Storms rip through region, bringing flash flooding and toppling trees
Pavilion at Star Lake floods during concert
Ferocious thunderstorms and torrential downpours Thursday night turned The Pavilion at Star Lake into an actual lake.
Videos circulating on social media show concertgoers wading through shin-high water as severe storms moved through Western Pennsylvania and dropped significant rainfall on the outdoor concert venue in northern Washington County and elsewhere across the region
Amanda Balsama Brookman of Houston, Pa., who attended the Rufus Du Sol concert with her niece Kaitlyn Balsama, said it was surreal watching rushing water pour in like a river into the lower bowl seating area of the concert venue, leaving standing water in the aisles. She said even the trip to Star Lake itself was treacherous, but she and her niece were happy to see the band perform.
“We honestly didn’t think it would happen,” Balsama Brookman said of the concert. “From our journey driving there with lightning and trees down everywhere to them delaying the show and making us take cover several times. It was crazy, but the show went on to a packed venue.”
Kaitlyn Balsama, who grew up in Washington County and now lives in Phoenix, has been to 60 concerts at Star Lake, but had never seen anything like what she witnessed Thursday night.
“It was pretty wild. This was by far the craziest (concert),” Balsama said. “It was like a rushing river. It was shocking.”
She said attendees were ushered under the pavilion for protection from the storm, but it began flooding with the water rising in the aisles nearly up to people’s knees, while the grassy hillside turned into a muddy and soggy mess.
“It ended up receding, but I was nervous as (the rain water) was flowing in,” Balsama said. “I didn’t know what was happening. It took a while to recede.”
Concertgoers waiting for Rufus Du Sol to perform were instructed to shelter in place as the storms moved through and the concert at the outdoor amphitheater was delayed.
“Due to lightning in the vicinity of the venue, we are now asking fans to seek shelter,” Star Lake said on a social media post and in alerts to those in attendance. “For those seated under the pavilion, please shelter in place. If you are on the lawn, please follow staff instructions to shelter in place in your area. If outside of the gates, return to your vehicles and remain in the parking lot until further notice.”
At 9:19 p.m., the concert venue posted an update saying that the show would resume soon.
“I feel like they handled it very well,” Balsama Brookman said of Star Lake’s event staff. “I was nervous because of the flooding and the rain was coming in sideways under the pavilion. I was certain it would be canceled but also heard they never cancel shows so I was hopeful (about) that.”
Thursday night’s storms toppled trees, brought down power lines, caused sporadic flooding and led to widespread damage throughout the region.
Thousands were left without power, and school districts delayed or canceled classes. Among the closures were Canon-McMillan and Chartiers-Houston school districts, a result of power outages and blocked roads.
In North Strabane Township, the fire department responded to calls for fallen trees, downed wires, and property damage, and responded to mutual-aid calls in hard-hit Cecil Township.
North Strabane Township Public Safety Director Mark Grimm said a driver became stuck in floodwater on Morganza Road, and a home in Magnolia Ridge was struck by lightning. Grimm said the township was keeping a close eye on Chartiers Creek along Linden Road, which was nearing flood level.
The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh issued several flash flood warnings Thursday night into Friday morning across the region, and a flash flood watch remained in effect until Saturday morning. The weather service also issued a tornado warning Thursday night in northeastern Fayette County after radar spotted a thunderstorm moving southeast at 40 mph near Mount Pleasant in Westmoreland County.
No tornadoes had been confirmed as of Friday morning, as weather service teams were still collecting storm reports and evaluating whether there were any areas they would need to survey, said Bill Modzelewski, a meteorologist with the NWS Pittsburgh office.
Northern Washington County received the most rainfall in the three-county area, with 3.8 inches recorded northeast of Canonsburg, Modzelewski said. Radar estimates suggested parts of northwestern Fayette County near Perryopolis could have received around 2.5 inches.
The storms also caused widespread power outages. As of Friday morning, more than 7,400 customers were without power across Washington, Greene and Fayette counties. But aside from reports of downed trees, 911 coordinator Jodie Victor said Fayette County had received few reports of damage.
Additional thunderstorms that had the potential of bringing heavy rain and damaging winds swept through the area again on Friday.
Staff writer Garrett Neese contributed to this story.