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Worst storm I've ever seen

Started by Woodsrover, June 22, 2012, 09:41:28 PM

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Woodsrover


I've lived in North-West Connecticut my whole life, and in this house I'm in now for almost 20 years.  We had a storm blow through Cornwall today that is just about as bad as it gets.

I was here for the Tornado of 1989.
Here for the April 1st snow fall.
Here for the October snow last year.
Here for all the little ones in between.

What happened to my 11 acres today is the worst I've ever seen.  Can't tell you for sure how many trees are down.  50?  Maybe 75?  I don't know yet.  White pine, cherry, oak, maple, tulip, poplar, maple, etc.  Everything.  Another bunch of the with the tops knocked out of them.  Mostly maples and white pine by the looks of it.

We'll be out of power until Monday anyway.  No big deal...The little Ford tractor is running my ancient generator and the cable is still up.  I've got lots of diesel on hand so no worries there.  The chipper is on the Kioti and will get a work out over the next couple months.

And the logs.  There are lots and lots and lots of logs to salvage for lumber.  Every species you can think of.  Walking around this afternoon I was thinking about the amount of wood that I will waste from this storm is criminal.  Too much to mill, too much to burn for heat.  Most of it will get pushed off to the edges, pushed over the bank.

Anyway, I'm just a little bit in shock and felt like typing.  I'm going to bed early and will get an early start tomorrow.  It'll be a day of sawing and chipping to be followed by many more.  Good times, good times!  I took some pictures tonight and will take more tomorrow.  I'll post them when I get a minute, which will surely be after dark from here on out!

beenthere

Sorry to hear that. Bad storms are never good, to say the least they don't usually have good timing.

Look forward to pics when you can, but be safe cutting up downed wood.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

WDH

That is gut wrenching bad news.  Maybe you will be able to salvage the best of the trees.  I hate to see that kind of damage.  Salvage safely.
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

thecfarm

Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

SPD748

Woodsrover,

Of the few things I fear, storms rank way way up there. I wish you the best of luck with the salvage/rebuilding process. Please be safe my friend.

-lee
Frick 0 Handset - A continuing project dedicated to my Dad.

410 Deere, 240 Massey... I really need a rough terrain forklift :)

Sawing Since 1-19-2013 @ 3:30 pm
Serving Since 2002
"Some police officers give tickets, some gave all."

beenthere

We can pray that Tammy and Kevin are doing ok. They are just a few miles to the East of this storm.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Just know and I can assure you if some of us here on the FF were close enough to you, we would pitch in and help. If I could, I'd come from South Carolina with my chainsaw.
But you've got my prayers as well as prayers from others on here.
Keep looking, there's a blessing in this somewhere.

David
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Woodsrover

Quote from: beenthere on June 22, 2012, 10:01:29 PM
We can pray that Tammy and Kevin are doing ok. They are just a few miles to the East of this storm.

If you'd like me to check on them, I'd be happy to.  All things considered, I'm just fine save a pile of fresh lumber in the woods.  If I can help, just let me know.

Woodsrover

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on June 22, 2012, 10:04:00 PM
Just know and I can assure you if some of us here on the FF were close enough to you, we would pitch in and help. If I could, I'd come from South Carolina with my chainsaw.
But you've got my prayers as well as prayers from others on here.
Keep looking, there's a blessing in this somewhere.

David

I know you would, David.  And Believe me, I appreciate it.  Really, all things considered, I'm fine.  Just a mess to clean up and a whack of new lumber to mill and firewood to burn.  And I believe this gets me out of household chores for at least 6 months!  :)

The foreseeable future will see me running a chainsaw, tractor and chipper and my sawmill...On second thought, maybe this isn't all that bad!  :)  Ah, shoot, on my third gin and ginger and trying to find the silver lining.  You guys help for sure.

Magicman

My heart goes out to you with this loss.  Thankfully is sounds like you are personally OK.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

Ga Mtn Man

We went through a similar event just a little over a year ago.  My heart goes out to you.  Hang in there and take it one day at a time.  You'll discover friends you never new you had. :)
"If the women don't find you handsome they should at least find you handy." - Red Green


2012 LT40HDG29 with "Superized" hydraulics,  2 LogRite cant hooks, home-built log arch.

Sixacresand

Woodsrover, We never know what nature will have us endure.  I hope goes well with the cleanup and hope you salvage some good lumber.  Hang in there, and we will pray for everyone up there.
"Sometimes you can make more hay with less equipment if you just use your head."  Tom, Forestry Forum.  Tenth year with a LT40 Woodmizer,

hamish

It goes with living life, the storm is over....time to get to work, and you have the means.

