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Trip Reports

Tornado at Violettes Lock? 31 July
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A few of the usual suspects ran Seneca Breaks tonight in a gentle breeze under a dramatic sky. A very nice evening on the water.


The big surprise was evidence suggesting a tornado touchdown at Violette's Lock. There are patches of wind thrown trees on both sides of the entrance road with a large walnut uprooted (>30" dbh) and several other trees snapped off at height. Below the takeout on river left there are multiple silver maples with wind damaged tops. Between MP 21 and Violettes, the canal, which had been scrubbed clean of woody debris is again littered with tree tops and branches. This small-scale patchy tree damage pattern is consistent with a low level (F1) tornado.


Turtles rejoice and we have a reminder that Mother Nature bats last. Would that we could get regular old rain instead of these more violent storms.

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