Microbursts
Wayne County - ONTARIO / WALWORTH - On Saturday, Aug. 13, a sudden, fast moving storm ripped through Wayne County. With heavy rain and hail, high winds reportedly up to 60 mph and lightning, the damage hit many areas of our county. The residents on Paddy Lane and Walworth Ontario Rd in Ontario and parts of Walworth were hit hard. Damage could be seen driving down both roads. The homeowners on those roads called the storm “microbursts.” Damage consisted of, but was not limited to: Trees uprooted, broken limbs of all sizes, property and vehicle damage, severe flooding, and damage to crops. Other towns, including Newark, were hit, too, with similar damage.
David Whitcomb said this was the worst weather he had ever driven in, including several severe snow storms and he had lived in the area his whole life. He said the rain was coming down so hard with the super high winds that there were cars pulled off the road due to poor visibility. It is going to take residents days to clean up the mess. RG&E and Verizon trucks, tree removal businesses, and Time Warner Cable vehicles could be seen working hard all along the county. The residents were extremely pleased with the response of the Ontario and Walworth fire departments.
One home owner’s house had a gas meter broken off by a falling tree. The fire dept. and RG&E responded and rectified the situation. Calls to 911 brought immediate response from fire and police agencies. The storm hit so fast that residents actually heard the rain and hail hitting at the same time they heard the wind pick up. Many lightning strikes occurred during this storm, but no injuries were reported.
