Officials Investigate Possible Microburst, Tornado In Laurel
LAUREL, Md. (WJZ) -- Officials are using a drone to investigate whether a hard-hitting storm last night in Laurel was actually a microburst or tornado.
Laurel Mayor Craign A. Moe is urging residents to check their property for damage after Tuesday night's storms.
"It wasn't until people got up this morning that we discovered the true magnitude of this storm," Mayor Moe says. " We'll be working with residents and business owners to make sure they can get back on their feet quickly."
According to the City of Laurel's spokeswoman Audrey Barnes, officials are inspecting storm damage along Main Street.
The damage includes the Senate Select Insurance Company at 300 Main Street, where the storm tore a hole in the roof's building. A salon in the same building also suffered damage.
Officials say elsewhere on Main Street, signs were torn on their posts, and many properties had roof damage. A tree fell on a car on Second Street, and several others trees came down on property and vehicles in North Laurel.
"It's too early to say exactly what it was other than an incident of high sustained winds that hopscotched from Route 198 and 197, came down and did damage, to Main Street—came down and did damage, and into North Laurel, same thing," said Deputy City Administrator Marty Flemion.
***Breaking***The @NWS is using a drone to inspect storm damage on Main St in Laurel. Possible Microburst or tornado pic.twitter.com/lmvTtDs8Q3
— Audrey Barnes (@LaurelPIO) September 30, 2015
Early indications, although not confirmed, point to either a tornado or microburst, officials said,
