Tornadoes · United States · Maine · 2013

EF0 tornado, Wyman Dam, Maine, June 2, 2013

This EF0 tornado ran 0.0 miles across Somerset County on June 2, 2013, touching down at 4:36 PM EDT and reaching 40 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. EF3136 to 165 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. EF5over 200 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
EF0
Date
June 2, 2013
Touchdown
4:36 PM EDT (20:36 UTC)
Lifted
4:37 PM EDT (20:37 UTC)
On the ground
1 minutes
Path length
0.0 miles (0.0 km)
Path width
40 yards (37 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Somerset County
Touchdown point
45.065, -69.947
Lift-off point
45.065, -69.947
Record number
1306021436-01

What the Weather Service recorded

An approaching cold front combined with strong wind fields and high CAPES over the region resulting in a widespread severe thunderstorm outbreak during the afternoon and evening hours of June 2nd. These storms produced mainly wind damage with isolated reports of large hail and some flash flooding. A weak tornado touched down in Pleasant Ridge Plantation.

A very weak tornado touched down near Pleasant Ridge Road in Pleasant Ridge Plantation. Maximum wind gusts were estimated at between 50 and 60 mph. Damage from the tornado was in a small area estimated to have a path length of 50-60 yards with a width of 40 yards. Damage was limited to about a dozen snapped or uprooted trees.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

23 minutes of warning. NWS GYX issued a tornado warning for this county at 20:13 UTC, 23 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 20:45 UTC.

The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch, issued at 15:34 UTC and running to 22:32 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
15:34 UTC22:32 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchGYX
16:48 UTC17:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAR
17:32 UTC18:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAR
17:36 UTC18:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGYX
18:01 UTC21:00 UTCFlash Flood WarningGYX
18:09 UTC18:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGYX
18:34 UTC19:14 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningCAR
20:05 UTC20:45 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGYX
20:13 UTC20:45 UTCTornado WarningGYX
20:22 UTC23:15 UTCFlash Flood WarningGYX
20:40 UTC20:56 UTCTornado WarningGYX
20:45 UTC21:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGYX
20:50 UTC21:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGYX
21:00 UTC00:00 UTCFlash Flood WarningGYX
21:23 UTC22:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningGYX
21:35 UTC23:47 UTCFlash Flood WarningCAR
23:16 UTC03:15 UTCFlood WarningGYX

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Slight Risk, with a 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 19:30 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Gray, ME (KGYX), 12:00Z

8.6 hours before the tornado, 133 km from the path. June 2, 2013.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Gray, ME at 12:00Z on 2013-06-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 462 joules per kilogram, CIN -121, lifted condensation level 1196 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Gray, ME at 12:00Z on 2013-06-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 38 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 22 knots.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
462 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-121 J/kg
Surface CAPE
831 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1196 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
95 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1
0-3 km lapse rate
5.4 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Gray, ME (KGYX), 00:00Z

3.4 hours after it, 133 km from the path. June 3, 2013.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Gray, ME at 00:00Z on 2013-06-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 86 joules per kilogram, CIN -123, lifted condensation level 1027 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Gray, ME at 00:00Z on 2013-06-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 1 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 30 knots.193958Sfc1 km3 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
86 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-123 J/kg
Surface CAPE
100 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1027 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
1 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
1 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1
0-3 km lapse rate
5.0 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Greenville (GNR), 52 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
18:56 UTC7067 4 kt1005.8
19:56 UTC74660° 0 kt1004.1
20:56 UTC7368130° 4 kt1004.1
21:56 UTC7065230° 9 kt241005.4

