“Demonic Storm” collapses Torben Søndergaard’s "The Last Reformation" Revival Tent In New Hampshire
Well I thought and hope I had written the last stage roof/show tent weather related collapse story (see here for many others, the last was 2017) but apparently not. Today in New Ipswich, New Hampshire, as Danish preacher Torben Søndergaard's “The Last Reformation” revival meeting was winding down, a line of severe thunderstorms hit the site and collapsed the tent. Video here:
Here’s a few screen grabs, click any for a larger image. It looks like a pretty intense storm.
The Monadnock Beat reports that four people were taken to the hospital and it looks terrifying inside the tent. Another news report here.
The area was in the Storm Prediction Center’s “marginal” risk for severe storms since early this morning, and if I have the timing right the storm system was severe warned by the National Weather Service.
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning National Weather Service Gray ME 221 PM EDT Sun Aug 23 2020
The National Weather Service in Gray Maine has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Southern Cheshire County in southern New Hampshire... * Until 315 PM EDT. *
At 220 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Marlborough to near Swanzey, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include... Keene, Jaffrey, Swanzey, Peterborough, Winchester, Dublin, Richmond, Harrisville, Marlborough, Rindge, Roxbury, Fitzwilliam, Troy, Chesterfield and Sharon. This also includes... Mount Monadnock.
From what I can tell the show site was just 2 miles outside the warning polygon.
Here’s a crappy graphic, the Annett State Forest is right in that corner of the warning above to the left of my red X:
However any meteorologist or even a storm chaser like me would have told anyone who listened to keep an eye on the storm even if were not severe warned, especially since that area is in a bit of a radar hole with lots of shadows by hills and mountains.
Here’s screen grabs of the aftermath:
Here’s a couple screen grabs of the tent before the winds (click any to enlarge).
So once again I recommend anyone who is doing an outdoor show to please use one of the many great event meteorologist services or at least keep a competent person on watch.