MANSFIELD, Mass. — An EF-1 tornado touched down in both Mansfield and North Attleboro on Friday morning as severe storms left a trail of destruction across eastern Massachusetts, officials said.
The National Weather Service confirmed in a statement that the tornado snapped or uprooted trees near the intersection of Mendon Road Monticello Drive in North Attleboro.
A home on Mary Ann Way had a window blown in by the winds estimated to have been gusting between 80 to 90 miles per hour, the NWS says.
The tornado briefly lifted before touching down in Mansfield where the twister “sheared several large trees near their tops, one of which fell on a car,” the NWS says.
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Elm and Otis Streets in Mansfield also saw significant damage. A giant tree was torn out of the ground on Elm Street and another tree slammed onto the roof of a home on Otis Street.
Drone video from Plantingfield Road showed clusters of downed trees as crews begin cleanup work.
Chris Driscoll stood in the backyard of his Mansfield home Friday surveying the damage hours after a tornado tore through town.
Falling trees pierced his roof and garage, leaving holes and a mess of broken branches on Plantingfield Street.
“We all knew something big happened, we were afraid of how much damage,” Driscoll said. “We got the tornado alert. We all went down into the basement, and it really started to rain and the wind picked up. And probably in 15 seconds, we just heard the house – a big thump – things shatter, and then after 15, 20 seconds, it was over. So, it was real quick but very impactful.”
Tree crews spent hours removing the debris from the roof with a bucket truck, using chainsaws to chop up and later haul away huge logs from the backyard.
On nearby Otis Street, a falling tree also took out a portion of a roof.
And on Elm Street, trees were uprooted around the home belonging to Jack Keyworth, whose wife quickly and safely took cover downstairs, while he waited a bit too long.
“I was watching it on television, and they kept saying there were tornadoes in this area. And foolishly I was staying by the window looking out, and I watched the tree turn and come out of the ground. Then I went downstairs,” he said, with a laugh.
Despite the heavy damage, no one was injured by Mansfield’s tornado.
“It could’ve been a lot worse,” Driscoll said. “Very thankful.”
As the storms wreaked havoc on the region, one of multiple tornado warnings was issued and then extended in Norfolk County, where trees were uprooted in Stoughton.
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Flooding also impacted travel in Mansfield on North Main Street, Otis Street, Franklin Street, and Elm Street, according to police.
There have also been confirmed tornados along the Foxboro/Easton line, in Mattapoisett, in North Brookfield, and in Dublin, New Hampshire, this summer.
Additional details on Friday’s weather event are expected to be released when the survey is complete.
So far, tornado damage has been confirmed in North Attleboro + Mansfield, MA.
— Tucker Antico (@tuckerweather) August 18, 2023
Storm damage is being surveyed in Weymouth, MA, Stoughton, MA, and in portions of Rhode Island.
Tough determining how many tornadoes occurred with the cyclical nature of the supercell at this time.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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