Storms Knock Down Trees, Leave Thousands in Dark

Tornado warnings issued as severe storms move through the state

By RYAN HANRAHAN and MONICA BUCHANAN

Updated 10:57 AM EST, Mon, May 25, 2009

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A round of severe thunderstorms prompted tornado warnings for the Naugatuck Valley and greater New Haven areas and did sporadic damage in towns across the state.

Around 3 p.m. Sunday, a severe thunderstorm produced hail up to the size of quarters in Vernon and did a significant amount of tree damage in a few South Windsor neighborhoods.

“The storm was kicking up and the power went off and I heard a crash. Then I realized a tree had come down on our house!” said Sheila Appleton of South Windsor.

The strong winds were likely caused by a microburst, which is a small but intense area of thunderstorm-related winds.

John Libby who lives in the South Windsor neighborhood where the microburst occured, said, “All of a sudden it got really windy and hail was coming down. I looked out the back and I got a tree down on top of my deck!”

A second thunderstorm prompted a tornado warning for Southbury, Seymour and Oxford around 5 p.m. Sunday.

Damage was reported in Southbury as the severe thunderstorm moved through. The tornado was indicated by radar but not confirmed by any reports on the ground.

A tornado warning was issued again as the same storm strengthened over Shelton. More than 2,000 United Illuminating customers lost power as the storm moved through.

Lightning from the storm led to a house fire in Hamden as the storm moved through. A bolt zapped Eleanor Mahakian’s house as well, damaging her siding and phone line.

“We were all sitting down in the kitchen and all of a sudden my house got hit with a big bolt of lighting. It just lit up and I thought the house was on fire!” said Mahakian.

Trees fell from the wind in Enfield and Suffield and hail was reported in Cornwall, Orange, and Milford.

At the height of the storm, Connecticut Light and Power reported 5,000 customers without power. Ellington, Coventry, Sherman, Southbury, Windsor, South Windsor and Vernon were hardest hit.

United Illuminating reported about 2,600 customers in the dark, particularly around Shelton.