A frontal system moved through southern New England with the warm front moving through first and increasing low level moisture.  Then the cold front moved through providing a lifting mechanism for showers and thunderstorms to develop.  High levels of moisture contributed to heavy downpours that resulted in flash flooding in Rhode Island and portions of Massachusetts.  All of this coupled with strong wind shear (turning of the winds with height) over southeast Massachusetts and Rhode Island provided the perfect environment for a tornado to form.
This particular tornado began as a waterspout over Narragansett Bay and traveled east-northeast reaching land over the southern portion of Warren, Rhode Island.  The tornado continued for 4.2 miles into Swansea, Massachusetts over a mostly continuous track.  Most of the damage sustained was to trees which fell on power lines and houses.  This tornado was rated by a National Weather Service damage survey team as an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Lightning in HAMPSHIRE, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 21:52:00 to 23-JUL-08 21:52:00 (EST-5)
Location: BELCHERTOWN
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A house was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Hail in HAMPDEN, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 23:29:00 to 23-JUL-08 23:29:00 (EST-5)
Location: HIGHLANDS
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Lightning in NORFOLK, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 21:00:00 to 23-JUL-08 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: WEYMOUTH
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A house on Thicket Street was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Thunderstorm Wind in FRANKLIN, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 21:00:00 to 23-JUL-08 21:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: HAWLEY
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Trees and wires on West Hawley Road were downed by thunderstorm winds.

Lightning in PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 21:19:00 to 23-JUL-08 21:19:00 (EST-5)
Location: EAST BRIDGEWATER
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A house on Springhill Avenue was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Lightning in WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 21:20:00 to 23-JUL-08 21:20:00 (EST-5)
Location: WHALOM
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A house on Dartmouth Street was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Lightning in ESSEX, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 16:00:00 to 23-JUL-08 16:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: WEST PEABODY
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A house on LeBlanc Street was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Flash Flood in BRISTOL, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 16:03:00 to 23-JUL-08 17:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: SWANSEA
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Stevens Road was closed because of flooding.

Lightning in ESSEX, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 16:45:00 to 23-JUL-08 16:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: MARBLEHEAD
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A house on Harbor Avenue was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Lightning in PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 16:30:00 to 23-JUL-08 16:30:00 (EST-5)
Location: PLYMPTON
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A structure on Palmer Road was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Lightning in ESSEX, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 16:45:00 to 23-JUL-08 16:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: MARBLEHEAD
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A house on Ames Avenue was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Lightning in WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 20:45:00 to 23-JUL-08 20:45:00 (EST-5)
Location: DOUGLAS
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A house on Vine Street was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Lightning in BRISTOL, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 17:02:00 to 23-JUL-08 17:02:00 (EST-5)
Location: ASSONET
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Lightning struck a delivery truck driver, injuring him, at the Stop and Shop.  No information was available on his age.

Thunderstorm Wind in BRISTOL, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 15:43:00 to 23-JUL-08 15:43:00 (EST-5)
Location: BERKLEY
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Multiple trees were downed by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind in BRISTOL, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 15:41:00 to 23-JUL-08 15:43:00 (EST-5)
Location: SOMERSET
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 6.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

In Somerset, three trees on Florida Avenue were downed by thunderstorm winds.  A tree on Williams Street in Dighton was downed by thunderstorm winds.

Lightning in WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 14:10:00 to 23-JUL-08 14:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: UPTON
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A house on Ephraims Way was struck by lihgtning and caught fire.

Flash Flood in BRISTOL, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 15:49:00 to 23-JUL-08 15:49:00 (EST-5)
Location: NORTH REHOBOTH
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding in parts of Taunton.  Winthrop Street was flooded with two feet of water and a car got stuck in flood waters on County Street.

Lightning in ESSEX, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 16:00:00 to 23-JUL-08 16:00:00 (EST-5)
Location: MARBLEHEAD
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

A house on Lafayette Street was struck by lightning and caught fire.

Tornado in BRISTOL, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 15:09:00 to 23-JUL-08 15:10:00 (EST-5)
Location: SOUTH SWANSEA
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A National Weather Service Damage Survey team concluded that an EF1 tornado moved through portions of eastern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.  The tornado began as a waterspout that occurred just off of Rumstick Point in Barrington, Rhode Island.  The waterspout then moved onto land over the southern portion of Warren near the Warren/Bristol line at Hanley Farm Road.  It continued eastward across the Kickemuit River in the Touisset Highlands section of Warren then crossed the Cole River and continued to cause damage in the Ocean Grove section of Swansea.
Most of the damage had a rating of EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale with wind speeds of 65 to 75 mph.  However, there was one small section of Warren that experienced EF1 damage.  Wind speeds in that area were estimated at 90 mph.
The tornado path length was 4.2 miles and for the most part was continuous.  It was very narrow with a path width of only 40 yards.  The waterspout was first observed off of Barrington at 4:00PM EDT.  It moved onto land in Warren at 4:05PM EDT and into Massachusetts at 4:10PM EDT.
No injuries were reported.  The majority of the damage was to trees, some of which fell onto power lines and houses.  There were numerous eyewitness accounts of dark funnels, swirling debris, and intense roaring.  At least one garage door bowed out toward the path of the tornado.

Lightning in BRISTOL, MASSACHUSETTS
From 23-JUL-08 18:48:00 to 23-JUL-08 18:48:00 (EST-5)
Location: ASSONET
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A 54 year old woman was struck by lightning in her cellar.  She suffered some numbness in her fingers and right leg, but was otherwise uninjured.