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Montague, MA Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes

 
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The chance of earthquake damage in Montague is lower than Massachusetts average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Montague is higher than Massachusetts average and is lower than the national average.

Topics:Earthquake IndexVolcano IndexTornado IndexOther Weather Extremes EventsVolcanos NearbyHistorical Earthquake EventsHistorical Tornado Events

Earthquake Index, #476

Montague, MA
0.18
Massachusetts
0.70
U.S.
1.81

The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.

Volcano Index, #1

Montague, MA
0.0000
Massachusetts
0.0000
U.S.
0.0023

The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.

Tornado Index, #76

Montague, MA
123.64
Massachusetts
87.60
U.S.
136.45

The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.

Other Weather Extremes Events

A total of 3,439 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Montague, MA were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:

TypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCount
Avalanche:0Blizzard:3Cold:44Dense Fog:0Drought:11
Dust Storm:0Flood:251Hail:765Heat:11Heavy Snow:169
High Surf:0Hurricane:0Ice Storm:9Landslide:0Strong Wind:124
Thunderstorm Winds:1,667Tropical Storm:0Wildfire:0Winter Storm:76Winter Weather:37
Other:272 

Volcanos Nearby

No volcano is found in or near Montague, MA.

Historical Earthquake Events

No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Montague, MA.

No historical earthquake events found in or near Montague, MA.

Historical Tornado Events

A total of 46 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Montague, MA.