Too much snow for the car = truck, or truck with chains, or snowmobile and worst case snowshoes, there is always a way, just understand and have the tools in your toolbox.

It till be at least a year beore you get that all cleaned up!!!  Then back to household chores
Norwood ML26, Jonsered 2152, Husqvarna 353, 346,555,372,576

morgoon

We had a similar thing happen, though not as spread like your sounds

We lost probably 25-30 mature Balsam, Birch, Poplar, W Spruce when a real tight line of wind came through our 5.5 acres of bush. It was like the wind had a laser sight and it cut a swath clear through the neighbours bush too. Had one poplar snap off halfway up and bounce off the house (just scuffed things up a little)

We just planted 70 trees of various species to try and fill in what we now call the "clearing"

Gonna be a long time in this boreal forest before it all fills in

On the plus side...my sawmill is still cutting trees from that go 'round

Hope everyone's safe and good luck with the clean up..it is a ton of work
Homemade bandsaw, made by my mentor and dear friend Unto...who turned 85 this year

And I just made my first longbow...awesome

Bogue Chitto

Good luck, if you are able to salvage the logs you can make some dollars.   

  

  

  

 

SwampDonkey

Be careful out there cutting and salvaging, especially the uprooted stuff and bent over poles. Stuff can let go quick and put a real hurt on ya.  :-\
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Chuck White

Wish you the best of luck getting your woods taken care of.

Please be especially careful and watch out for "widow makers" hanging up in the trees, waiting to fall on you.
~Chuck~  Cooks Cat Claw sharpener and single tooth setter.  2018 Chevy Silverado and 2021 Subaru Ascent.
With basic mechanical skills and the ability to read you can maintain a Woodmizer  LT40!

Woodsrover

Thanks for all the words of encouragement!  The place doesn't look as bad as Chitto's so I'm luck there!

Just in from getting the generator going for the day and taking a quick ride up to town to see what it looks like.  6 line trucks within a 1/2 mile of my place.   ;D  Them boys worked all night and it looks like we should have power by tomorrow if not sooner.  Not as bad as the 8 days back in October.

I'm of to start cutting and chipping.  Lots of nice logs laying around!  I'll take some pictures along the way and post them tonight.  Thanks again, guys.

thecfarm

Kinda wondering,what kind of storm was it? Just wind,one of those mirco burst storm?Was it wide spread? Have not been inside to watch the news,so I missed it.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

terrifictimbersllc

Heard about it first in your post.  Sorry & hope you get something back from it with your mill.  We went fishing on a small lake down here in SE CT, till early evening yesterday & the clouds were just rolling in near the end.  Here's a description of the storm with a video too.  http://www.wtnh.com/dpp/news/connecticut/calm-after-the-storm#.T-WoGe1JoqY
DJ Hoover, Terrific Timbers LLC,  Mystic CT Woodmizer Million Board Foot Club member. 2019 LT70 Super Wide 55 Yanmar,  LogRite fetching arch, WM BMS250 sharpener/BMT250 setter.  2001 F350 7.3L PSD 6 spd manual ZF 4x4 Crew Cab Long Bed

clww

Sorry to hear of your storm damage. We had much rain and lightning here yesterday, but no winds. Be careful with your upcoming salvage tasks.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

opticsguy

Can greatly appreciate your stuggles there.  Here in the NW, North of Seattle, we had a very strange winter storm. December of 1990, the temps went from the high 30's down to minus 4 degrees in less than 30 minutes and a giant wind storm swept the land.  We had soaking rains for a week or more. The small weather station north of me recorded winds of 113 MPH!!! Looked like a war zone from an atomic blast, the place was leveled in many places and the effects are still easy to see today. 

So, i do feel your pain.

TK 1220 band mill,  1952 Ford F-2, 1925 Dodge touring, too many telescopes.

Jim_Rogers

More storms are heading my way today:



This is a shot of the regional radar for New England at 4:30 pm or so.....

I can hear the thunder now.....

