Pharsalia, NY EF2 Tornado – April 28, 2011

Nine tornadoes affected New York during the April 25-28, 2011 Super Outbreak. One of the hardest-hit areas was Chenango County. During the early morning hours of April 28, three tornadoes hit the county. Two of the tornadoes were rated EF1, and one of them (the focus of the summary) was rated EF2.

The tornado developed around 3:00 am EDT in a wooded area three miles SSW of Pharsalia. It skipped northeast, downing sporadic trees until it reached a farm on Route 7, about 2.25 miles south of Pharsalia. This farm sustained EF1 level damage as a barn collapsed and trees were knocked down. The tornado crossed through the northern tip of Balsam Swamp State Forest and across Fultner Road and Route 10. It produced intermittent blowdown of trees along this part of the path.

The tornado approached N Road in the New Michigan State Forest and reached its peak intensity. Nearly 100% blowdown of the forest occurred for the next two miles to just south of Center Road in North Pharsalia. Thousands of 100-foot tall pine trees were wiped out. In some places, fallen trees were stacked 8 feet deep on the forest floor. Between N Road and Old CCC Truck Trail, the treefall formed a stunning pattern. It would appear that several small suction vortices created their own convergent treefall swaths within the larger tornado.