Macroburst Caused Fallston Storm Damage: National Weather Service

FALLSTON, MD — A macroburst caused the tree damage and ominous cloud in the severe weather event Wednesday that hit west-central Harford County. That was what the National Weather Service said in releasing its findings from a post-storm survey on Thursday, May 30.

Descending from a thunderstorm, a large downward current of air that travels more than 2.5 miles is what is known as a macroburst.

Trees limbs fell onto rooftops as 80 to 90-mph wind gusts traveled from Moores Road in Baldwin to Pleasantville Road in Fallston, weather officials said. In addition to large limbs of hardwood trees, authorities said that approximately 12 pine trees were snapped.

All tree damage fell in an easterly direction, and eyewitnesses estimated the macroburst occurred between 6 and 6:15 p.m.on Wednesday, May 29, the National Weather Service reported.

While the damage did not fall in a continuous line, it spanned approximately 3.25 miles, according to officials.

Tree damage was not the only evidence of the severe weather event, experts said.

"An image circulating among residents showed what appears to be a roll cloud, representing the leading edge of the gusty winds," the National Weather Service reported. "Frequently, roll clouds are [mistakenly] identified as a funnel cloud or a tornado, but they lack the laminar, streamlined condensation cloud of a funnel cloud which would be attached to the cumulus cloud base."