Power Outage in Warren, PA

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph brought down trees on powerlines along Youngsville Rd.

Heavy snow resulted in significant winter weather impacts during the pre-Thanksgiving holiday travel. These included multiple vehicle accidents, road closures, downed trees/wires and power outages. Snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 9 inches, with the highest amounts across the northwest part of the county. The COOP observer in Chandlers Valley reported 9 inches of snow.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts between 50 and 60 mph toppled numerous trees and power lines across Warren County. The high winds caused isolated power outages.

Thunderstorm winds knocked down trees and power poles one mile east of the Crawford/Warren County border near SR 27.

Thunderstorm winds knocked down trees and power lines near Grand Valley.

Utility Company in Warren County reported numerous power lines down across the northern portion of the county. COOP observer near Sugar Grove reported one-quarter inch ice accretion on trees and structures.

Law Enforcement reported numerous trees and power lines down in Warren as well as several other Townships throughout the county.

A low pressure system developed along the western Gulf Coast on Friday, April 1st, and then tracked northeast into southwest Pennsylvania by Saturday morning, April 2nd. The low then slowly tracked into northeast Pennsylvania by early Sunday morning on April 3rd, while deepening rapidly. Abundant moisture, combined with colder air wrapping around the western side of the storm system, produced heavy wet snow across the western mountains of Pennsylvania from late Saturday night into Sunday afternoon. Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 12 inches across the region, with the greatest amounts across the higher elevations. Localized amounts in excess of one foot occurred in northern portions of Warren County.The combination of heavy snow, along with strong northwest winds gusting up to 50 mph produced whiteout conditions at times across the higher elevations. In addition, numerous tree limbs fell due to the weight of heavy snow, some of which led to downed power lines and scattered power outages. There were also several road closures across the highest elevations due to the significant snowfall accumulations. The heavy snow tapered off to scattered snow showers and flurries by early Sunday night.

A series of low pressure systems tracked east northeast along a nearly stationary frontal boundary from Wednesday January 5th into Thursday January 6th, producing a significant winter storm across much of central Pennsylvania. Snow and sleet fell across areas along, and to the north of Interstate 80 from Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night, with accumulations ranging from 6 to 10 inches. Further south, snowfall accumulations were lighter, generally ranging from 1 to 4 inches. During Wednesday night, the precipitation changed to freezing rain across central Pennsylvania, with some sleet and snow occasionally mixed in across northern areas. This freezing rain accumulated on colder surfaces, such as tree limbs and overhead power lines, producing glaze from one quarter to over three quarters of an inch thick. This heavy ice accretion led to widespread tree damage across central Pennsylvania, in addition to numerous power outages. Dozens of roads were closed by early Thursday morning due to trees, or large tree limbs blocking the roads. In addition, tens of thousands of people were without power by Thursday morning across central Pennsylvania. Some of these outages were not fixed for over a week after the storm. This winter storm had a significant negative impact on the commerce of central Pennsylvania during this time.The hardest hit areas were across higher elevations of northern Cambria County northeast into Centre and Clearfield Counties, where ice accretion in excess of three quarters of an inch occurred.

Strong west to northwest winds in the wake of a cold front buffeted the region from early Wednesday morning on December 1st, and continued into the early evening hours. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph downed numerous trees, and also led to many power outages. Particularly hard hit were Cambria and Somerset Counties, where several roads were closed due to downed trees. Approximately 2500 people were without power from these winds in the Johnstown area in Cambria County, and approximately 500 were without power in Clearfield County. Additionally, nearly 3000 were without power in Lancaster County due to these strong winds.

Low pressure developed along the western Gulf Coast during Tuesday morning, December 24th, and moved northeast into the Ohio Valley from late Tuesday into Tuesday night. This low then weakened as it moved east across southern Pennsylvania, while another low pressure system developed and intensified rapidly during the morning hours of Wednesday, December 25th. This second, stronger low pressure system then tracked northeast off the New England Coast by Wednesday night. Generally light snow overspread Central Pennsylvania during Tuesday evening, and continued intermittently through Tuesday night, occasionally mixing with sleet and rain across the lower Susquehanna Valley. Heavier snow then rapidly developed around daybreak Wednesday from west to east. Intense snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour reduced visibilities to near zero across much of Central Pennsylvania during the mid morning hours, before eventually tapering off to flurries during the mid afternoon hours of Wednesday.As a result of this storm, accumulations generally ranged from 6 to 12 inches across much of Central Pennsylvania, with higher amounts across the lower and mid Susquehanna Valley, where locally 12 to 18 inches fell. The snow was much wetter in consistency across the lower Susquehanna Valley, which resulted in numerous downed trees and power lines. Widespread power outages occurred across the lower Susquehanna Valley, where at least 50,000 customers endured power loss. In addition, excessive snowfall led to many road closures on Wednesday, including long stretches of Interstates 80 and 81.

On Wednesday December 11th, a low pressure system along the central Gulf Coast developed and moved northward along the Appalachian Mountains. This low then weakened, while a new low developed along the mid Atlantic coast. This system produced a wintry mix across much of Central Pennsylvania, mainly in the form of freezing rain. The precipitation developed during the early to mid morning hours of Wednesday, and tapered off Wednesday evening. Average ice accretion of one quarter to one half of an inch developed by the time the precipitation tapered off Wednesday evening, triggering numerous downed tree limbs and power outages across Central Pennsylvania. Nearly 51, 000 customers were without power at the height of the storm on Wednesday, closing numerous schools and businesses across Central Pennsylvania. In addition, numerous traffic accidents were reported.

