Down burst causes damage in Town of Lockport

Lockport Union-Sun & Journal

July 30, 2006 10:03 pm

— TOWN OF LOCKPORT — A Saturday evening down burst during thunderstorms caused about $5,000 damage to a home on Rochester Road.
The Niagara County Sheriff’s Department reported that it was a possible tornado, but an investigation by the National Weather Bureau in Buffalo said the straight line damage was caused by a down burst during severe thunderstorms in the area.
Deputies said that the disturbance appeared to have started at the rear of the property and traveled south, ripping down tree limbs in its path. Some of the limbs were propelled into the property impaling a swimming pool, causing water to rush out of it. The limbs also smashed the garage door and the patio set was blown from the patio to the ground and smashed.
There are several tree limbs down in the area.
Damage to the garage door and the patio set was estimated at $1,500 each. The swimming pool damage was $2,500.
“Severe thunderstorms rolled to area,” said meteorologist David Sage, who reported the National Weather Service did a survey. “Their evidence showed real strong winds. The trees were lying northwest to southwest. It was straight line damage.”
As the rain falls, there is a drag on the air. Strong winds were pushing down at a high rate of speed. When the wind hit the ground it pushed outward and spread out.
Winds were estimated at 60 to 70 miles an hour.
There were several trees down in Lockport also reports of possible tornadoes in Clarence.