EF1 Tornado — Washington, Rhode Island

2021-11-13 · near White Rock, Washington, Rhode Island

Event narrative

Note... this is a continuation of a tornado that began in Stonington, CT (New London County). At approximately 4:54 PM EST on Saturday, November 13, a tornado touched down on Robinson Street in the Pawcatuck neighborhood of Stonington, CT. Several hardwood trees were uprooted or snapped about half way up the trunk. A gutter was ripped off of one home and shutters were ripped off of another home. Several trampolines were lifted, with one becoming stuck on a power line, approximately 20 feet in the air. In Stonington, where Robinson Street becomes Race Street, a metal shed was lifted and flipped before being crushed by a large maple branch, with an approximate diameter of 15 inches. Several street signs also were snapped at their bases. The tornado then continued on a northeast track into Westerly, RI, where it crossed Route 78 onto Center Street. Approximately 20 large, healthy hardwood trees were uprooted at that location. A wood outbuilding also was flipped onto its side. The tornado then crossed onto Millview Drive before lifting at approximately 5:00 PM EST. The basis for the EF1 rating was the metal shed that was flipped prior to being crushed, as well as the shearing of gutters and shutters off of homes. The maximum estimated wind associated with this tornado was 90 mph. The tornado was on the ground for approximately 0.25 miles in CT and 1.10 miles in RI.

Wider weather episode

A fast-moving cold front combined with a potent short-wave trough lifting northeastward across western and northern New England to produce severe thunderstorms across southern New England. Despite dewpoint temperatures only in the 30s and 40s, the cold pool aloft created instability and there was very strong low-level helicity. The result was an unprecedented outbreak of tornadoes across Long Island, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (41.3967, -71.8186)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 989854. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.