Never underestimate the power of wind from non-tornado-producing storms.
It’s often thought that tornadoes are the only storms that can produce winds strong enough to create damage. But that’s not always the case.
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Storms that are classified as severe produce winds that can do considerable damage to your property and even endanger your life, if not taken seriously.
The National Weather Service (NWS) typically issues severe thunderstorm warnings when a storm is producing hail that’s at least one inch in diameter (as large as a quarter) or winds at 58 mph or higher.
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On Tuesday, several storms that rolled through parts of New England produced winds up to 70 mph, but a couple of storms had even higher wind speeds.
In fact, a microburst in Milford, New Hampshire created peak winds of 95 mph!
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A microburst is a column of strong, sinking air that can develop as a thunderstorm’s updrafts begin to collapse. That can send an incredible amount of wind rushing out of a storm and hitting the ground, spreading in several directions.
In Milford, a survey team from the NWS confirmed that straight-line winds damaged seven homes, destroyed two vehicles and caused nearly 150 trees to fall. No injuries were reported.
In Orange, Massachusetts, wind gusts climbed to 62 mph Tuesday. Several trees and powerlines were reported down from gusty winds in parts of Massachusetts.
Upstate New York experienced a lot of storm damage from gusty winds, too. In Glens Falls, New York, winds gusted to 87 mph from storms that rolled through that area.
So, remember to take severe thunderstorm warnings seriously. While they are not tornado warnings, severe thunderstorms can create just as much damage as a tornado.
