Severe today!

[gravy boat]

Manchester has been very active this afternoon - for the last few hours we have seen storm after storm move through and build right on top of us, creating some of the most vivid cloud to ground lightning I've seen in some time. Several of us believe that our building was hit about an hour ago, as the lightning seemed to circle around us, as if through the metal panes in our windows. Early on today there was hail mixed with heavy rain. Many sirens -- firetrucks, police -- since 3 pm.

I see a storm in Goffstown now -- I see some vivid lightning. And another is south of here, heading our way.

Exciting, but quite scary at times as well.

Hear it is in the Lakes Region as well -- just letting you know there are more heading your way!

GB

[Resident 2B]

We have been getting thunderstorms for the last hour. Two rounds of pea size hail and a lot of rain and lightning. Some wind, but nothing major windwise.

Things are calm now, but it sounds like more weather moving in from the west. I saw several boaters and jet skiers in the area taking too long to get off the water. I also saw a lightning strike right down to the water about 100' from one of the PWCs. That operator did an about face and headed for the public docks at the Weirs.

If you are out on the water and there is noticable thunder, get to a safe place quickly. We were lucky that no one got hurt out there today.

R2B

[CanisLupusArctos]

The Black Cat Island Weather Station measured a wind gust of 60 mph from the south during yesterday's thunderstorm. This time, unlike June 22, there was enough damage to erase any doubt about it. The shorefront trees lost many small branches which were found a couple hundred feet to the north. Screens were ripped from the windows and thrown into the woods. A metal trash can and its cover were rolled across the yard. The storm also came with just over a half inch of rain in about 30 minutes. Peak rainfall rate calculated during the storm was over 5 inches per hour which equals the rate sustained through most of June 22's storm.

Yesterday's storm also followed a less-popular storm track, from south to north. As stated in other threads, most of Winni's thunderstorms track from NW to SE or W to E.

More severe weather is possible today. That does not mean it will happen for everyone, but it does mean you should keep your eyes to the sky and be ready get to shelter quickly if you spot threatening skies or if a warning is issued by the National Weather Service.


Yesterday's storm made a nice rainbow as it departed:

[CanisLupusArctos]

So far, looks like the bulk of today's severe threat has been to the south of the Big Lake except for one line of storms that created flash flooding and road washouts in the general county-area of Bethel Maine (a.k.a. Sunday River.) Laconia has reported hail today, but I didn't hear any thunder from Black Cat. Anyone get that storm? Just a few sprinkles here.

However, in coastal and southern NH and also eastern Massachusetts and CT they are getting blasted again with severe weather. Thunderstorms have created yet another consecutive day of wind damage across that area.

If you're heading north to the lake this evening or know someone who is, watch out for the lingering travel effects of the storm throughout the Boston area and southern NH.

[Resident 2B]

No weather issues at the Weirs today, other than wind that made docking a ton of fun.

We saw a lot of dark clouds in the mid to late afternoon, but no thunder at all. We were on the lake from 11 AM until 2 PM going up to Meredith then over to Center Harbor. Traffic was light, but there were a lot or sail boats and PWCs out there. There were boats, but not as many as one would expect for this weekend.

Sunset was almost great. If the mid-level clouds were not still holding, it would have been outstanding. Great color in the background, but too many clouds were in the way.

Happy 4th-of-July to all.

Enjoy tomorrow's great weather!

R2B

[CanisLupusArctos]

Severe weather is possible again today. This air is about as humid as we normally get -- emphasis on "normally" -- and therefore extremely heavy rain will also be possible from today's storms whether they are severe or not. This may cause flash flooding in places where they occur.

At 1:30 pm radar indicated storms were lining up along the CT river and one cell was about to hit Lebanon NH on a SW-NE course.

Keep your eyes to the sky this afternoon.

This activity is associated with a Canadian cold front that is moving into our summertime air, and the colder air will overtake us for tomorrow and Friday, making two beautiful and not-so-humid days.

