Tornado touched down in southwestern New Hampshire, National Weather Service confirms
KEENE, N.H. - A tornado did indeed touch down in New Hampshire during Thursday's storms, the National Weather Service has confirmed.
The NWS office in Gray, Maine told WBZ-TV meteorologist and executive weather producer Terry Eliasen that the tornado hit the Keene, New Hampshire area. According to the storm survey team, the damage was consistent with an EF 1 tornado that had maximum winds of 90 to 95 mph.
A trained spotter had reported that a funnel cloud reached the ground with rapid rotation in Roxbury, New Hampshire, just south of Keene at 2:54 p.m.
It was not photographed or recorded on video, so the National Weather Service went to southwestern New Hampshire Friday morning to survey the damage from Keene to Dublin, N.H.
New Hampshire's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said this is the first confirmed tornado in the state for 2023. There were two recorded last year.
"Yesterday's tornado along with recent thunderstorms and flash flooding serve as a reminder to residents and visitors to be prepared," said HSEM Director Robert Buxton in a statement. "Stay informed, have a plan, and make a kit. If a warning is issued in your area of the state, take action."