Tornado Touchdown Confirmed in Mansfield

MANSFIELD, CT — A band of thunderstorms that hit the area Tuesday evening produced a tornado that touched down in Mansfield, the National Weather Service confirmed.

The tornado was classified as "weak," but still produced winds of 70 mph and was 30 yards wide, according to the NWS. Its path was .4 miles, according to a report.

The tornado touched down just west of Storrs Road (state Route 195) between Cemetery Road and Bassetts Bridge Road and continued in an east-northeast direction before dissipating near the southernmost portion of Echo Road, according to the NWS.

Several shingles were blown off a roof on Storrs Road and were located 500 yard away, according to the NWS. A "swirling mass of sticks and leaves" passed through an area off Centre Street, just west of Echo Lake, and some of the debris hit a house, according to a report.

The University of Connecticut was spared any significant damage, a university spokeswoman said. The storm produced only the typical standing water in some places usually affected by heavy rain.

The band also produced a tornado that hit New Canaan. It had winds that were clocked at 100 mph.

Mansfield has joined a seemingly crowded list of towns affected by tornados this year. Since May, Connecticut has seen an unprecedented number of confirmed tornadoes in communities including Southbury, Oxford, Hamden, Woodstock, Winsted, Ashford, and Barkhamsted.

A macroburst was also confirmed in New Milford and Brookfield in May.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

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