Microburst - not tornado - responsible for camper’s death in NY; what is it?

A microburst of straight-line wind damage roared through two campgrounds in the Catskills, killing one and injuring multiple others on Sunday, leaving a mile-long path of destruction in its wake.

Recreational vehicles and camper units, tents and at least two vehicles in the Russell Brook Campground were heavily damaged or destroyed by falling trees in what was initially reported to be a tornado that hit on Sunday at approximately 10:35 a.m.

A woman died when a large tree snapped and fell on her site, crushing it. At least one other person was injured with a hit to the head and several other additional minor injuries were reported.

In an updated statement from the National Weather Service on Sunday night, it was reported that what was thought to initially have been a tornado on Sunday morning, northwest of Cooks Falls, New York, was actually a severe microburst with estimated wind speeds of up to 90 mph.

NWS reported the sporadic damage spread across southern Delaware County through Sullivan County as "straight line wind" took out trees and large branches that were over a foot in diameter. The damage was most concentrated in a microburst footprint leaving a damage pattern from the middle of the path, indicative of a downburst.

While the microburst was reported to have lasted about five minutes, 90 mph winds were enough to cause chaos and destruction.

What is a microburt or straight-line wind?

A microburst is a strong downdraft in a thunderstorm that accelerates as it nears the ground. When it hits the ground, air is forced to spread out, causing extremely powerful and damaging winds to fan out or in a single direction.

A tornado tends to toss debris in random and opposite directions. It can twist metal beams and/or tree trunks. But only a tornado would contain strong enough winds to peel bark from a tree, rip sod out of the ground or strip pavement from a road surface.

Straight-line wind damage tends to show trees pushed down in a single direction or in a fan-like pattern over the distance it travelled.

Wind gusts can reach 100 mph, which are as strong as an EF1 torando.

Where is Russell Brook Campground?

Russel Brook Campground is in the western Catskills, a popular spot for campers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.

The campground is about seven miles outside the center of Roscoe.