Pittsburgh area sets record for tornadoes in May
It’s been a busy year for tornadoes in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
With five confirmed tornadoes on Friday – including one that touched down in Elrama, the second to hit Union Township in a week – the Pittsburgh area has seen 14 tornadoes in May.
This surpasses the 11 tornadoes from a 1985 wave for the most on record in the National Weather Service Pittsburgh’s warning area in May.
“This isn’t a record we want to break, but we’re glad they weren’t as strong,” the NWS Pittsburgh posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account.
So far this year, the NWS has recorded 20 tornadoes.
Three EF2 tornadoes (strong tornadoes with wind speeds between 111 to 165 miles per hour) have hit the region.
There also have been six EF0s and nine EF1s. Friday’s tornado that hit Elrama was ranked as an EF0. No injuries were reported, but wires were downed and homes damaged.
The NWS said the area is well above normal for this year in tornado activity. Consider this: the total number of tornadoes in the month of May from 1995 through 2023 adds up only to 16.
The NWS said the Pittsburgh region sees an average of six tornadoes each year. Already, the area has far exceeded that number.
Last week, Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey reached out to the pastor of Crossroads Church in Finleyville, Washington County, which sustained significant damage when an EF2 tornado ripped through the area on May 11, to offer their support.
The roof was torn off the church, glass windows were blown out, and cars were damaged when the tornado struck during an evening church service with nearly 100 people in attendance.
A service was held Sunday at the church, and the Saturday services will resume this week, said the Rev. Ken Barner, pastor.
“So, we’re doing well. There’s a lot of work to be done and the contractors have a temporary roof on, so it’s enough that we can hold services again,” said Barner. “We have blocked off a portion of the building that we cannot use.
“I thought it was very kind of Gov. Shapiro called, and Sen. Casey also called because he wanted to know how things were going and also offered his support. We’re OK. Nobody was injured, and that’s the biggest thing. A building can be repaired.”
So, why have so many tornadoes formed this year?
“The biggest thing is that we’ve kind of been in patterns that help form tornadoes – warm, humid air and systems that bring cooler, drier air, and all of the things that create environments more favorable for tornadoes,” said NSW Pittsburgh meteorologist Jason Frazier. “The month of May statistically can be one of our more active months. As we go toward summer months, we can have an increased risk of tornadoes.”
Frazier encouraged residents to have a plan in case of a tornado warning.
The NWS has posted tornado safety rules on its website. Among them:
In homes or public buildings, get as low as you can. A basement below ground level or the lowest floor of a building offers the greatest safety. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. Avoid windows. If possible, get under something sturdy like a heavy table. Protect yourself from flying debris with pillows, heavy coats, blankets or quilts. Use bicycle or motorcycle helmets to protect your head.
In vehicles or outdoors: Stay close to a sturdy shelter. If caught outside, find shelter in a ditch or remain in your vehicle and cover your head for protection. Do not take shelter under a highway overpass, where wind speeds can increase due to a tunneling effect. It is best to not put yourself or others in a situation where no sturdy shelter is available.
Stay away from doors, windows and outside walls, and protect your head.
Frazier also dismissed the misperception that tornadoes can’t strike in hilly areas like those found in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
“That’s a common misnomer that, because I’m surrounded by hills, I’m safe,” said Frazier. “As we’ve seen even this year, there are a lot of hilly locations, because the winds just tighten and conditions are ideal. There’s no location that’s going to be immune from the impacts of a tornado.”