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Portland,ME radar (KGYX), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 20:36 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
18:25 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 N BinghamSomerset, MELARGE BRANCHES DOWN NEAR 201.
18:45 UTCTSTM WND DMGGreenvillePiscataquis, METREES DOWN ON A CABIN. SOME ROOF DAMAGE TO THE CABIN. TIME IS ESTIMATED.
19:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 Nw PhillipsFranklin, MELARGE BRANCHES DOWN NEAR RTE 4.
20:32 UTCTSTM WND DMGBinghamSomerset, METREE DOWN ACROSS RTE 201 AND ROAD IS IMPASSIBLE
20:36 UTCTORNADO2 W Bingham Wyman DamSomerset, ME
21:00 UTCHAIL 0.251 Se SalemFranklin, ME
21:10 UTCTSTM WND DMGNew PortlandSomerset, METREE DOWN AND PERSON TRAPPED IN CAR ON LONG FALLS DAM ROAD
21:12 UTCTSTM WND DMGNew PortlandSomerset, MESEVERAL TREES DOWN IN NEW PORTLAND
21:15 UTCTSTM WND DMGNew PortlandSomerset, MEMILL ROAD HAS SEVERAL TREES DOWN AND THE ROAD IS IMPASSABLE
21:25 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 N SolonSomerset, MEAT LEAST 50 TREES DOWN ON FARM NORTH OF SOLON. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
21:25 UTCTSTM WND DMGEmbdenSomerset, MEDUNBAR HILL ROAD AND CROSSTOWN ROAD HAS TREES DOWN
21:25 UTCTSTM WND DMGSolonSomerset, MESOUTH SOLON RD THERE IS A TREE DOWN WITH BROKEN POLE
21:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Ne SolonSomerset, MEMICROBURST SNAPPED OR UPROOTED SEVERAL HUNDRED TREES.
21:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGAnsonSomerset, METREES ON WIRES AT 4 QUARE RD IN ANSON
21:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGBinghamSomerset, METREES AND WIRES DOWN ON OWEN ST IN BINGHAM
21:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGHarmonySomerset, MEHARMONY HAD NUMEROUS 6-8 INCH DIAMETER TREES SNAPPED
21:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGMadisonSomerset, MEJONES ST IN MADISON TREES AND WIRES ON VEHICLE
21:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGNorth AnsonSomerset, MEHOLE IN THE WALL ROAD HAS A TREE BLOCKING IT
21:30 UTCFLASH FLOOD4 N KingfieldFranklin, MEA FOOT OF RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER OVER ROUTE 27. EATING AWAY AT THE BANKS.
21:32 UTCTSTM WND DMGBinghamSomerset, METREE AND WIRE DOWN ON OAK ST
21:35 UTCTSTM WND DMGBrightonSomerset, METWO POWER POLES DOWN AND ON FIRE ON MAYFIELD ROAD
21:35 UTCTSTM WND DMGMadisonSomerset, MEEAST MADISON ROAD IS CLOSED WITH MANY TREES DOWN
21:36 UTCTSTM WND DMGBrightonSomerset, METREE AND WIRE DOWN ON MAIN STREET
21:44 UTCTSTM WND DMGHarmonySomerset, METREE DOWN ON RIPLEY ROAD
21:45 UTCTSTM WND DMGCanaanSomerset, METREES AND WIRES DOWN ON HILL ROAD
22:00 UTCTSTM WND DMGDexterPenobscot, METREES REPORTED DOWN ON A HOUSE AND CAR.
22:00 UTCTSTM WND DMGGuilfordPiscataquis, MENUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN TOWN ALONG WITH POWER OUTAGES. TIME IS ESTIMATED.
22:00 UTCTSTM WND DMGPalmyraSomerset, METREE DOWN AND WIRES WITH A FIRE ON RAYMOND ROAD
22:00 UTCFLASH FLOODKingfieldFranklin, MEWATER OVER BRIDGE ON IRA MOUNTAIN ROAD
22:10 UTCFLASH FLOOD7 Ne KingfieldSomerset, MELONG FALLS DAM ROAD WASHED OUT
22:20 UTCTSTM WND DMGEse Dover-FoxcroftPiscataquis, MEPISCATAQUIS COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTS TREES AND WIRES DOWN FROM DOVER-FOXCROFT TO SANGERVILLE.
22:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGDover-FoxcroftPiscataquis, MEMANY TREES DOWN IN TOWN ALONG WITH POWER OUTAGES. TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:45 UTCFLASH FLOODGuilfordPiscataquis, MESTREET FLOODING IN DOVER-FOXCROFT. TIME IS ESTIMATED.
23:00 UTCFLASH FLOODDover-FoxcroftPiscataquis, MESTREET FLOODING IN PARTS OF TOWN WITH SOME ROADS WASHED OUT. CULVERTS DAMAGED.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2013 tornado in MaineEvery tornado in Maine since 1950Warnings in force in Maine nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of June 2, 2013

2 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
June 210:50 AM CDTEF0Nueces, TX0.210
June 24:09 PM EDTEF1Anderson, SC4.8125$150,000

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.