NWS Confirms Tornado Hit Canandaigua on Monday

Downed utility pole and wires block a road near an AutoZone under a stormy sky in Canandaigua.
Downed power lines and a utility pole block a road near an AutoZone in Canandaigua following a severe storm in the Finger Lakes region.

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team conducted a survey of damage across a fairly wide swath in the southern portion of the City of Canandaigua from Monday. Video evidence was also used to supplement the data obtained from the survey team onsite.

Evidence along the northern shore of Canandaigua Lake from Kershaw Park through a development immediately east of the park and into the Canandaigua Country Club demonstrated impressive hardwood and tree damage. This included multiple instances of trunks being snapped and trees being uprooted. Additionally, several residences experienced damage to their shingles, siding, and other aluminum fascia. Damage in this area was consistent with straight-line winds of approximately 95 mph.

A very small but discrete track of low-end damage extended along a north-facing strip mall on the south side of Eastern Boulevard and the south-facing side of several small commercial establishments on the north side of Eastern Boulevard. Additional tree and utility pole damage was noted along the road until the damage was only noted in the higher portions of the trees in front of the Canandaigua Town Center with no damage noted farther to the east. While radar imagery is far less than convincing in this area ahead of the apex of the incoming straight-line wind signature, damage in this area could only be from a weak tornado that preceded the stronger straight-line wind gusts along the lake shore.

 

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