Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed three tornados rated EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale touched down on Wednesday as severe weather swept across the region.
The first tornado storm surveyors were able to confirm was a tornado that touched down in the Hamlet of Olcott.
The NWS says its Buffalo storm survey team found damage consistent with an EF-1 tornado. The tornado's path length was two-thirds of a mile, with a maximum path width of 70 feet and maximum winds of 105 mph.
The report from NWS Buffalo says a severe supercell thunderstorm, that had been previously sighted having a waterspout over Lake Ontario, moved onshore over Olcott in Northern Niagara County shortly after 6 p.m. About one block inland along Main Street, significant tree damage was observed, with the tornado then continuing South-Southeastward, crossing the Great Lakes Seaway Trail and entering the Southern portion of Krull Park, while also producing tree damage along Althea Street.
Drone video obtained by Niagara County Emergency Services indicated large swirls in the open grass south of the entrance, which led to the most significant tree damage where a whole stand of mature pine trees were snapped and uprooted.
The tornado then weakened to the Southeast, with sporadic tree damage observed and likely lifted just East of the park. The tornado was only on the ground for about a minute's time.
NWS Buffalo also confirmed a tornado that touched down in the small community of East Shelby, just outside the Village of Medina in Orleans County.
That storm was found to have damage also consistent with an EF-1 tornado with estimated peak winds of 105 mph. That tornado lasted a bit longer, ranging 1.2 miles with a maximum path width of 200 yards.
According to the storm survey team, as the supercell thunderstorm moved over East Shelby, the low level circulation tightened and a tornado touched down in a field East of Bigford Road and South of Martin Road.
Several trees were toppled on the edges of this field before the tornado crossed over East Shelby Road, causing significant tree damage across several residences on the East side of the road, along with minor structural damage to a home.
The tornado then continued Eastward through a forested area with numerous trees uprooted and few snapped. The tornado then lifted over an open field west of Townline Road.
The tornado was only on the ground for approximately two minutes.
A third tornado later touched down in the Town of Alexander at around 7:29 p.m. and was on the ground for 3.78 miles, with estimated peak winds of 110 mph. The maximum path width of the tornado was 150 yards.
The NWS Buffalo storm survey team says initial damage from the tornado was noted in a corn field North of Route 20. Downed corn crops displayed a convergent pattern with an initial path width paced at 70 yards.
Nearby, additional tree damage was observed with multiple tree branches broken, and one large tree trunk snapped. The damage path continued Southeast toward W. Bethany Road, where broken tree branches and additional convergent signatures within a corn field were observed both East and West of the roadway immediately North of Route 20.
In the distance, uprooted and leaning trees with branches broken were observed along the same path South of Route 20.
Farther to the Southeast, the survey team found similar tree damage along Silver Road and Mill Road. A higher density of downed and snapped trees were observed near a residence along Mill Road. This included a dense cluster of large locust tree trunks snapped with a convergent pattern that led to the high-end EF-1 rating for this tornado.
Sporadic tree damage continued near Linden and along Skates Hill Road just North of the Genesee-Wyoming County line.
No injuries were reported with any of the three confirmed tornados.
The information in the reports is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.