[twoplustwo]

...you weather brain gives you any power to keep it at bay until our kids' soccer game is done tonight??

I always appreciate your posts, thanks!!

[CanisLupusArctos]

Originally Posted by twoplustwo

...you weather brain gives you any power to keep it at bay until our kids' soccer game is done tonight??

I always appreciate your posts, thanks!!

To my knowledge the only record of someone demonstrating such power is held by Jesus. I'm sure the Native Americans of NH held "rain go away" dances just as often as rain dances but I don't know if they kept records of what they had to do and how well it worked.

So far looks like these storms are big on rain, and lacking in the elements that make "severe." There's lightning in some of them, but more than anything it's rain.

That could change very quickly in an airmass like this, and especially over this lake which is known for having its own funky weather.... so stay tuned to TV, radio, etc.

[KBoater]

CLA you forgot the dancing babes.

[CanisLupusArctos]

I think those dancing babes got the storms to divert from here. On the radar, a solid line split in two just before reaching the lake. One cell went west and another went east. The one that went east became severe and produced a few reports of wind damage over the Ossipee area and across the border in Maine.

[CanisLupusArctos]

Time to resurrect this thread because it's happening again today.

SPC has put most of NH in the slight risk for severe weather today. A few warnings have already been posted up north.

This is from the boundary line between the warm/humid over us now, and the cool/dry to our north. The boundary is well north of us and trying to move south, and may serve as a focal point for severe weather in various places around New England for the next few days. I am basing this on what happened last month when a similar boundary set itself up over New England and served as an unpredictable focal point for severe weather, somewhere in New England, each day.

[KBoater]

At 5:15 today as I we driving back to Wolfeboro from West Lake I hit a major storm. A small limb bounced off the dack of my car. A tree was down blocking RT. 28 right after Witten Neck. The wind was coming in 2 direction and 1 tree was spilt about 7 feet up and moved 50 feet from the trunk into the road. The power lines were split, another tree stripped of it's leaves. I turned around and drive back to Trotting Track. passing several downed branches and trees. The rain came down in sheets. I drove very slow and made it to supper.

[Orion]

We were at the Lakeside Expo at Gunstock and a little after 5 pm, the sky got real black with boiling clouds and I snapped this photo on my cell phone. The photo doesn't do it justice as the white whispy clouds were rising rapidly and the sky to the left was very dark while the sky to the right was bright and mostly sunny. Strong wind gusts followed the arrival of this front.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by Orion

We were at the Lakeside Expo at Gunstock and a little after 5 pm, the sky got real black with boiling clouds and I snapped this photo on my cell phone. The photo doesn't do it justice as the white whispy clouds were rising rapidly and the sky to the left was very dark while the sky to the right was bright and mostly sunny. Strong wind gusts followed the arrival of this front.

Whoa ... just Whoa .... and wow


Hey maybe that updraft (I dunno, looks like it could be) was responsible for all the leaves and pine needles and twigs and stuff (I almost expected to see a cow) fall from the sky earlier tonight.

[Merrymeeting]

We had an almost identical (probably the same) front come through Merrymeeting. It was the weirdest sky/cloud formation I've ever seen.

Dead calm, silent, but a cloud front approaching us at amazing speed. As in the picture, deep blacks, bright blues, and everything in between. Columns of clouds spiraling down into the hillsides. The pictures do not convey the sight and feeling. I felt like we had stumbled into the middle of a Star Trek movie and "Veeger" would come spinning out any minute.

Then the front came over us and all heck broke loose. White caps on the water within 30 seconds, rain, wind. It was fascinating, frightening, and awe-inspiring all at the same time.

[KBoater]

Understand 15 trees were lost at Wentworth Estate in the park. I assume this storm was the same at the one I was in. The one thing I noticed was a continuing wind change observed by the direction change of the flying leaves and debris. The dark clouds caused nighttime driving conditions.