Trees and power lines were down near Warren.

A strong cold front approached central Pennsylvania during the afternoon of March 9, 2002. Southwest winds increased during the afternoon across the region. By evening, a line of showers accompanying the cold front entered the western edge of the CTP forecast area. Damaging winds accompanied the front and occurred after the frontal passage as winds shifted to the west. Wind speeds were estimated to be between 50 and 60 mph. After crossing the central portions of the region, the line of showers intensified into a line of convection with lightning and thunder. More intense damage was noted with the front as it crossed the eastern portions of the region. Damaging winds continued throughout the night. All 36 CTP zones reported multiple trees and wires down during an approximately nine hour period from 7:30 p.m. EST on the 9th through 5:00 a.m. on the 10th.In addition to trees and wires, more notable property damage occurred. Significant damage to a house and barn in Carlisle, Cumberland County, was reported. The house had it's roof blown off, while the roof of a 30 by 80 foot barn was lifted off. A roof was also blown off of a building in Lancaster, Lancaster County. A drive-in movie screen was destroyed by winds, estimated to be around 70 mph in Danville, Montour County. A section of a warehouse in Milton, Northumberland County, sustained serious damage. Also in Northumberland County, in the town of McEwensville, several homes and garages were damaged. In addition, 15,000 homes lost power in Altoona, Blair County.

A cold front, accompanied by strong damaging winds, moved across central Pennsylvania during the afternoon and early evening of February 1, 2002. Surface wind gusts were measured as high as 63 mph. Several rooftop observations recorded wind gusts over 70 mph, with a 76 mph gust being recorded at Penn State University atop the Meteorology Building. Numerous reports of downed trees and power lines were received. One report of a roof being partially torn from a building in Hyde, Clearfield County, was received.

Deepening low pressure tracked across the upper Ohio Valley, through the Niagara Peninsula, and into Ontario Canada. The low pushed a strong cold front across central Pennsylvania. The front crossed the region between midnight and 5:00 a.m. on February 9th. Damaging winds accompanied the front as it moved through, and persisted through sunrise on the morning of the 9th. Numerous trees, power lines, and utility poles were reported felled across central Pennsylvania, blocking some roadways. More significant property damage included roof damage to a WalMart Department Store in Bedford/Bedford County, damage to a trailer home in Newbury Township/York County, and a chimney blown down damaging a residential roof in State College/Centre County.

A complex area of low pressure moved from the Mississippi Valley northeast across Pennsylvania. A hazardous mixture of sleet and freezing rain fell across much of the area. From one to two inches of heavy sleet accumulated in many locations and freezing rain formed a glaze of 1/4 inch in some spots. Precipitation amounts measured close to one inch of water in many locations. Schools were delayed or cancelled, power was out in a few areas, and travel was hazardous through the early morning hours.

Low pressure tracked northeast from the Mississippi Valley, intensifying rapidly as it tracked across Cleveland, OH overnight to Montreal, Canada by Tuesday morning of the 12th. A strong cold front trailing from the low moved east across Pennsylvania producing wind damage in every central PA county. Statewide, it was estimated some 200,000 customers were without electricity at some time during the event. A 79-year old female died at 5:30 a.m. in Westport, Clinton County, when a tree fell on her mobile home as she slept. The tree, a sycamore, broke off about 15 feet above the ground and fell on the mobile home. A volunteer fireman was injured when a tree fell on his truck near Ebensburg in Cambria County, and a girl had a leg broken by a falling tree at Kantz in Snyder County.Some wind reports included: 82 mph 2 west of Somerset, 77 mph at Schuylkill Haven, 74 mph in Shippensburg, 73 mph in Lancaster at TV-8. 68 mph was reported at Rock Springs west of State College, and 68 mph at the Penn State Meteorological Observatory; 67 mph at Emergency Management near Williamsport; 64 mph at Altoona Airport; 63 mph at Clearfield Airport; 61 mph in Lebanon; 69 mph at Johnstown Airport; and 59 mph in Pottsville.Trees and power lines were blown down in many locations across the region. Some homes had structural damage from trees, and a number of barns and outbuildings had roofs removed. A high school in Fannetsburg in Franklin County had a large part of the roof blown off the gymnasium. Fortunately, the damage occurred around 5:30 a.m. A roof was blown off an oil change station east of Bedford. The same station was destroyed by a small tornado in January of 1999. In Warren, United Refining had a 110-foot smoke stack blown over by the wind about 4:30 a.m. A mobile home was blown off its foundation and a barn collapsed in Somerset. A glass window was blown out of a hardware store in Galeton. A home lost a metal roof in Danville, and 2 homes and a mobile home had parts of roofs blown off in Columbia County. A roof was blown off a lumber yard building in Huntingdon and a rubber roof was pealed off a water treatment plant in York. Southeast of State College, a barn lost 1/3 of its roof on Route 45 and a 4-foot diamter Elm was blown down just north of the Penn State Campus. Winds also tore the roof from a house in New Berlin.

Trees and power lines down on Route 337 in Pleasant Township.

Significant ice accretion occurred across the northern tier of central Pennsylvania as a broad area of precipitation overran a shallow sub-freezing airmass entrenched near the surface. Ice accumulations ranged from one-quarter to one inch (thickness) and brought down numerous trees and power lines. Several power outages were also reported across north-central Pennsylvania.

Thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree and power lines in Tidioute.