Final Damage Reports Out On Marlborough, Stow, Bolton Tornadoes

MARLBOROUGH, MA — The National Weather Service released its final report on Tropical Storm Henri on Wednesday, including a final look at the three tornadoes that hit Marlborough, Stow and Bolton on Monday.

According to the weather service, the Stow tornado was the most powerful, bringing 70 mph winds to 1/10th of a mile area near the Stow police headquarters. The Bolton tornado, which was also about 1/10th of a mile, knocked down powerlines and a tree limb near 175 Main St. with 65 mph winds. Both of those twisters were about 50 yards wide and rated as EF0.

But the longest tornado of the outbreak hit Marlborough. The EF0 tornado was spotted just before noon along Cedar Hill Street. And although it was a scant 10 yards wide with 65 mph winds, the Marlborough twister traveled for three-quarters of a mile. Along the way, it dropped a tree limb onto a car.

The tornado outbreak happened as Henri, which did little damage to the area after making landfall on Sunday, was petering out on its eastward march back out to sea.

Although rare, serious tornadoes have struck the area before. More than 40 tornadoes have been confirmed in Worcester County since the 1950s, including the state's deadliest in 1953. That EF4 twister began near the Quabbin Reservoir and traveled east through Rutland, Worcester, and Westborough before ending near Southborough. Ninety-four people died in the storm and more than 1,000 were injured.