Microburst rips parts of Glastonbury up

GLASTONBURY, Conn. (WTNH) -- Despite the wealth of damage across portions of Glastonbury, the National Weather Service said that a tornado did not touch down.

Trees were ripped up by their roots and tossed like toothpicks into homes.

Glastonbury was certainly one of the areas hardest hit by Friday's stormy weather.

When wicked weather swept through Glastonbury, radar was indicating some rotation, it left everyone to wonder, "Was this a tornado?"

"I'm not sure," said Matt Rose of Glastonbury. "It was pretty violent."

Matt has proof the winds were wild, as they ripped a tree from the ground and threw it onto the back of his house on Cricket Lane

"It sounded like a truck slamming into the house. The whole building shook," said Rose. "It was pretty scary to be honest."

About three miles to the south on Wassuc Road, the street was shut down for hours putting nine year-old Chloe Bourdoulous and her younger brother, Nicholas in panic mode. 

"I was pretty scared we couldn't get home because the roads were blocked, and our dogs were in the house," said Chloe. "It was raining really hard and then trees started to fall down and we went in the basement and stayed there a while."

Mom had just showed up at their daycare to take them home.

"We ended up staying there for a couple of hours," said Kristie Bourdoulous. "At about 8:00 they were able to let us through."

News 8 was on scene with the National Weather Service who made a trip to assess the damage and determine if this was a tornado.

"I'll be looking at the type of damage, which way the damage is pointed, trying to base it on the different types of trees to be able to calculate a wind speed," said National Weather Service Meteorologist Alan Dunham.

He says the rotation on radar was reported to have been up around 6,000 to 7,000 feet above the ground.

"Just because we have a rotation at that level, does not mean it rotated all the way down to the surface," explained Dunham.

Back at the Bourdolous home, the debate continued. Chloe and her brother did not think it was a tornado.

"I think it was just a storm," said Chloe.

Mom did not feel the same way.

"I do think there was a tornado," Kristie said. "The trees were heading to the left and then heading to the right."

Nicholas said he did not think it was a tornado, but that he was nervous as the storm rolled through.