg, Townsend and Ashby around 415 PM 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 4271 7168 4249 7161 4248 7239 4263 7241
      4272 7205
TIME...MOT...LOC 1917Z 255DEG 24KT 4255 7233 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN

$$

BL

2 follow-up statements

712 
WWUS51 KBOX 211937
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
337 PM EDT Thu Jul 21 2022

MAC011-017-027-212015-
/O.CON.KBOX.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-220721T2015Z/
Worcester MA-Middlesex MA-Franklin MA-
337 PM EDT Thu Jul 21 2022

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
WORCESTER...NORTHWESTERN MIDDLESEX AND EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES...
    
At 336 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Phillipston, or 8 miles east of Orange, moving east
at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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...
  Templeton around 340 PM EDT.
  Winchendon and Royalston around 345 PM EDT.
  Gardner around 350 PM EDT.
  Westminster and Ashburnham around 400 PM EDT.
  Lunenburg and Ashby around 410 PM EDT.
  Townsend and Shirley around 415 PM 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 4271 7168 4249 7161 4252 7224 4266 7229
      4272 7205
TIME...MOT...LOC 1936Z 247DEG 33KT 4259 7212 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

BL

888 
WWUS51 KBOX 211948
SVSBOX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
348 PM EDT Thu Jul 21 2022

MAC011-211957-
/O.CAN.KBOX.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-220721T2015Z/
Franklin MA-
348 PM EDT Thu Jul 21 2022

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

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for
central and northeastern Massachusetts.

LAT...LON 4253 7162 4254 7213 4268 7220 4272 7205
      4271 7168
TIME...MOT...LOC 1947Z 257DEG 20KT 4260 7204 

$$

MAC017-027-212015-
/O.CON.KBOX.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-220721T2015Z/
Worcester MA-Middlesex MA-
348 PM EDT Thu Jul 21 2022

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 PM EDT FOR NORTHERN
WORCESTER AND NORTHWESTERN MIDDLESEX COUNTIES...
    
At 347 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Templeton, or 11 miles west of Fitchburg, moving
east at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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...
  Ashburnham around 410 PM EDT.
  Westminster around 415 PM EDT.
  Fitchburg around 420 PM EDT.
  Ashby around 425 PM EDT.
  Leominster around 430 PM EDT.
  Lunenburg, Townsend and Shirley around 440 PM 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 4253 7162 4254 7213 4268 7220 4272 7205
      4271 7168
TIME...MOT...LOC 1947Z 257DEG 20KT 4260 7204 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

BL

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 2:04 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BOX	Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire	56 min
Jul 21, 2:22 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BOX	Franklin	38 min
Jul 21, 2:41 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOX	Franklin, Worcester	64 min
Jul 21, 4:14 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BOX	Essex, Middlesex, Worcester	31 min
Jul 21, 4:45 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BOX	Middlesex	45 min
Jul 21, 5:53 PM EDT	Special Marine Warning	BOX		27 min
Jul 21, 7:26 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BOX	Franklin	64 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Massachusetts, 2022 Every tornado warning in 2022 Tornadoes in 2022

Sources

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