Spring Severe Weather Event April 21, 2021

Overview

A complex spring storm system impacted eastern New York and western New England on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. While areas north and west of the Capital District and the higher terrain of the Catskills observed rain changing to snow, parts of the Berkshires, Litchfield County, the mid-Hudson Valley and southern Taconics experienced thunderstorms as a potent cold front moved through the region. A sharp air mass contrast set-up between these two regions and strong southwesterly flow ahead of the incoming strong cold front spread a sufficiently mild and moist air mass into our far southeastern zones. Given the very impressive dynamical forcing, steep mid- level lapse rates and mild air in place, a line of thunderstorms developed off the Catskills and became strong to severe as they progressed into western New England. Not only did these storms produce damaging winds in Dutchess and Litchfield counties but a NWS Storm Survey team confirmed two tornadoes (an EF-1 tornado in Amenia, NY [Dutchess County] and an EF-0 tornado in Kent, CT [Litchfield County]).

Tornado
Radar
Storm Reports
Environment
Additional

Tornadoes

Tornado - Amenia, NY
Dutchess County, NY

Date	Wed, April 21, 2021
Time (EDT)	2:49 PM to 2:51 PM
EF Rating	EF - 1
Est. Peak Winds	100 mph
Path Length	0.6 miles
Max Width	100 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0/0
Summary: A tornado briefly touched down just south of Amenia, New York and moved north- northeastward into the village. The tornado started near the intersection of Powder House Road and Ohandley Drive and caused sporadic damage along its path length. One house along Ohandley drive had partial roof damage and a two by four and small branch drove into the side of the home. Nine out of ten homes on Ohandley Drive sustained damage. The tornado ended near the intersection of Mechanic Street and East Main Street where it ripped the roof off a restaurant.

Track Map

Downloadable KMZ File

Blown down fence in Amenia, NY

(NWS Storm Survey)

Damage to siding of a house in Amenia, NY

(NWS Storm Survey)

Damage to siding of a house in Amenia, NY

(NWS Storm Survey)

Tornado - Kent, CT
Litchfield County, CT

Date	Wed April 21, 2021
Time (EDT)	2:49 PM to 2:51 PM
EF Rating	EF - 0
Est. Peak Winds	85 mph
Path Length	1 mile
Max Width	30 yards
Injuries/Deaths	0/0
Summary: A tornado briefly touched down just north of Bulls Bridge, Connecticut and moved east- northeastward into South Kent. The tornado damage was sporadic along the path which began along Route 7 just north of Bulls Bridge and consisted mostly of downed tree limbs. A few hardwood trees were snapped and uprooted and one home owner lost part of a solid wooden fence along Spooner Hill Road. A car tent canopy was blown away by the strong winds. No damage to buildings was noted. The tornado ended in a forested area east of Spooner Hill Road.

Track Map

Downloadable KMZ File

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

Radar

0.5 degree Reflectivity ENX Radar

4-panel ENX Radar 0.5 degree Reflectivity, SRM, Spectrum Width, NROT

Storm Reports

Storm Reports across the NWS Albany County Warning Area from April 21, 2021 (Map above courtesy of Iowa Environmental Mesonet).

Link to the Amenia, NY and Kent, CT Tornadoes

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0209 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 WSW CLINTONDALE       41.69N  74.07W
04/21/2021                   ULSTER             NY   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            A TREE WAS DOWNED ONTO WIRES ON ROUTE 44 

0220 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     LAGRANGE                41.65N  73.76W
04/21/2021                   DUTCHESS           NY   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            NO DAMAGE AND WIND GUSTS AROUND 30 MPH. 

0225 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SSW BEEKMAN           41.62N  73.75W
04/21/2021                   DUTCHESS           NY   SOCIAL MEDIA    

            TREES DOWN. 

0245 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NNW WINGDALE          41.68N  73.58W
04/21/2021                   DUTCHESS           NY   SOCIAL MEDIA    

            TREES DOWN SOUTH OF DOVER PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL. 

0245 PM     HAIL             3 NNW WINGDALE          41.68N  73.58W
04/21/2021  M0.88 INCH       DUTCHESS           NY   SOCIAL MEDIA    

            JUST SOUTH OF DOVER PLAINS HIGH SCHOOL. 

0247 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SSW KENT              41.69N  73.51W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   AMATEUR RADIO   

            TREE DOWN ON WIRES ON KENT ROAD 

0248 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SW CORNWALL BRIDGE    41.78N  73.42W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            SMALL TREES DOWN NEAR KENT FALLS STATE PARK ENTRANCE 
            ALONG ROUTE 7N. 

0249 PM     TORNADO          AMENIA                  41.84N  73.56W
04/21/2021                   DUTCHESS           NY   NWS STORM SURVEY

            EF-1 TORNADO WAS CONFIRMED IN THE TOWN OF AMENIA, NY. 
            MAX WINDS OF 100 MPH. 

0249 PM     TORNADO          3 SSW KENT              41.69N  73.51W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   NWS STORM SURVEY

            NWS SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED AN EF-0 TORNADO NEAR BULLS 
            BRIDGE, CT. MAX WINDS OF 85 MPH. 

0250 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SSW KENT              41.69N  73.50W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   SOCIAL MEDIA    

            WIRES DOWN, TREES DOWN, CAR PORT FLIPPED OVER AT BULLS 
            BRIDGE BODY SHOP. 

0255 PM     HAIL             LEE                     42.31N  73.25W
04/21/2021  M0.75 INCH       BERKSHIRE          MA   TRAINED SPOTTER 

0300 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SW CORNWALL BRIDGE    41.78N  73.41W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   SOCIAL MEDIA    

            TREES WERE SNAPPED AND DOWNED ACROSS ROUTE 7 NEAR KENT 
            FALLS STATE PARK 

0315 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 ENE FALLS VILLAGE     41.96N  73.34W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   AMATEUR RADIO   

            TREE DOWN ON WIRES ON ROUTE 7 NORTH TO PAGE RD. 

0317 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FALLS VILLAGE           41.96N  73.37W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   AMATEUR RADIO   

            TREE DOWN ON WIRES AT INTERSECTION OF WARREN TURNPIKE 
            AND WATER ST. 

0320 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SSW SHARON            41.84N  73.49W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   AMATEUR RADIO   

            WIRES DOWN FROM WIND. 

0323 PM     HAIL             5 W TORRINGTON          41.83N  73.22W
04/21/2021  E0.75 INCH       LITCHFIELD         CT   AMATEUR RADIO   

0325 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NW WINSTED            41.94N  73.08W
04/21/2021                   LITCHFIELD         CT   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            WIRES DOWN FROM WIND. POWER IS OUT. 

0423 PM     HAIL             TORRINGTON              41.84N  73.13W
04/21/2021  M0.88 INCH       LITCHFIELD         CT   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            SHELF CLOUD. 675 MAIN ST.

Environment


Figure 1: Effective Shear valid 1PM April 21, 2021	Figure 2: Mid-level Lapse Rates valid 3PM April 21, 2021	Figure 3: 0-6km Shear valid 3PM April 21, 2021


Figure 4: Surface Based CAPE valid at 2PM April 21, 2021	Figure 5: 12 UTC (8am) Upper Air Sounding from Upton, NY (OKX) April 21, 2021	Figure 6: Most Unstable CAPE valid 2PM April 21, 2021

MRMS Data


Figure 7: Low Level Rotational Tracks valid 3:30 PM April 21, 2021	Figure 8: Mid Level Rotational Tracks valid 3:30PM April 21, 2021	Figure 9: 30 min Instantaneous Low Level Rotational Tracks valid 2:30 PM April 21, 2021