The National Weather Service in Binghamton says the Village of Owego experienced straight line wind during a severe thunderstorm on Sunday night, and not a tornado. However, they have confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down near East Smithfield in Bradford County on Tuesday. The weather service says the tornado touched down on Main Street around 12:20pm, knocked down many trees and tore off part of the roof of a barn while on the ground. It was measured as an EF-1, meaning wind speeds from 65 to 85 miles per hour. The straight line wind Sunday in Owego also brought down many trees, including a large tree at the corner of Main and Paige Street that knocked out power to part of the village for several hours. Straight line wind is defined as winds of 58 miles per hour or greater that can cause damage to houses, businesses, and trees along a path that is usually wider than that of a minor tornado.