[Squam Friend]

Clouds looked the same here in Holderness - at 5:00 I took these pictures; of course I didn't have my good camera. Anyway, no still camera could capture the movement of that big white cloud below the black cloud above, it was unlike anything I'd ever seen!

Around 2 yesterday in Plymouth I had hail coming through the passenger's window of my pickup and hitting me on the driver's side. Needless to say I pulled over to let it pass - and put up my window!

[luvthelake]

We were on our way to Moultonboro on Friday when we stopped for gas only to see some very strange looking clouds. I snapped a couple of pictures before the wind and pouring rain came in. When we finally arrived at camp, two trees came down on top of power lines and we were without power until1:30 a.m.

[gravy boat]

Luvthe,

THAT is impressive -- looks like a tornado/funnel cloud to me!

What does Canis say -- any other shots or information from NOAA to confirm tornadic activity?

GB

[hilltopper]

I had clouds like that cross right in front of me as I was heading up the Route 25 hill in Meredith going by the BlueCanoe. The first thing I noticed is that they were definitely going from cloud to ground. The second thing I noticed is that they had no rotation. I'd love to witness a tornado some day but I'd rather witness it a mile or two away, not 20 feet.

Does anyone know where you can view the video footage shot from the Inn at Bay Point looking up the Bay? Apparently it was in the news but I can't find it on WMUR's site.

[luvthelake]

Hilltopper,

That's where I was taking the pictures, on Route 25 at the Irving Blue Canoe. I agree, it would be neat to see a tornado, but not THAT close!

[kthy66]

WOW
Those pictures are amazing!!

[CanisLupusArctos]

Gravy Boat,

I say it was a funnel cloud... BUT, only because of everyone's pics and descriptions here, and also a description of clear rotation from a known-sane friend of mine who saw the funnel from the Wolfeborough/Alton town line as she drove south on 28.

My eyes saw what Hilltopper's eyes saw. I really wanted to report it, but I kept biting my lip and praying to see rotation so I could report it, but alas, no rotation. What I DID see was this: Nearly calm wind as it approached, then a VERY sudden blast (44 mph) from the north as the funnel passed directly south... in other words the wind was blowing toward the funnel. This action continued as the funnel passed southeast, and the wind blew from the northwest. One could easily argue that the feature was drawing air towards it, even if clear rotation was not visible.

Prior to the storm's arrival I was watching this storm on two self-updating radar screens, each with a different variation in view, and I believe I saw rotation in the cell that was headed for us. It caused me to make preparations for my own safety that I don't normally take. Therefore I was not totally surprised to see the funnel, although totally amazed.

What surprised me was the lack of even a severe thunderstorm warning for Belknap County--the severe thunderstorm warning didn't come until after I'd seen the funnel pass, and it should have been a tornado warning in my opinion. The tornado warning didn't come until the storm had cleared the lake and was bearing down on Dover. In the end, we saw a lot more funnel action here, while in Dover Foster's said there were no funnel reports at all.

I have a friend in Madbury (next town over from Dover) who collected some lemon-size hailstones and put them in his freezer.

Here are my two photos of the funnel, followed by my guess as to the wind flow that created the cloud formation posted by Squam Friend. If what we all saw was definitely a funnel cloud, then it appears Squam Friend saw the wall cloud--the low-hanging, collar-like precursor. I drew an arrow on his picture to show the action forming it. My arrow appears to be clockwise but if we were to look at the same scene from above it would be counter-clockwise.

It is only July and already we have two "tornado" storms for the summer. Late summer is the typical peak of New England's severe weather season, as the colder air of the approaching season starts to push out the warm humid air of the current season.

[kthy66]

These pictures are amazing... Thank you CLA for your insight! I have always been fascinated with meteorology and reading your posts about the weather is a great learning experience... The weather in our beautiful lakes region is amazing.

[Squam Friend]

CLA - although I wasn't thinking about rotation as I watched those clouds, the area where the pointed end of the arrow is was definitely moving faster across the sky (L to R in that picture) than the area where the arrow starts. In other words, I agree with your thoughts that my picture might show the beginning of some rotation.

