PHARSALIA – The National Weather Service confirmed Friday that a tornado struck Pharsalia Thursday and left a path of destruction about eight miles long across the rural countryside.
Representatives from National Weather Service in Binghamton visited the region Friday and later confirmed a tornado with at least 115 mile an hour winds swept through the area between 3 and 3:10 a.m. Thursday.
The funnel touched ground during a severe thunderstorm that caused widespread flash flooding in the county, causing the most significant damage in the Towns of Plymouth, Pharsalia and McDonough, according to Chenango County Emergency Management Office.
Emergency crews were still assessing the damage left by the flooding at Red Mill Hill Bridge in the City of Norwich Monday.
“The bridge is basically being held in place by a single carrier beam, after it lost the other. It suffered severe damage by the rising waters Thursday and could collapse. The fear is the debris will create a dam along the Cansawacta Creek which could impact local residents,” said county Emergency Management Director Matt Beckwith.
He added that crews stationed at the site will monitor the bridge throughout the day.
Beckwith said significant rainfall forecast for later Monday evening and Tuesday is also a concern.
The National Weather Service reported last week’s storm brought with it a class 2 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale classification system, which rates storms from 0 to 5 based on wind speed.
“Intensity for most of the path was estimated at EF1 (86 to 110 MPH winds), however EF2 intensity (111 to 135 MPH winds) was estimated along North Road and Center Road in Pharsalia. In those areas hundreds of large trees were snapped and uprooted, leveling a dense forest. Over the hill a trailer was lifted and demolished, a two story barn was demolished, a small pond had its water sucked out and a jeep was moved several feet and hit with debris,” reported the service in its Friday announcement.
The NWS also said the tornado’s maximum size was about 400 yards wide and the highest estimated wind strength was about 115 miles an hour.
The twister first touched down near County Rt. 7 and eventually dissipated about 8 miles away near Pigeon Hill Road.
County Rt. 7 residents Karri and Mike Beckwith reported two heifer barns and storage barn were destroyed by the passing tornado, which also shook their home.
“I ran over and looked out the window, it was the middle of the night and in the pouring rain and you couldn’t see anything. I did see a bunch of debris flying through the air though,” said Karri. She said the couple and their children took shelter as best they could in the home, which doesn’t have a basement. Karri said a porch with a concrete foundation helped reinforce the home against the powerful winds, which also turned over field equipment and a tractor. The family is insured and no cows inside barns were killed.
The tornado moved toward New Michigan State Forest in Pharsalia where it grew in intensity, causing widespread damage to the park. A trail of toppled trees and debris could be seen crossing North, Fred Stewart and Center roads.
Beckwith said the county sees tornado strikes every few years, but one traveling eight miles and with this level of intensity was a “rarity” for the region.