[SFDXA] Confirmed Tornado in Maryland Downs Tower at W3LPL Contest Station

[Bill]

http://www.arrl.org/news/confirmed-tornado-in-maryland-downs-tower-at-w3lpl-
contest-station


Confirmed Tornado in Maryland Downs Tower at W3LPL Contest Station
06/22/2016

[UPDATED: 2016-06-23 @ 1006 UTC] A confirmed Fujita scale EF-0 tornado 
touched down for up to 20 minutes in Howard County, Maryland, on the 
first full day of summer, taking down a tall AB-105 tower at the contest 
superstation of Frank Donovan, W3LPL. The tornado was just part of a 
spate of strong storms to hit the region, dumping heavy rain that caused 
flooding, and high winds that toppled trees and utility poles. Donovan’s 
station is one of the premier multi-multi contest sites in the US. He 
told ARRL that his location was "Ground Zero" for the twister.

“The storm was extreme,” Donovan said in a post to the Potomac Valley 
Radio Club (PVRC) reflector. “I’ve never experienced anything like it 
before. Essentially all of the trees in the front of the house and along 
the driveway are gone. Several power poles on Hobbs Road snapped. The 
200 foot tower adjacent to the house collapsed, everything on it was 
destroyed.”

Donovan said he will have to do “a tremendous amount of testing and 
inspection” to determine what other damage may have occurred. Big Gun 
contester John Crovelli,W2GD, reported that he had spoken with Donovan, 
who told him that his other antennas were intact but “beat up.”

Crovelli said the huge Potomac Valley Radio Club/Columbia Amateur Radio 
Association W3AO Field Day operation was still on.

News media accounts said the tornado, which hit at approximately 1:30 PM 
in western Howard County, had top winds of 80 MPH — at the high end of 
the EF-0 range. The tornado was some 1500 feet across and traveled 
nearly 13 miles, according to the National Weather Service. No injuries 
were reported.

The NWS said that properties in the vicinity of the tornado’s touchdown 
“sustained tree damage with multiple trees snapped, uprooted, and topped 
in multiple directions.” Along its path, the twister “caused nearly 
continuous tree damage, with large trees and tree branches snapped, 
uprooted, and topped in multiple directions. The trees downed many power 
lines and blocked multiple roads. Some trees and large branches fell on 
homes and garages,” the NWS said.

Mike Lonneke, W4AAW, in Middleburg, Virginia, reported “tremendous tree 
damage” and roofs ripped from barns about a mile from his location. “Two 
70 MPH storms in close succession hit Middleburg at 4 PM yesterday,” 
Lonneke said this morning. Thousands were left without power as a result 
of the tornado, severe storms, and heavy rainfall that hit the region 
west of Baltimore.

John Pescatore, K3TN, who is some 15 miles south of Donovan’s location, 
reported being “just clipped by the big storm.” He said 3 inches of rain 
fell in a 90-minute period. Some areas received hail.

QST “How’s DX?” Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR, who lives next door to 
Donovan, reported that power was out at his location and “it could be 
several days” before it was restored. McClenny said the downed W3LPL 
tower collapsed away from Donovan’s house, and that a lot of trees and 
utility poles were down in his area. “Got the generator out and 
running,” he said.

The felled tower at W3LPL supported a 6 element 10 meter Yagi on a 48 
foot boom at 200 feet, three stacked 9 element G0KSC 6 meter LFA Yagis 
on 52 foot booms at 48, 76, and 104 feet and a pair of 2 element 80 
meter quads at 170 feet. Donovan told ARRL that plans "are well under 
way" to install a 200-foot heavy-duty AB-105 replacement tower in August.

Thousands of residents in the affected region remain without power.