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Tree Feller

Here's the storm headed my way. The red square is our approximate location and the green icon what I'm guessing is the low pressure center. It will probably be a hurricane by early next week.



 

The eighth evac helo is due on deck in 15 minutes and the last one at 17:15. We're bugging out.   ;D
Cody

Logmaster LM-1 Sawmill
Kioti CK 30 w/ FEL
Stihl MS-290 Chainsaw
48" Logrite Cant Hook
Well equipped, serious, woodworking shop

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Quote from: Tree Feller on June 23, 2012, 04:51:58 PM
Here's the storm headed my way. The red square is our approximate location and the green icon what I'm guessing is the low pressure center. It will probably be a hurricane by early next week.



 

The eighth evac helo is due on deck in 15 minutes and the last one at 17:15. We're bugging out.   ;D

Tree Feller.....are you on an island or an oil rig? Your red dot is out in the ocean. Ya'll might want to get outta there. I was watching the news about this thing forming. It don't look to good.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Woodsrover

Done for the day.  Got a fair amount done with all the wood and such off the lawn around the house.  I'll keep pushing out as the days go by but there are parts of the woods that won't get cleaned up before snow I'm afraid.  We'll see how it goes.  I had a full summer of projects already and the woods can probably wait.  A chicken coop, a shed and a floor and doors on the barn.  Guess I've got plenty of wood for lumber!

Anyway, pictures from yesterday when I got home and today:

Hail piled up off the roof.



A white pine that just brushed my truck.  Left that truck home Friday.



A huge amount of water fell in a very short time.  This never washes like this.



The woods.













A juvenile red tail hawk who's nest came down in the storm.  I wrapped him up, dried him off and let him warm up for a coupe hours before setting back in the bush.  Today I can hear him and mom calling back and forth.  I'll leave them be down there for a while.



Good think I like to play in the woods and have a few toys.



That's about it for now.  We were out of power for 24hrs but I had the old Ford running the generator all day.  Funny thing happened, as I was adding fuel to it I heard a strange noise and started to smell smoke.  I stopped pouring and put down the jerry-can just in time to see the waterpump shaft starting to lean over, the fan stop turning and all hell breaking loose.  The water pump seized up right at the moment I was right there adding fuel to it.  It's been running all day while I've been in the woods and if this had happened when I wasn't right there I would have surely cooked the motor.  Small miracles!!!  Put the Kioti on the generator for a short time and then the power is back on.  The beers never got warm and boy they're good.  To bed early tonight and back at it tomorrow.



John_Haylow

Sorry to see all that damage. Be careful cutting and limbing.
John
2004 Wood-Mizer LT40HDG28

Tree Feller

Quote from: POSTONLT40HD on June 23, 2012, 05:46:58 PM
Quote from: Tree Feller on June 23, 2012, 04:51:58 PM
Here's the storm headed my way. The red square is our approximate location and the green icon what I'm guessing is the low pressure center. It will probably be a hurricane by early next week.



 

The eighth evac helo is due on deck in 15 minutes and the last one at 17:15. We're bugging out.   ;D

Tree Feller.....are you on an island or an oil rig? Your red dot is out in the ocean. Ya'll might want to get outta there. I was watching the news about this thing forming. It don't look to good.

It's a semisubmersible mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)...an oil rig. The last of us left at 17:30 and I'm currently in a hotel in Houma, Louisiana.

Woodsrover, that was some storm. The wind, hail and rain is more like the storms we have in the South. I'm glad it was only tree damage even though that's bad enough. There's probably not a person on this forum who doesn't cringe at the thought of those trees going to waste. That's really a shame.
Cody

Logmaster LM-1 Sawmill
Kioti CK 30 w/ FEL
Stihl MS-290 Chainsaw
48" Logrite Cant Hook
Well equipped, serious, woodworking shop

wesdor

Woodsrover:
Thanks for the photos.  You certainly had some heavy rain and damage.  As others have said, be careful with cleanup.  Spring loaded trees can bite you in a heartbeat.

Glad you have some equipment to make the job a little easier.

SwampDonkey

Up here we are used to softwood and aspen blow downs, but when hardwoods go down that's quite a wind and rain storm. Since most lots get clearcut, the neighbors' softwood along the lines and those left along riperian become a mess of windfalls.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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