Storms loomed over Pennsylvania on Thursday, as residents across the Northeast braced for damaging weather.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for specific regions in Pennsylvania, including Tioga and Jefferson counties. Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for Western and Central Pennsylvania, with one alert issued at 4pm EDT reading: "SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS!" The warning asked residents to report hail and damage to the National Weather Service by calling toll free: 1-877-633-6772.
WPXI News reported:
At 2:45 p.m. a long line of severe storms stretched from Bradford, Pa., southwest to Athens, Ohio, moving east-southeast at 35-35 mph. These storms will continue to come together and go through the area through late this afternoon. Another line of storms is possible later this evening behind the first line.
Brookville's local law enforcement reported a tornado in the region around 3:30pm EDT, and Jefferson County officials report that a possible tornado touched down in Barnett.
Public Safety Director Michael Huss warned, "Residents must use extreme caution, especially during their rush hour commute. Do not drive into flooded water, and look out for downed trees and power lines."
Roger Edwards, a meteorologist at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, told Bloomberg News, “We are confident that there are going to be many wind damage reports from southern New England back into Pennsylvania and Ohio ... It’s just a question of whether it’s organized enough that we can call it a derecho.”
Visit the National Weather Service website for Pennsylvania storm warnings in your region.