The National Weather Service in Gray has confirmed that a fourth tornado touched down Saturday in western Maine.
The tornadoes caused extensive damage to homes and boats in Denmark, forced the evacuation of a campground in Bridgton and knocked out power to thousands of homes.
The fourth tornado, confirmed late Sunday by the weather service, touched down on the west side of Bridgton around 4:42 p.m. Saturday. The F1 tornado, with winds of 90 to 100 mph, snapped and uprooted trees at Shawnee Peak ski resort and the causeway on Route 302.
A weather service survey team found visible damage from the tornado on the mountain at Shawnee Peak near Tycoon and Upper Roosevelt trails and in the parking lot near Jake’s Way. The tornado then moved across Moose Pond and onshore near the causeway of Route 302, where multiple utility poles were blown over.
The tornado likely lifted shortly after arriving onshore and crossing Route 302, according to the weather service. Eyewitnesses told the weather service that they watched the funnel pull up from the water as it crossed the pond.
The weather service earlier confirmed a tornado touched down on the western shore of Sebago Lake around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, causing minimal damage. A second tornado touched down on the southeast corner of Highland Lake in Bridgton before moving onshore, where it uprooted and snapped large trees that fell on structures and vehicles. That tornado lifted up before setting down again on the shore of Long Lake near Obelazy Lane, where it ripped through an RV campground and caused extensive damage.
The third tornado touched down around 6:15 p.m. Saturday in the Oxford County town of Denmark, along the shore of Moose Pond. Winds were estimated at 95 mph and the tornado traveled about four-tenths of a mile, according to the weather service.
A survey team found dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted in a path crossing Mountain Road and into Moose Pond. Damaged trees fell onto at least one vehicle, multiple cabins, a boat and a dock, which was damaged structurally.
One injury was reported, according to the weather service.
Gillian Graham can be contacted at:
ggraham@pressherald.com
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