National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS Storm Data.

NWS Damage Survey for 05/27/24 Wayne County, PA TornadoMap of tornado track. Click for a larger view.

  • Rating: EF1
  • Estimated Peak Wind: 90 mph
  • Path Length /statute/: 0.4 miles
  • Path Width /maximum/: 70 yards
  • Fatalities: 0
  • Injuries:0
  • Start Date: 05/27/2024
  • Start Time: 06:20 PM EDT
  • Start Location: 1 SE Rutledgedale / Wayne County / PA
  • Start Lat/Lon: 41.7003 / -75.1748
  • End Date: 05/27/2024
  • End Time: 06:22 PM EDT
  • End Location: 1 SE Rutledgedale / Wayne County / PA
  • End Lat/Lon: 41.7009 / -75.1674

Survey Summary

A brief tornado touched down near the intersection of Oregon Turnpike and Cochecton Turnpike in West Damascus in the early evening of May 27th. The tornado initially produced minor tree and crop damage and lifted some debris into powerlines. It then continued eastward and crossed Cochecton Turnpike as well as Rutledgedale Road, uprooted a very large tree, and lofted additional debris into the tree. The tornado then crossed through a farm and caused significant roof and structural damage to a couple of barns. This is where the tornado was at its peak strength, with a metal roof partially lifted off a barn and a large wooden door ripped off another barn. Debris was also lofted down a hill roughly 100 feet away. Some minor tree and crop damage was observed down this hill, which was the last visible damage of the survey and the determined location where the tornado lifted.

We would like to thank the Damascus Township Emergency Management Coordinator, Wayne County Emergency Management, and local impacted residents for their help in completing this survey.

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

  • EF0: 65 to 85 mph
  • EF1: 86 to 110 mph
  • EF2: 111 to 135 mph
  • EF3: 136 to 165 mph
  • EF4: 166 to 200 mph
  • EF5: >200 mph

Click on the images below or the map above for a larger view.

Barn off roof. Looking from the inside the barn.

Roof off barn. Viewed from inside barn.

Roof off barn, viewed from outside the barn.

Roof of barn. Viewed from outside of barn.

 

Additional Information: