Storm Chasing in Gorham, Maine 7-21-10

my brother, Bill and I decided 20 mins before this video was taken that we would take our first storm chasing adventure and it didn't disappoint. We left Saco around 6:30ish and met up with the storm in Gorham Center/USM campus around 6:50/7:00. We were literally minutes, if not seconds away from this tornado. Definitely were hit by the outside gusts.

I was so excited I forgot what the date was and said it was 7/10 but it was yesterday, 7/21/10. It was AMAZING! We are hooked and can't wait for our next chase!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Gorham
• Maine
• tornado
• stormchase

[hvarle]

the 3rd cell happened in the Saco area as we were on our way home. All 3 cells had confirmed tornados but the one we chased in Gorham produced the most damage. VERY much looking forward to this Spring. Although I may not have my trusty bro to drve for me. I may be on my own this year.

[2thongsprong]

Was this the day that there were 2 or 3 cells all barreling through there? If I remember correctly, the leading cell of the 3 had a tornado warning on it, the second didn't, and was a bit smaller, and the third one also had a tornado warning on it. the cells were only about 1-2 hours apart from first to third, but were virtually all connected in a line basically. I drove all the way up to Portland to chase/film the third one. I left to head up to Portland as they left the Lake Winnipesaukee area

[hvarle]

@2thongsprong YES! Same day.. This was the 2nd cell. The first cell didn't produce much and only grazed our area... once we received the tornado warnings for the Buxton area, we hopped in the car and started following the radar... when seeing the rotation both in the sky and on the radar, we knew we were on the right track heading towards Gorham. I think we underestimated the speed at which it was travelling, or our radar was minutes behind.

[hvarle]

@ superbeachgoer.... I was thinking the same thing just because of the different colors and cloud formation but there wasn't any intense rotation going on there. I guess it could be. Will never know :(

[xelalaw]

Excellent job guys!! My house was 1/3 mile further on the right (along rt. 114), from where you turned off into USM. The funnel had already past by, but you can see how nasty it still was afterwards. We were at the center and lost about 8 huge maple and oak trees, and many pines, it collapsed the back barn and power was out for two days. No trees hit the house, but the house across the street had a large tree fall into the living room. Best video I've seen yet of this event. :)

[hvarle]

@xelalaw WOW!!! Thank you!!!!

[rideyellow]

I hate how Maine storms are always Rain-Wrapped!

[SuperBeachgoer]

Pause at 8:30. I think that is a tornado; I could be wrong.

[biter1982]

holy!!! i live on the border into buxton and it was pretty intence there too! i remember me, my dog, and my dad were in the basement and he had an internet card in the laptop and we were following the storm on accuweather. I was hugging a pillow cuz i was scared our house was gonna get sucked up into the wind. the tornado actually touched down like 3 houses away from my best friends house on sunset drive! The people who lived there had a huge branch going through the windsheild of their car too.

[katfairy1969]

I was in Portland for this storm. It was my second definite tornadic storm of the year, I went through an area just before tornadoes hit during a trip through Canada, and may have been through a fourth in Massachusetts. The tornado that hit Paris Hill last year? Mom and I left Norway/South Paris just as the storm was starting. The year before that, a flash flood.

All in all, I'm hoping for a quieter summer next year.

[dad325]

Looks like you were near the area of circulation. That was an impressive storm from Maine im glad to say. Those clouds were dark as hell. lol. Nice video, and really nice Quality :)