Violent Storm
Strikes the Area

THERE'S A CAR THERE SOMEWHERE-This was the result when a gust of wind toppled a large portion of a giant maple tree on Highland Avenue in Randolph Friday evening. Dan Calabro uses a hatchet to make his way to the buried car belonging to his brother, Herald photographer Tim Calabro, into whose yard the tree fell. He found a broken windshield and a lot of dents. (Herald / Tim Calabro)

On Friday afternoon a series of violent thunderstorms, bringing rain and extremely high winds, rushed through Central Vermont.

Its damage was very spotty, snapping off big trees like toothpicks, while 1000 yards away there was no trace of damage.

The east side of Braintree Hill was hard-hit, as Braintree and Randolph crews had to contend with numerous trees across the road.

Friday afternoon much of Tunbridge was out of power for about 5 hours due to downed trees taking out power lines.

A very large, old maple tree came down on the spring road next to the fairgrounds and took down all the power lines and broke the telephone line in two.

There was major roof damage on Rodney Hoyt’s and Alan Howe’s barns as well as the large barn at Robin Mix’s farm.

From Sharon, the Herald received the following report:

Here on Howe Hill’s district 10, the weather was our frightening entertainment and subject of focus for the weekend. Friday night’s monsoon blew brush all over the place from the big trees, uprooted others and swept over the garden, laying the corn patch flat in the mud in the middle, pea-sized hail fell, shredding the big leaves of corn and some beans and hostas. Lois said that Blaine had been hauling logs down from a hill and found it hard going, as the tractor slid on the hail stones.

When it finally calmed down, we donned knee boots and with a shovel stood the corn stalks back up, propping them with clops of mud. Foot prints were left about four inches deep, just right to fill up with the next wave of the storm. The road washed down onto the black top, thick enough so we could see ripples going down toward Schlerf’s.

When the weather cleared enough, I went to check a cow who was standing very unhappy high on the hill. Finding her in the wrong pasture and trees down, we made plans with our farmerette, Emily, to begin repairs early on Sunday.

On Sunday, we trudged through the mists to the pasture to cut the uprooted trees off the lines and fences. The rainfall increased as we hurried along the fence back to the tractor and barn.

We unloaded equipment, then hurried into the main stable to plug the electric fencer back in. As we stepped through the door, there was a big crack and flash of light over Emily’s head. The light bulbs had flashed. Needless to say, the fencer was forgotten and we headed for the house.

There Wilfred was returning. He had reached the tractor in time to see the flash of lightning streak looking like it hit the bucket on the tractor.

Brad Benjamin was looking out his window and saw the streak come down by the barn and near the road. He noticed a car come to a stop out there, and the poor frightened lady just sat there by the side of the road. What a sight to see a lightning bolt where you intended to drive.

Lois Moore added that at the same time, over the hill in #9, they thought the bolt hit the porch. Again at the same time, Leslie thought it hit near his house, and a big clay pot full of plants on the deck was thrown down, broken in little pieces. How can one streak of lightning reach so far? There was only the one and one clap of thunder.

Brian Blakeman saw it flash in the cellar, so has theorized that it came in on the power line, maybe explaining why it hit so far apart, all at the same time.