Hail, Wind & Tornado Reports on October 5, 1995

Wind Report Description: A severe thunderstorm uprooted trees near Belvidere. Severe thunderstorms downed trees and wires in scattered parts of the county including State Route 57 near the Tricounty Firehouse. Downed wires caused power outages in Hackettstown and Mansfield Township. These thunderstorms were part of the remnants of Hurricane Opal.

Wind Report Description: A squall line of severe thunderstorms associated with the remnants of Hurricane Opal uprooted trees in scattered areas throughout each county.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: Winds downed tree limbs and power lines in East York and other scattered areas of eastern York County.

Wind Report Description: A shed was blown down by strong winds.

Wind Report Description: Small trees were deposited along a local street near Pylesville. Other trees and power lines were reported down in Aberdeen. At the Bush River Yacht Club (southeast Harford County), two dinghies were damaged when a large oak tree fell on them. The tree had been weakened by the combination of strong gradient winds, thunderstorm winds, and heavy rains earlier on the 5th.

Wind Report Description: Thunderstorm winds from the remnants of Hurricane Opal took down trees in Middleburg and Selinsgrove.

Wind Report Description: Thunderstorms from the remains of Hurricane Opal took down trees in New Buffalo and blew siding off a home in Elliotsburg.

Wind Report Description: Trees fell on a house on North Main Street.

Wind Report Description: Airport weather observer reported gust.

Wind Report Description: Several trees down.

Wind Report Description: Slight damage was reported to old tobacco barn near the Sampson County line.

Wind Report Description: Several trees blown down on S.R 1544.

Wind Report Description: Sampson County Emergency Management director report strong wind damaged several farm buildings and blew the roof of an unoccupied farm house at the Oates farm located on Preacher Henry Road.

Wind Report Description: Trees were knocked down. The remnants of Tropical Storm Opal moved across South Carolina the morning of October 5, 1995. Opal produced numerous thunderstorm over the coast and coastal plains. Many of these thunderstorms caused wind damage as reflected above. Tropical Storm Opal also caused a 48-foot trawler, Katie Patrice, to be beached on Fripp Island in Beaufort County.

Wind Report Description: Trees were knocked down.

Wind Report Description: Trees were knocked down.

Wind Report Description: Hurricane Opal, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico, began threatening the Florida panhandle and Alabama on Tuesday October 3. At approximately 1645 EDT on Wednesday October 4, Hurricane Opal made landfall just west of Fort Walton Beach Florida and began a northward track through eastern Alabama, where it was downgraded to a Tropical Storm; and into Tennessee, where it was downgraded again to a Tropical Depression. As Opal tracked northward, thunderstorm winds knocked down close to ten thousand trees in more than 50 Georgia counties. More than four thousand trees were knocked down within the city of Atlanta alone. These trees fell across roads, and on power lines, homes, mobile homes, and automobiles. At least eight people died between Wednesday night (October 4) and Thursday morning (October 5), most of which were crushed either in their beds or automobiles. Another seven people reportedly died during the cleanup process when trees they were trying to remove fell on them. More than a half a dozen people were injured from falling trees in the early morning hours of October 5. Nearly half a million people (410,000) were without power initially after Opal moved through. Power crews from surrounding states helped to restore power to many, however several thousand residences remained without power through the weekend. There were more than 1200 power poles knocked down and almost 5,000 power lines snapped. An 80-foot gash was torn out of Interstate 285 between Roswell Road and the Glenridge Connector in Atlanta. Schools were closed Thursday and/or Friday throughout the cities of Atlanta, Marietta, and within Fulton, Coweta, Carroll and Douglas counties. Forty-seven of 101 schools were closed in Dekalb county. Four State parks were closed after Opal, Mocassin Creek Park, Black Rock Mountain, Vogel State Park, and Fort Mountain State Park. The Department of Transportation reported 273 damage sites statewide, most of which were downed traffic signals. Agricultural experts estimated that the state Pecan crop alone suffered more than $5 million worth of damage. Flash flooding associated with Opal occurred mainly in metropolitan Atlanta and in northwest Georgia. Several rivers exceeded bankfull. The Oconee River at Penfield crested at 19 feet on the 6th, resulting in flooding between October 5th and October 9th. The Ocmulgee River at Macon exceeded bankfull on October 6th, crested near 23 feet on October 7th and returned to below bankfull on October 9th; in Abbeville, the Ocmulgee River flooded on October 13th, crested near 14-feet on the 14th and returned to bankfull on the 17th. Sweetwater Creek in Austell exceeded bankfull on October 5th, resulting in several flash flooding events through October 7th after cresting at 14 feet on the 6th. The Chattahoochee River near Whitesburg flooded on October 5th, and crested near 21 feet on the 6th before returning to bankfull on the 7th. The Etowah River in Canton exceeded bankfull for a few hours on October 6th, cresting near 17.5 feet. The Savannah River at Carlton Bridge flooded on October 5, and crested near 18 feet before dropping below floodstage on the 6th. M45V, M51V, M74P, F85P, F87P, M26V, F20M, M??V.

Wind Report Description: Large tree limbs were downed, damaging a shed.

Wind Report Description: Cooperative observer reported large tree limbs down causing roof damage.

Wind Report Description: Trees were knocked down.

Wind Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Wind Report Description: Sevenyt-six mph gust reported by Harbor Pilot at Columbus St. terminal.

Wind Report Description: Large limbs and power lines down.

