Tornado Touched Down In Clinton During Storm Fred, NWS Confirms

CLINTON, MA — The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed a tornado hit Clinton on Thursday afternoon as tropical storm Fred marched across the state.

The weather service issued a tornado warning just after 1 p.m. Thursday for Clinton and a swath of central Massachusetts northeast to Acton and Ayer. Photos and videos captured scenes of whipping wind. The tornado left a path of downed trees and property damage across the town.

The NWS had not as of Friday morning assigned a rating to the Clinton tornado. Twisters are rated on the Enhanced Fujita Scale from the weakest EF0 to the strongest EF5.

The Clinton tornado was preceded by a tornado warning in the Worcester area after weather spotters saw rotation in clouds over Webster. The NWS was working to confirm if a tornado touched down in Thompson, Conn., just over the border from Webster.

Storm Fred dropped 3 or more inches of rain across an area from Hartford to Worcester on Thursday morning. That's just an appetizer for Sunday, when Tropical Storm Henri — which should become a hurricane today — is expected to strike southern New England.