Aug 19, 2008 9:20 pm US/Eastern
Weather Officials Assess Storm Damage In SE Mass.
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Weather experts are trying to determine if it was a tornado that swept through parts of southeast Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service has confirmed a macroburst and micro burst hit areas of southeast Massachusetts as severe thunderstorms moved through.
According to the NWS, a macroburst is a large area of rapidly descending air beneath a thunderstorm that, upon hitting the ground, quickly spreads out in all directions, causing very strong, straight-line winds. A microburst is the same thing but on a smaller scale.
Officials are now trying to determine if a tornado hit the Acushnet area, where severe winds knocked down trees and power lines. Some 2,500 customers in Achushnet were without power after the storms.
One woman said Tuesday's storms whipped through, causing serious damage to trees and power lines, in about 90 seconds.
The storms produced strong winds and heavy hail in Mattapoisett.
Seventeen years ago Tuesday, Hurricane Bob hit southeast Massachusetts, which brought winds of 95 mph.
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