Wind Report Description: Trees were knocked down.

Wind Report Description: Trees were knocked down.

Wind Report Description: Power lines down.

Wind Report Description: Trees and power lines down.

Wind Report Description: Trees and limbs down.

Wind Report Description: Trees down.

Wind Report Description: Numerous trees down.

Tornado Report Description: A small tornado struck along the St Mary's Countyshoreline, snapping trees, shattering a residence's porch windows, and knocking down power lines.

Tornado Report Description: A bow-echo, racing well east ahead of the Charles-Prince Georges-west Anne Arundel County mesocyclone, produced a short-lived gustnado/waterspout along the Magothy River in Arnold. Minor tree and structural damage was noted at two residences, while an automobile was turned around. The tornado lifted as a waterspout over the Magothy River.

Tornado Report Description: The third tornado associated with the parent mesocyclone touched down in residential Odenton (at F0), strengthened (to F1) as it continued through Severn, the weakened rapidly before lifting in south Glen Burnie. The tornado destroyed an aluminum carport, ripped shingles and siding from a nearby residence, and snapped silver maple trees in Odenton. The storm continued ,across state route 32, and strengthened as it entered Severn. At least 200 soft- and hardwood trees were snapped or uprooted along the west edge of the Severn Run Natural Forest. Pine trees fell onto homes northwest of the forest, but direct tornado damage to homes was not noted until the storm reached a relatively new development along Quarterfield Farms Road. Eleven homes suffered damage at the development, ranging from ripped siding and unhinged shingles to a bowed-in garage door frame. Several pine and oak trees were snapped or uprooted here as well. The tornado weakened while causing damage to a farm house, shed, and carport immediately north of the development, then caused minor tree and limb damage near state route 174 before dissipating. Baltimore Gas and Electric reported 2,600 customers without power in Anne Arundel County; the entire servicing district had 10,000 customers without power.

Tornado Report Description: The strongest tornado, containing estimated winds of 150 mph, caused substantial damage, and several injuries, at a Temple Hills neighborhood. Three persons sustained minor injuries requiring a short hospital stay; 17 others reported cuts and abrasions. In all, 100 homes suffered damage. Fifteen of the homes were damaged severely enough to be condemned; four homes lost their entire roofs. Numerous trees, several wide-girthed hardwoods, were uprooted, and 9,000 Potomac Electric Power customers were without power.

Tornado Report Description: A strong mesocyclone, generated from the remnants of Hurricane Opal, developed south of the Potomac River and raced northeast during the mid-evening. When it moved into Maryland, it spawned three tornadoes in Charles, Prince Georges, and Anne Arundel County. The first tornado tracked along State Route 425 between the towns of Ironside and Grayton. Along its path, several trees were uprooted or snapped; two sheds were destroyed and two more sustained roof damage. Windows were blown out of a barn and several vehicles.

Tornado Report Description: A tornado touched down just east of Crownsville, and skipped northeast along a 3.8 mile track, exiting Arnold along the Magothy River. The first segment began in the Sherwood Forest subdivision, where numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, and power lines were knocked down, in a 50-yard wide swath. The tornado lifted temporarily near the Severn River, then touched down again east of the Severn, causing additional tree damage in the Rugby Hall subdivision. Numerous limbs were noted along State Routes 2 and 648 as the tornado continued northeast. More tree tops were snapped at the Severna Park Golf Center. As the twister raced through the campus of Anne Arundel Community College, three building roofs sustained damage, one vehicle was flipped, and two others had windows blown out. Siding was stripped from a couple of homes in the College Hills subdivision just before the twister lifted a second time. The tornado touched down a third and final time in the Belvedere Heights subdivision, knocking down several trees, and one telephone wire, and causing minor damage to four homes, including one whose metal porch supports were bent. The twister tightened from 100 yards to 50 yards as it moved into the Dreams Point subdivision, knocking down tens of hardwood trees. After the twister crossed Forked Creek, it caused minor damage to sailboats at two private docks. The storm continued through the Ulmstead Acres Community, knocking down more trees, twisting a tennis court fence, and causing minor damage to six more homes, primarily shingle, siding, gutter, and window shutters. A cupola was removed from a barn, and a residence's garage door was bowed out. The tornado exited into the Magothy River, where it dissipated.

Tornado Report Description: Tornado touched down briefly in a wooded/farm area. Outbuildings damaged, trees tops blown out, several trees down. Damage occurred just north of Burnt Mills Lake.

Tornado Report Description: Brief tornado touchdown uprooted a large oak tree and several cedar/pine trees, and tore roof off of garage.

Tornado Report Description: Tornado made a discontinuous path in an area from near the West Point/King and Queen County Airport northeastward to near Shacklefords. Most significant damage occurred at the airport where four planes were overturned. Two were heavily damaged, and two were destroyed. Major damage was inflicted to the airport hangar. The tornado moved northeastward across rural/heavily wooded areas causing damage to the tops of trees, downing a few power lines and downing a few trees in the Shacklefords area before lifting.

Tornado Report Description: A tornado touched down on Highway 258 just south of Highway 58 in Snow Hill. A steel storage building was knocked over along with power lines.

Tornado Report Description: No National Weather Service description provided.

Tornado Report Description: A tornado developed from an intense rain band associated with Opal. A number of trees and power lines were blown down onto vehicles and structures. A couple of campers and a boat were destroyed and some minor damage was reported to homes.