BRIDPORT, Vt. (WCAX) – While parts of western Vermont were spared some of the worst flooding, they still felt the blow from severe weather overnight, including high winds and a possible tornado in Addison County.
As severe storms rumbled across the state Wednesday evening, folks weathering the storm at the Ploufe Family Farm in Bridport spotted a funnel cloud.
“It could have been dramatically worse. I feel like when we got the gust of wind, it wasn’t as sustained than what we’ve gotten sometimes in the past,” said Bridport Volunteer Fire Dept. Capt. Cory Pratt. Still, he says crews spent Wednesday night and Thursday morning clearing roads and downed wires. “As the initial wave came through it was chaos. And then there was a lull in the middle and you could see a second wave of lightning coming.”
Local resident Jordan Walker says even though a tree clipped the corner of their house, they feel fortunate to have escaped injury or major damage. “We could have lost our entire home. The tree could have burst through our bay window causing a bunch of flooding. It could have ripped open the rooms upstairs. It could have flooded our basement. So, I feel for all the businesses,” he said.
Pratt admits it was a shock for many to see a funnel cloud in the sky in Vermont. “It’s not something we’re used to around here. You think of funnel clouds, you think Kansas or out in the Midwest. We are fortunate we don’t have that typically,” he said.
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“I was under the impression that it wasn’t going to be as terrible as it was made out to be… kinda like the last storm,” Walker said. “I’m really not looking forward to dealing with the cleanup.”
The National Weather Service has not confirmed if a tornado touched down.