Distance (miles)DateMagnitudeStart Lat/LogEnd Lat/LogLengthWidthFatalitiesInjuriesProperty DamageCrop DamageAffected County
2.51958-07-11242°35'N / 72°30'W1.00 Mile100 Yards003K0Franklin
3.41972-08-27242°30'N / 72°30'W1.00 Mile100 Yards0025K0Franklin
5.72006-07-11242°33'N / 72°24'W42°33'N / 72°24'W2.90 Miles200 Yards00200K0Franklin
 Brief Description: Brief F2 Touchdown in Wendell Hot and humid air in place over southern New England set the stage for severe thunderstorms throughout the Bay State during the afternoon and early evening. Although storm damage was reported from the Connecticut Valley region to the Worcester Hills and Merrimack Valley, damage was especially severe in eastern Franklin County as well as Boston's North Shore. Early in the afternoon, one cluster of thunderstorms formed in Franklin County and rapidly became severe, causing considerable damage in Montague and especially Wendell. A damage survey conducted by the National Weather Service concluded the damage in Wendell was caused by a combination of straight-line wind damage and a tornado, which was rated as a strong F2 on the Fujita Scale with winds estimated near 155 mph. Damage began around 230 pm EDT, about 200 yards west of Montague Road. Wind damage extended from Montague Road about 1.5 miles east to Wicket Pond in the Wendell State Forest. Large oak, maple, and pine trees were uprooted and snapped in this area. Some oaks over two feet in diameter were snapped about 10 to 15 feet from the ground. Damage from this microburst extended along a path of one and a half miles in length, and anywhere from 50 to 300 yards in width. Wind speeds were estimated near 90 mph. Tornado damage first appeared on the northeast corner of Wicket Pond. An eyewitness reported seeing a six foot wave form on the pond. On the west side of the pond, many trees were snapped 15 to 20 feet above the ground, with debris left in a chaotic pattern. The next area of damage was on Wicket Pond Road, which is where the most severe damage occurred. Trees as large as 3 feet in diameter were uprooted. Bark was stripped off trees and a house had part of its roof torn off. The tornado tracked to the east along Wicket Pond Road, passing over Depot Road which is in Wendell Center. Part of a roof was torn off an old barn and many trees were uprooted. After crossing Depot Road, the tornado continued to track to the east, passing north of Morse Village Road. A construction storage trailer was completely destroyed and its roof was wrapped around a tree. Trees were also uprooted or snapped in this area. Damage came to an end about one half mile east of New Salem Road. The path length of the tornado was approximately 3 miles. Its average width was 200 yards, varying from 100 to 300 yards. A little more than one hour later, another cluster of severe thunderstorms brought significant damage to Cape Ann, in particular Marblehead Neck and the adjacent coastal waters. Initially, the storms produced hail as large as 3 inches in diameter - just larger than baseball size - which are considered to be the second largest hailstones reported in Massachusetts. A National Weather Service storm survey concluded that multiple wet microbursts, or sudden outflow of damaging straight-line winds combined with torrential rainfall, impacted the area around Marblehead Neck between 357 pm and 430 pm EDT. The survey noted that westerly winds gusting as high as 90 mph occurred in an area centered from Marblehead Harbor across Corinthian Lane and Barker Lane, and then out to sea. The land damage path was short, primarily because the land is only about 700 feet wide in that area. The main damage path was about 150 feet wide. It consisted of tree damage and minor structural damage, although substantial damage was noted to sailing vessels and at least one car. Damage was more sporadic near Manley Street, about 600 feet farther north, and also to the south and southwest on Foster Street, Harbor Avenue, and Ocean Avenue. Interviews with eyewitnesses provide more detail as to how the storms affected the area. Between 340 pm and 345 pm EDT, winds shifted to the northeast and produced sea spray at the mouth of Marblehead Harbor. This was the result of earlier thunderstorms passing north of the area. Then, from 357 pm to 405 pm EDT, a white tempest developed over Marblehead Harbor on the neck side of the harbor, estimated by the Corinthian Yacht Club chair to be about 300 yards upstream from the dock. This curtain of water and high winds advanced toward the yacht club, lifting 30-foot vessels approximately 20 feet in the air and catapulting them end over end toward the dock. An anemometer on the dock was viewed to have reached 95 mph before it blew off its mast. Damage was less severe, but still significant, from the Connecticut Valley to the Worcester Hills and Merrimack Valley. There were many reports of downed trees, large branches, and hail up to the size of quarters from the Springfield area to Grafton, Westborough, and Framingham as well as farther northeast into Hardwick, Wilmington, and Boxford. Torrential rainfall caused significant urban flooding, especially in Springfield, Oxford, Wakefield, and Beverly. In Salem, two cars on Pope Street were submerged by up to 3 feet of water when about 2 inches of rain fell in 20 minutes. Other cars were flooded in Salem and Lynn due to other roads being flooded, including a stretch of Route 129. Lightning struck Athol Memorial Hospital, causing minor damage to the facility.
