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.
The school also had three soccer goals destroyed by the wind and two others crushed by a falling tree. About two dozen trees near the field were also toppled during the storm.
Hamilton said the school’s track is so badly damaged that it will be unusable for the rest of the season. The school has forfeited two track meets and a baseball game. Hamilton said the recent cancellations had more to do with severe weather than the actual damage.
The school repaired a baseball back stop and field so games may be played at the site. The Edmeston School District has also offered the use of its track field.
Referring to the GMU damage site, the National Weather Service stated the following: “A portable toilet was lifted and dropped about half a mile away and some other light material was found almost a mile away. The tornado was estimated to be its strongest and widest here.”
After passing near the school, the tornado weakened and proceeded through a wooded area for about another three miles east of Gilbertsville. The service said the twister’s widest path was estimated to be about 150 yards and that it traveled for five miles.
On Wednesday, the weather service also confirmed a macroburst – intense straight line winds – caused damage at about 5 a.m. April 28 in the Town of Afton.
