Three years ago today, I had just left work. I was driving north toward the Northampton/Amherst area to intercept a storm with strong rotation. About five minutes into my drive, I saw an ominous sight on the radar over Westfield, MA. Quickly I turned around and hightailed it back toward Springfield. As I got closer, I could see the rotating wall cloud. Seconds later the tornado warning was issued.
Everything from that moment until about 10 that night seemed to happen in slow motion. I watched the tornado drop down in West Springfield and cross the river into Springfield's South End. The debris whipping around the base of the tornado was unbelievable. I can remember calling NWS in Taunton but for the life of me, I can't remember anything about the call.
After the tornado had moved on, I made my way from my location to where the most damage was. Chasing the storm and getting photos was no longer a priority. After verifying that my close friends and family were accounted for, I began to assist with search and rescue.
These were photos taken the following day in West Springfield.
http://www.suspendedtimephoto.com/Galleries/News/Junetornado