8.41955-07-05242°26'N / 72°34'W003K0Franklin
10.31963-05-20242°24'N / 72°36'W42°25'N / 72°34'W0025K0Franklin
15.51961-07-21242°22'N / 72°38'W42°18'N / 72°34'W4.90 Miles167 Yards0025K0Hampshire
16.81971-09-13342°20'N / 72°40'W0.50 Mile7 Yards0025K0Hampshire
17.21958-08-14242°19'N / 72°38'W1.00 Mile67 Yards00250K0Hampshire
21.81972-08-09242°33'N / 72°08'W42°41'N / 72°03'W9.70 Miles10 Yards0125K0Worcester
22.11966-08-11242°12'N / 72°38'W42°16'N / 72°33'W5.60 Miles67 Yards00250K0Hampden
23.41963-05-20242°18'N / 72°12'W42°21'N / 72°08'W3.80 Miles17 Yards0025K0Worcester
25.21963-08-13242°50'N / 72°12'W2.00 Miles17 Yards00250K0Cheshire
27.71981-06-22342°30'N / 72°02'W42°33'N / 71°54'W7.10 Miles167 Yards0325K0Worcester
29.01969-06-06242°54'N / 72°12'W1.50 Miles150 Yards003K0Cheshire
29.11979-08-10242°19'N / 72°08'W42°19'N / 71°56'W9.70 Miles30 Yards222.5M0Worcester
31.91975-07-24242°06'N / 72°40'W0.30 Mile33 Yards0025K0Hampden
33.21966-03-01242°39'N / 73°09'W0025K0Berkshire
33.71975-07-13242°29'N / 73°10'W0.30 Mile27 Yards0025K0Berkshire
34.51970-10-03342°20'N / 72°10'W42°33'N / 71°32'W35.40 Miles60 Yards00250K0Worcester
35.91953-06-09442°28'N / 72°10'W42°18'N / 71°31'W34.90 Miles900 Yards901228250.0M0Worcester
38.71957-07-05242°32'N / 71°45'W0.50 Mile20 Yards003K0Worcester
39.51997-07-03242°11'N / 73°10'W42°14'N / 73°06'W3.70 Miles600 Yards001.5M0Berkshire
 Brief Description: On July 3, a fast moving cold front crossed Berkshire County during the afternoon and evening hours. The front initiated four tornadoes. The Richmond F1 tornado is a continuation of the F2 tornado which occurred in Columbia County. This tornado downed trees and produced minor damage to one house as it diminished in the Richmond area. The tornado in the Town of Florida began at the intersection of South County Road and Savoy Road. The F1 tornado tracked eastward and terminated just south of Florida near state route 2. The tornado removed all the shingles off the roof of a residence and a prefabricated steeple was blown off a church. Many trees were also downed along its path. The F2 tornado which began in the Monterey area started at the intersection of Wellman Road and New Marlborough Road. The tornado tracked northeast across state route 23 and Lake Garfield to Hayes Pond where it merged with the second tornado. At the north end of Hayes Pond the tornado diminished. This tornado downed hundreds of trees, damaged ten to twenty homes and destroyed two vehicles. The damage was most extensive along the north shore of Lake Garfield at Elephant Rock Road, Hopi Road, Mt. Hunger Road and Norwalk Acres Road. The second F2 tornado began near the intersection of Tyringham Road and West Center Road. It then tracked across Hayes Pond where it momentarily merged with the other tornado. The tornado then proceeded northeast where it ended near the intersection of state route 8 and Merrit Road. This tornado produced extensive tree damage, destroyed one vehicle and damaged fifteen to twenty homes. The most extensive damage occurred along West Center Road near Hayes Pond. Baseball size hail was also observed at Hayes Pond with this storm. Two people were struck by lightning at the Great Barrington Fairgrouds. They were both hospitalized and released.
40.11966-08-31242°18'N / 71°48'W1.00 Mile67 Yards000K0Worcester
40.81968-08-20343°06'N / 72°48'W1.00 Mile27 Yards0125K0Hillsborough
41.11979-10-03441°53'N / 72°40'W42°03'N / 72°42'W11.30 Miles1400 Yards3500250.0M0Hartford
41.11968-07-17242°50'N / 71°48'W0.10 Mile17 Yards0025K0Hillsborough
41.71965-08-19241°58'N / 72°28'W41°56'N / 72°20'W6.60 Miles120 Yards0025K0Tolland
42.21997-07-03242°10'N / 73°13'W42°13'N / 73°09'W4.50 Miles600 Yards001.5M0Berkshire
 Brief Description: On July 3, a fast moving cold front crossed Berkshire County during the afternoon and evening hours. The front initiated four tornadoes. The Richmond F1 tornado is a continuation of the F2 tornado which occurred in Columbia County. This tornado downed trees and produced minor damage to one house as it diminished in the Richmond area. The tornado in the Town of Florida began at the intersection of South County Road and Savoy Road. The F1 tornado tracked eastward and terminated just south of Florida near state route 2. The tornado removed all the shingles off the roof of a residence and a prefabricated steeple was blown off a church. Many trees were also downed along its path. The F2 tornado which began in the Monterey area started at the intersection of Wellman Road and New Marlborough Road. The tornado tracked northeast across state route 23 and Lake Garfield to Hayes Pond where it merged with the second tornado. At the north end of Hayes Pond the tornado diminished. This tornado downed hundreds of trees, damaged ten to twenty homes and destroyed two vehicles. The damage was most extensive along the north shore of Lake Garfield at Elephant Rock Road, Hopi Road, Mt. Hunger Road and Norwalk Acres Road. The second F2 tornado began near the intersection of Tyringham Road and West Center Road. It then tracked across Hayes Pond where it momentarily merged with the other tornado. The tornado then proceeded northeast where it ended near the intersection of state route 8 and Merrit Road. This tornado produced extensive tree damage, destroyed one vehicle and damaged fifteen to twenty homes. The most extensive damage occurred along West Center Road near Hayes Pond. Baseball size hail was also observed at Hayes Pond with this storm. Two people were struck by lightning at the Great Barrington Fairgrouds. They were both hospitalized and released.
