National Weather Service Confirms Third Tornado Touchdown In Chenango
Published: May 6th, 2011
By: Tyler Murphy

GILBERTSVILLE – The National Weather Service has so far confirmed that three separate tornadoes plus a macroburst struck in or near Chenango County during last week’s severe storms.

Two of the funnels and the macroburst hit during an early morning thunderstorm April 28 that also caused widespread flash flooding in the county.

On Wednesday, the service confirmed a tornado had also passed through property at the Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School at about 9:30 p.m. April 27 causing severe damage to the district’s main sports field.

“The tornado set down in a woods near Rt. 51 between Mount Upton and Gilbertsville producing EF0 (65 to 85 MPH winds) damage until reaching Copes Corners Road where it strengthened to EF1 (86 to 110 MPH winds) snapping and uprooting trees through a heavily wooded area. It moved up the hill and across the athletic fields of the Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School,” the weather service reported Wednesday.

The National Weather Service classifies tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita Scale classification system, which rates storms from 0 to 5 based on wind speed.

Superintendent Glenn Hamilton said the school’s sports field was just constructed last year. He said the powerful winds twisted metal bleachers and railings and destroyed a wooden press box, scattering debris across the field. The main buildings did not appear affected.

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