For reference, the picture was taken at about 4:50pm, in Ashland on the SW end of Little Squam Lake (by the covered bridge there), looking more or less NE from there.

Great pictures you got there, I've never seen anything quite like that in NH, and I've been watching the weather and casually studying it my whole life, and mostly from out on Squam Lake...

[meteotrade]

Very nice pics Luvthelake and CLA!

Upon first glance I'd say these were low hanging scud, not funnel clouds... although its hard to judge solely on a pic sometimes. Nice pics, nonetheless.

[CanisLupusArctos]

Originally Posted by meteotrade

Upon first glance I'd say these were low hanging scud, not funnel clouds... although its hard to judge solely on a pic sometimes. Nice pics, nonetheless.

I thought the same thing until I showed my pics to my friend later. She had seen the same thing approaching Alton 15 minutes later and she said the "fingers" were rotating around each other. That was when I knew I had seen the early funnel cloud. Other posts on this forum, describing how the column was rising, support it.

But, I didn't have enough reason at the time to call it in to the NWS as a funnel cloud.

WATCH OUT FOR MORE OF THE SAME TODAY... TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT AND WARNINGS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR THE OSSIPEE-CONWAY AREA. SEE THE LATEST WEATHER THREADS AND STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND TV FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS IF THEY ARE ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA.

[Lakegeezer]

I heard rumors there was a tornado in Wolfeboro around lunchtime today that hit a house under construction, whacked a few cars with falling trees and put a boathouse in the lake. I didn't start a new thread, because I'm hearing this second hand.

[Puckster]

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

I heard rumors there was a tornado in Wolfeboro around lunchtime today that hit a house under construction, whacked a few cars with falling trees and put a boathouse in the lake. I didn't start a new thread, because I'm hearing this second hand.

I can confirm it was on wentworth, the large home being built by wood and clay was damaged.

[Doyboy]

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

I heard rumors there was a tornado in Wolfeboro around lunchtime today that hit a house under construction, whacked a few cars with falling trees and put a boathouse in the lake. I didn't start a new thread, because I'm hearing this second hand.

I just got off the phone with my father-in-law on Lake Wentworth and he confirmed your information. He can't confirm a tornado because he and the wife were down in the basement. There is a massive house being built on the east end of the lake which also had a huge boat house that was under construction. It (the boat house) is now in the lake and a large number of trees in the area were damaged. Another house right near there was damaged and a nice wakeboarding boat was flipped bottom-up somehow.

[Gatto Nero]

I know this is a little but late, it took my brother in law a while to figure out how to upload it from his phone, but I put up a video of the funnel cloud from the storm of the 18th. You can check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu0riAvILmk



I added a photo as well. http://www.winnipesaukee.com/photopo...=13193&cat=506

[powdahound]

This was taken on July 18 from Six Mile Island looking south toward Gunstock and Glendale Marine.


Jesse

[Rose]

Originally Posted by Gatto Nero

I put up a video of the funnel cloud from the storm of the 18th. You can check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu0riAvILmk

Do you know if this was on the leading edge of the storm or the rear of it?

[CanisLupusArctos]

Gatto Nero is in my neighborhood. We were both there. The "funnel" or whatever it was, was on the leading edge of the storm. It was moving from west to east. We got the rain free base with all the wind first, then we got the northern fringe of the rain column, and then it was just intermittent rain and drizzle for the next couple of hours. The trailing edge of the storm had no discernible features - fog and mist, calm.

See my pics previously posted in this thread.

[Rose]

Originally Posted by CanisLupusArctos

The "funnel" or whatever it was, was on the leading edge of the storm. It was moving from west to east. We got the rain free base with all the wind first, then we got the northern fringe of the rain column, and then it was just intermittent rain and drizzle for the next couple of hours. The trailing edge of the storm had no discernible features - fog and mist, calm.

