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National Weather Service investigating possible tornado

By JILL REALE

Story Created: Jul 26, 2011 at 3:09 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 26, 2011 at 10:56 PM EDT

A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for Central New York at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday and shortly after the watch was issued, thunderstorms began to develop from Rochester to Syracuse.

By the time the storms reached the Mohawk Valley, there was an abundant amount of energy in the atmosphere. The first severe thunderstorm developed over Western Oneida County and reached the level of a "severe storm" by Noon.

The storm brought with it numerous reports of Quarter-size hail and wind damage. By the time the storm reached the Utica region, the ingredients of energy and wind rotation in the atmosphere were enough to develop a tornado.

A trained weather spotter near Clinton, south of Westmoreland, reported a tornado on the ground at 1:06 p.m. In addition to that report, another trained spotter witnessed a tornado west of Hamilton College, in Franklin Springs.

The National Weather Service announced that they would be conducting a preliminary storm survey Tuesday night in those areas to determine if it was an official tornado.

Damage reports have come in from throughout the area, most notably the New Hartford, Clark Mills and Clinton areas.

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