42.31962-10-12242°08'N / 71°58'W42°05'N / 71°54'W4.10 Miles133 Yards0025K0Worcester
42.41954-05-10242°00'N / 72°53'W0.80 Mile17 Yards003K0Hartford
42.61956-11-21242°24'N / 71°42'W0.10 Mile17 Yards002.5M0Worcester
42.61963-05-20242°24'N / 71°42'W1.50 Miles33 Yards0025K0Worcester
43.51997-07-03242°57'N / 71°51'W42°57'N / 71°51'W2.00 Miles250 Yards00250K0Hillsborough
 Brief Description: Very severe thunderstorms moved through Cheshire and Hillsborough Counties, producing two tornadoes, microbursts, damaging thunderstorm winds, and large hail. It appears that a microburst hit Hinsdale and both a microburst and weak tornado affected the town of Swanzey, just south of Keene, in Cheshire County. A horse barn was destroyed and an ice arena damaged at the Cheshire Fairgrounds. Pieces of aluminum were wrapped around street lamps and two-by-fours were driven into the metal sides and roof of the ice arena. One person was slightly injured by flying glass fragments when her car windows were blown in. Many trees were uprooted or blown down. Damage was estimated at approximately $500,000 at the Fairgrounds. There was evidence of both straight-line wind damage and some rotation associated with this storm. In Hillsborough County, a tornado touched down in the western portion of the town of Greenfield just to the west of Otter Lake. It then moved to the northeast, damaging a sawmill, destroying a recycling facility, and damaging some buildings at a campground. Wood and aluminum buildings were torn apart or blown over. Many large trees were broken off near their bases and hundreds more had their tops broken off. There were no injuries reported. Trees were reported blown down in Marlborough and a microburst may have occurred in nearby Dublin, where numerous trees and tree limbs were blown down along the shore of the Howe Reservoir. All of the aforementioned damage was along a path cut by the same thunderstorm complex. However, trees also were reported blown down in the towns of Walpole and Marlow in northern Cheshire County from a separate cluster of thunderstorms. About 1,700 electric customers in the Monadnock Region lost power during the storms. Most of the outages occurred in the towns of Marlborough, Marlow, Richmond, Swanzey, and Winchester. Another 100 lost power in Walpole. Statewide, about 10,000 electric customers lost power.
43.71954-05-10341°55'N / 72°28'W0.30 Mile33 Yards0225K0Tolland
43.91998-05-31243°02'N / 71°57'W43°02'N / 71°57'W0.50 Mile85 Yards0030K0Hillsborough
 Brief Description: A short-duration minimal F2 tornado moved along a half-mile long track which averaged 85 yards wide in Antrim in northwest Hillsborough County. A National Weather Service survey team investigated the damaging effects of this tornado and spoke with many eyewitnesses. One resident recalled seeing the NWS' Tornado Warning (which specifically mentioned Antrim) scroll on Cable TV a few minutes before the tornado struck. The tornado began at Nahor Hill and travelled north-northeast about a half mile before ending up just past the Great Brook Elementary School. Along the middle of its path, a wooded stretch sustained severe tree damage. Most of the trees were either uprooted or snapped in half...and they fell in different directions. A small boat was flipped over and a camper-trailer was turned around and flipped over. A single family home had some shingles torn off. An apartment complex resident said he saw the metal garbage dumpster rise a short distance while a dark gray-black cloud went by. At the elementary school, a wall was damaged. Only minor damage and no injuries occurred as a result of this tornado, but had the track been only a few hundred yards to the east, it could have caused significant damage to the center of the small town of Antrim.
45.32002-06-05243°11'N / 72°44'W43°11'N / 72°44'W0.10 Mile150 Yards0075K0Windham
