'We Saw The Cyclone': Tornado Touches Down In Lincoln, RI
BOSTON (CBS) - The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touched down in Lincoln, Rhode Island Tuesday afternoon.
It is estimated that the tornado touched down at 3:34 p.m. leaving a trail of broken trees and damaged homes.
Power was knocked out to a large number of people in the area. Residents say it began with some light rain, then everything changed.
"You don't usually expect your neighbor's patio furniture to start flying at your windows," one woman told WBZ. "It started with a drizzle, suddenly we saw the cyclone in our backyard."
The NWS quickly confirmed it was indeed a tornado that hit the area, but additional survey work will be completed on Wednesday.
"Our initial assessment looking at the trees would say at least an EF1, which would be at least 90-100 miles an hour," said Glenn Field of the National Weather Service. "Just looking at the type of tree damage."
A tornado warning was issued across southeastern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island as a line of thunderstorms moved through the area. In Massachusetts, the warning was in effect for parts of Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth County from about 3:30 until 4:30 p.m.
There have been no reports of confirmed tornadoes in Massachusetts, but the NWS is investigating damage in Norton.
Video taken near the Cape Cod Canal showed a possible waterspout touchdown.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported about 4,000 customers lost power after the storms.
