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Two Tornados Rip Through Wilton

Written by Aidan Cahill on . Posted in Featured, News.

A crane removes branches the slammed through a home on Greylock Drive. Crews said they had been at the home just prior to the tornado doing other work. (Aidan Cahill)
A homeowner cleans up the damage of the Wilton Tornado on Greylock Drive. Residents said that right after the tornado, the neighborhood came together to clear debris from roads. (Aidan Cahill)

Wilton is still recovering after two tornados ripped through the town on August 27. 

The first, called the Wilton Tornado by the National Weather Service (NWS) was an EF-1 tornado that started near Greylock and Glenburnie drives before crossing Interstate 87. The second, dubbed the Ruggles Road Tornado, was an EF-0 that occurred in the vicinity of Ruggles Road and Preserve Way. 

The two tornadoes happened almost simultaneously with the Wilton Tornado starting at 6:05 p.m. and lasting until 6:10 and the Ruggles Road Tornado touching down at 6:10 and lasting until 6:11. 

The Wilton Tornado traveled for 1.75 miles and had a maximum width of 250 yards. It saw winds hit 110 miles per hour. The Ruggles Road Tornado, meanwhile, traveled .19 miles with peak wind speed of 85 miles per hour and a max width of 50 yards. 

No injuries or deaths were reported in either tornado. 

The next day, residents and local contractors came out to assess the damage and start repairs on homes and properties impacted by the Wilton Tornado. Residents described the tornado to Saratoga TODAY. They reported hearing debris hitting their homes, followed by everything going dark and a loud freight train like noise as the tornado rolled through.

Tornados are a rate sight in Saratoga County. Since 1950, there have only been 15 recorded tornadoes, the strongest of which was an EF-3 tornado which struck Mechanicville and cut all the way to Vermont, injuring 68 and causing $71 million in damage. The only other reported tornado that caused injuries was a 2020 EF-1 tornado in Stillwater which injured one person. 

The last time two tornadoes hit on the same day in Saratoga County was on July 5, 1992 when two EF-0 tornadoes hit opposite sides of the county within 30 minutes of each other — the first hit Charlton while the second hit Stillwater. 

Residents said they received ample warnings of the danger and were able to seek shelter well in advance of the tornado’s arrival. 

In response to the tornadoes, the Town of Wilton has declared a state of emergency until Sept. 5. Residents can leave leaves, branches and other natural debris on the side of the road for town crews to pick up with information on pick up of other debris to be determined by Sept. 4. In addition, the town is waiving permit fees to repair damage caused by the tornadoes. 

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