 Brief Description: Thunderstorms, that initially developed in New York, and produced a macroburst in extreme eastern New York, moved into southern Vermont during the evening of the 5th. The storms spawned two tornados, one in Woodford Hollow, Bennington County and the other one near Wilmington, Windham County. The first touchdown, one mile north from Route 9, produced a swath 150 yards wide and a path length of one half mile. Many trees, as large as a foot in diamter, were either knocked over or ripped apart. Trees also fell on three automobiles. This tornado was assesed to be a F1 intensity, with winds estimated between 80 and 100 mph. The second tornado, 4 miles northeast of Wilmington, was even stronger despite a narrower swath of 50 yards. The path length was also about a half mile. This tornado, in addition to blowing some trees down, mostly destroyed a sturdy house on Haynes Road. The garage of the house was blown off its foundation. The family room was ripped off the end of the house, nearly killing the owner. Luckily the owner escaped without any injuries. However, antiques in the attic of the home, as well as numerous other possessions from throughout the house, were spread out for miles downwind, and a propane tanke was missing. The winds with this tornado were estimated between 125 and 150 mph. Non-tornadic thunderstorm winds blew some trees down in the town of Pownal. Lightnting struck a home in North Bennington causing a very small fire with minimal damage to the structure of the house.
45.61998-05-31242°57'N / 73°17'W42°56'N / 73°11'W5.50 Miles400 Yards00630K0Bennington
 Brief Description: During the morning hours of May 31, a strong low pressure system over the upper Great Lakes pushed a warm front across eastern New York and western New England. This set the stage for a major severe weather outbreak in southern Vermont. In this highly sheared environment several lines of severe thunderstorms formed ahead of an approaching cold front, which resulted in one tornado and several severe thunderstorms. The F2 tornado in Bennington County is the continuation of the tornado that crossed Saratoga and Rensselaer Counties in eastern New York. The tornado entered the county as an F2 but quickly weakened to an F1. The tornado followed route 67 from the state line through North Bennington to the South Shaftsbury area. The tornado dissipated approximately two miles east of South Shaftsbury along Lower East Road. This tornado produced extensive damage to many homes in North Bennington and South Shaftsbury. The Bennington College grounds were hard hit with many trees blown over or sheared apart. Approximately 8,000 customers lost power with some locations remaining without power for two to three days. Severe thunderstorms also downed trees, power lines and utility poles at several locations in southern Vermont. A severe thunderstorm at Shaftsbury in Bennington County produced large hail.
46.01958-09-07241°54'N / 72°18'W1.30 Miles100 Yards02250K0Tolland
46.51966-08-11242°03'N / 73°14'W42°06'N / 73°05'W8.00 Miles33 Yards0025K0Berkshire
46.81955-03-22243°00'N / 73°12'W0.10 Mile30 Yards0025K0Bennington
46.81997-07-03242°24'N / 73°25'W42°24'N / 73°24'W1.00 Mile100 Yards00550K20KColumbia
 Brief Description: On July 3, a fast moving cold front crossed eastern New York during the afternoon and evening hours. The front initiated many severe thunderstorms and three tornadoes in Columbia County. In Columbia County near Copake Lake, an F1 tornado produced minor damage to two houses, scattered parts of a barn across county highway 7A and downed many trees and wires. In Columbia County near Canaan, two tornadoes produced extensive damage. The F1 tornado formed just southwest of Beebe Pond, moved northeast and terminated near the intersection of state routes 295 and 22. The tornado damaged several residences and moved a car port. The F2 tornado initiated near the intersection of state routes 295 and 22 and moved eastward across the New York border into Berkshire County Massachusetts where it ended as an F1 tornado. At the County Caretaker Lawn and Garden Center, four large greenhouses incurred structural damage. On Shaker Ridge Road, a newly constructed three story home had the roof completely blown off along with the rear exterior wall. The detached garage was blown off the foundation and destroyed. Since this area is forested, many trees and wires were downed by the tornadoes resulting in power outages. At the South Albany Airport near Selkirk, thunderstorm winds destroyed a Cessna 172 and a vintage1940's Luscombe 8E. The winds also ripped a roof off a garage and downed several trees. In Schoharie County at Charlotteville, straight line winds rolled over a mobile home with five people inside. A second mobile home which was unoccupied was lifted on top of the rolled over mobile home. The five people sustained injuries. In Rensselaer County at Stephentown, thunderstorm winds lifted a barn and dropped it on East Road. Many trees and power lines were also downed by the wind. The thunderstorms also produced hail in parts of Schoharie, Washington, Albany and Columbia Counties. A combination of damaging winds and lightning, left fifteen to twenty thousand people without power across eastern New York. A lifeguard at the Northhampton Beach State Campsite in Northville was struck by lightning. The individual was hospitalized and released with no serious injuries.
47.41973-08-28442°25'N / 73°25'W42°22'N / 73°25'W3.40 Miles313 Yards0025K0Columbia
47.51963-05-20242°24'N / 71°36'W0.30 Mile50 Yards003K0Worcester
48.01973-08-28442°22'N / 73°25'W42°16'N / 73°23'W6.40 Miles313 Yards43625.0M0Berkshire
48.91951-08-20241°52'N / 72°15'W0025K0Tolland
49.41976-06-30242°00'N / 73°08'W1.00 Mile100 Yards0025K0Litchfield


* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.


 
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