NWS: Apparent downburst hit Greene County, no indication of tornado
NEW FREEPORT, Pa. (KDKA) — Storms tore through Greene County on Wednesday night, but after surveying the damage, the National Weather Service said they did not find any evidence to indicate it was caused by a tornado.
NWS officials were out touring the damage in southern Greene County on Thursday. They said the damage was caused by an apparent downburst.
The storms brought strong winds that left behind downed trees, downed power lines, debris and other damage.
In Gilmore Township, PennDOT crews said they had to move around 20 damaged trees.
"I was holding my Siberian husky because he doesn't like thunder, and I get security from that," said Curt Huffman, a Gilmore Township resident.
Huffman said he kept his eyes and ears open when he learned there was a tornado warning in his area on Wednesday night.
"I stepped outside, looked up and I ran and got my dog in. After my dog came in, then the lights went out. So, I sat on my front porch and it didn't sound like your classic freight train. It was just a lot of wind and a lot of hard rain and the torrents of water coming off this hill, this was like a river through here," Huffman said.
Residents in Franklin Township said the storm was intense for them as well, and a tree snapped and fell onto a home on Route 18.
The storms did prompt a tornado watch for several counties south of Pittsburgh, which expired in the middle of the night. A warning was issued at one point for parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The National Weather Service had three survey teams out assessing damage in Greene County, Ohio and West Virginia on Thursday.
