The Tropical depression Florence screamed through New England on Tuesday, and though the former hurricane didn’t unleash the same kind of fury felt in the Carolinas, it still caused significant damage.
And possibly a tornado.
The National Weather Service said it was investigating storm damage in the town to assess whether a tornado touched down during the storm’s hairiest moments on Tuesday.
Radar showed signs of rotation over Swampscott at about 11 a.m., which could have cut a swath from Saugus, according to WCVB-TV meteorologist A.J. Burnett. That triggered a tornado warning for Swampscott, and led to a temporary school lockdown.
There was one scan that showed tight rotation over #Swampscott just before 11 A.M. Using the scan before, I've drawn an approximation of the path of the storm, which could have gone through #Saugus. Possible #tornado. #wcvb #MAwx @Met_CindyFitz @kellyannwx pic.twitter.com/b9IGzZt69O
— A.J. Burnett (@WxManAJB) September 18, 2018
Tornado or not, Tuesday’s storm caused significant damage in Saugus, with downed trees dotting the landscape, especially around Riverside Cemetery. As of 2:15 p.m., there were 1,677 Saugus customers without power.
The last tornado in the area ripped its way down Broadway in Revere in 2014, following the main thoroughfare for nearly two miles, from Chelsea Creek to Brown Circle. The funnel left wrecked roofs and torn siding in its wake, with dozens of homes damaged.