Then it was scud. Funnel clouds are found at the rear of a storm.

[CanisLupusArctos]

Originally Posted by Rose

Then it was scud. Funnel clouds are found at the rear of a storm.

Do you know of any diagrams online that can show the air flow within a storm like this, as it relates to what is visible from the ground? That's how I'll remember it best for the future.

[Rose]

Originally Posted by CanisLupusArctos

Do you know of any diagrams online that can show the air flow within a storm like this, as it relates to what is visible from the ground? That's how I'll remember it best for the future.

There's a model simulation of what it looks like that I've seen on TV, but I haven't been able to find it online. If I find it in the future, I'll try to remember to post it here.

Here's a link to an image which I hope is helpful. The scud would most likely be associated with the forward flank downdraft.

The wiki for "supercell" has some interesting and hopefully helpful diagrams.

Not every tornado develops from a supercell, and not all supercells develop tornadoes, but the majority of information is about supercells.

[CanisLupusArctos]

Thank you, Rose! Stuff I should've reviewed earlier this summer when I was going over the personal safety rules for them. Learned it too many years ago, and it doesn't get used much around here (until this summer.)

By that diagram, the scud ("funnel") we saw was at the gust front. So my initial assessment (no rotation = no funnel) was correct, and my after-the-fact thoughts based on things I've heard from others have been proven incorrect. This diagram also tells me that we may never see a tornado over Meredith neck from the northern side of the lake, because it will be hidden by the rain column.

The question remains for all who said they saw it rotating (and assuming they weren't smoking anything): Is it possible to have any sort of spin in a forward flank downdraft, in such a way that it could mimic a funnel cloud?

Originally Posted by Rose

Not every tornado develops from a supercell, and not all supercells develop tornadoes, but the majority of information is about supercells.

Some tornadoes can develop from Duracells, when teenage boys are involved.

[Rose]

Originally Posted by CanisLupusArctos

Learned it too many years ago, and it doesn't get used much around here (until this summer.)

Yeah, kinda depressing, ain't it? I like my severe weather to be warm...snowstorms really don't do it for me. But ya deal with what you're dealt.

By that diagram, the scud ("funnel") we saw was at the gust front. So my initial assessment (no rotation = no funnel) was correct, and my after-the-fact thoughts based on things I've heard from others have been proven incorrect. This diagram also tells me that we may never see a tornado over Meredith neck from the northern side of the lake, because it will be hidden by the rain column.

The question remains for all who said they saw it rotating (and assuming they weren't smoking anything): Is it possible to have any sort of spin in a forward flank downdraft, in such a way that it could mimic a funnel cloud?

Well if it really was rotating, it could have been a gustnado. But those are more typical of storms on the plains and usually go in the other direction, i.e., they're connected to the surface and not the base of the storm. But this isn't a typical season, is it?

Some tornadoes can develop from Duracells, when teenage boys are involved.

Do you think the little bunny gets transported to Oz, beating his drum all the way?

[CanisLupusArctos]

Excellent! Thank you Rose!

Need to switch this thread back to a "current" theme - severe is possible today although southern parts of the state have the best chance while a flood watch has been issued for northern NH (incl. Carroll Co.) Severe thunderstorm watch issued for NYC-Mid Atl. area where the best chance in the northeast is centered today. Decreasing chances as you go northeast from there.

[CanisLupusArctos]

We have one more chance for severe weather this afternoon and evening before the rain-free stretch begins. This activity will be associated with a cold front that will be passing tonight.

Once it passes early tomorrow morning, skies should remain sunny for several days. High pressure behind the front will give us its cold side (the eastern side) which may spell some nights in the mid-50s on the water and mid-40s away from the water until midweek when the high moves offshore. We will then get is warm side (the western side) which will give us summertime weather from late Wednesday through Sunday.

In the meantime keep your eyes to the sky and NOAA Weather Alert radios on standby for this afternoon.