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Sudden Gust of 1643
Thu Dec 02, 2004
Listen in RealAudio 
North America is probably home to the highest concentration of tornadoes in the world,
but did you ever wonder where was the first documented sighting on American soil by
a non-native? Accounts point to New England where possibly four tornadoes struck
during the 1600s.
Many history books attribute the first American tornado to the "Sudden Gust" of 1643
that struck the Massachusetts Colony in present day Essex County, and then moved
across the border into coastal New Hampshire. But was it a tornado?
Word of this storm comes from the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s first Governor, John
Winthrop. A keen weather observer, Winthrop kept a journal from 1630 until 1649 that
included notable weather events in the colony.
His entry for July 5th, 1643 (July 15 by our present calendar) noted that a "sudden gust"
of damaging wind struck Lynn then moved northward through Newbury and finally into
Hampton, NH; a total distance of about 35 miles.
The violent gust blew down multitudes of trees and darkened the air with dust. At
Newbury, it lifted the occupied meetinghouse but, Winthrop tells us, "through God’s
great mercy it did no hurt." In fact, the only fatality along the storm’s path was an Indian
who died when the storm toppled a tree on him.
Winthrop’s journal makes no mention of any tornadic shape to the storm. If he had
observed a funnel, he probably would have commented on the unique shape. As a
result, tornado historians Tom Grazulis and the late David Ludlum suggest the storm
was likely not a tornado, but a severe squall line, perhaps producing strong downburst
winds.
If it wasn’t a tornado, the next likely candidate blew through southwestern
Massachusetts in 1671.
Thanks to our contributing writer, meteorologist Keith Heidorn. The Weather Notebook
is online at www.weathernotebook.org. Thanks to our major contributor, Subaru of
America.
Today's Links
Severe Weather Events
http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/events/1643gust.htm
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