NWS Confirms EF1 Tornado In Lawrence County
NORTH BEAVER TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – National Weather Service officials have confirmed that a tornado touched down in Lawrence County on Wednesday.
A strong line of storms moved through the area and several viewers sent us photos and videos of the tornado.
Officials said the EF1 tornado packed 90 mph winds when it touched down in North Beaver Township.
"We determined it's an EF 1 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Maximum wind speeds of 90 mph and when we do tornado surveys, we always base them on what the worst damage is. So, we came out here to this barn, where we see several structures that were damaged. One with the roof blown off, one with a total collapse of a roof and two exterior walls and also damage to the house," Fred McMullen, from the National Weather Service, said.
KDKA Viewer Video:
The path of the tornado spanned 0.25 miles with a maximum path width of 250 yards.
"And we also use, where we don't have structures to gauge damage, we use the fields, the trees to help give us a path width and a path length of the storm," McMullen said.
Cell phone video was sent in by a viewer from New Beaver Township.
A photo sent in by a viewer showed a barn in New Beaver that was demolished, and not far from there, a machine shop was also damaged.
The same storms brought trees down around the area and left thousands without power.
Due to the extent of the damage around the area, there is no word on when service will be restored to all customers.
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