Tornado confirmed in Washington County over weekend
Power still out Monday for thousands in region
The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh confirmed a tornado touched down in Washington County on Saturday, when severe weather blew through the region, downing trees and power lines and causing damage across a wide swath of Washington, Greene and Fayette counties.
NWS meteorologist Jason Frazier said crews have confirmed two tornadoes – one just southeast of Ellsworth, Washington County, and another in Westmoreland County, east of Fayette County near state game lands.
The NWS received reports of property damage, and downed trees and power lines that knocked out power to thousands in the region as showers and thunderstorms rolled though Southwestern Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon with wind gusts that reached 60 to 80 mph.
“As far as what damage we’ve seen, this is one of those unique events that highlights how there can be minor differences between what happens with straight-line winds versus a tornado. There are snapped trees down, power lines down, and a lot of that came from winds that were 60 to likely 80 miles an hour, from the sort of system that creates conditions where a tornado could develop,” said Frazier.
The severe storms struck the National Pike Steam, Gas and Horse Association grounds in Brownsville, toppling large trees and damaging buildings and equipment.
More than 50 volunteers arrived on Sunday to clear the debris, and plans for the Aug. 7-9 show are on track.
“There were trees down throughout the show grounds,” said Nick Micale of the NPSGHA. “Electric service was knocked out, and it crushed craft shelters and equipment. In about half an hour, Mother Nature wiped us out. The storm changed the landscape, taking down oaks that were 36 inch inches in diameter. We’re working to get it cleaned up and ready for the August show.”
As of Monday afternoon, about 15,900 customers were without power across Washington, Fayette and Greene counties – down from an estimated 72,000 customers on Saturday night.
A post on the Ellsworth Borough Facebook Page on Monday said “it is very likely that electric power will be out throughout our area for an extended period of time.”
The Bentleyville Fire Department Social Hall opened as a “cooling center” for anyone who needs to escape the heat, as temperatures climbed into the 80s on Monday, and hot, humid weather was forecast throughout the week.
In Fayette County, the famed neon sign atop the Perryopolis Dairy Queen, which had been there since 1963, was blown down during the storm.
Jackie Horwat, the restaurant’s manager and one of its owners, said she doesn’t know yet if it can be restored.
“We’re still in limbo right now. We’re waiting for insurance, and we’re waiting to see if the sign can be repaired. We don’t know what’s going on yet,” said Horwat, who said the sign could have dated back to the 1950s.
This week, temperatures will hover in the mid- to- upper 80s, and climb toward 90 degrees, Frazier said.
That’s about 10 degrees above normal, with the average temperature approaching mid-June usually around 78 degrees.