Wind Damage in Lycoming County on 18 September 2016

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Wind Damage occurred in southern Lycoming County on the 18th of September, 2016

Please see the following Information Statements regarding a storm damage survey conducted by the NWS in State College and Lycoming County Emergency Management and Public Safety Officers. Two distinct areas of damage were observed, one near Montgomery and the other in Muncy. Both were due to microbursts (straight-line winds) of 80 to 100 MPH. No evidence of tornadoes was observed by the survey team.

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
752 PM EDT MON SEP 19 2016

...Microburst /straight line wind damage/ confirmed in
Lycoming County...

Location...Muncy in Lycoming County Pennsylvania
Date...September 18 2016
Estimated Time...654 - 700 PM EDT
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...90-100 MPH
Maximum Path Width...1 MILE
Path Length...1.5 MILES
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

* The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event(s) and publication in
NWS Storm Data.

...Summary...
The National Weather Service in State College PA has confirmed a
Microburst (Straight Line Wind Damage) occurred in Muncy in Lycoming
County Pennsylvania on September 18 2016.

Widespread tree damage occurred in the borough of Muncy in Lycoming
County on the evening of September 18th 2016.

Based on a "stopped clock" report and consistent eyewitness accounts
the damage occurred at 655pm. The bulk of the damage was the downing
of small limbs and branches covering a several square block area.

However, multiple large pine trees were snapped and uprooted causing
significant structural damage to several houses and at least one
vehicle near the intersection of Quarry Road and Broadway. In total,
around 100 trees were downed or damaged in the vicinity of Quarry
and Broadway.

Another area of concentrated damage was on the Young Industries
property near Painter Street and Schuyler Ave. Three buildings lost a
significant portion of the roofs blown off. A power pole was snapped
inside the property. The debris caused more damage as it was blown
to the east. Most of the roofing material ended up in a ballfield
near the Muncy High School. The time of the damage can be fixed at
654 PM EDT based on the time which business computers lost power.
Additionally, another dozen to two dozen trees were damaged or downed
in this area.

All eyewitnesses reported a short period of very intense rainfall
concurrent with the strongest winds. This description is consistent
with a "wet microburst."  Up to 5.5 inches of rain was measured in
Muncy. Most of this rain fell after the onset of the damaging winds.

This information can also be found on our website at
weather.gov/StateCollege.

For reference...
A microburst is a convective downdraft with an affected outflow
area of less than 2 1/2 miles wide and peak winds lasting less
than 5 minutes. Microbursts may induce dangerous horizontal and
vertical wind shears...which can adversely affect aircraft
performance and cause property damage. Straight-line winds are
generally any wind that is not associated with rotation...used
mainly to differentiate them from tornadic winds.

$$

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
811 PM EDT MON SEP 19 2016

...Microburst (straight line wind damage) confirmed in
Lycoming County...

Location...Montgomery in Lycoming County Pennsylvania
Date...September 18 2016
Estimated Time...645 PM EDT
Estimated Maximum Wind Speed...80 MPH
Maximum Path Width...400 YARDS
Path Length...2 MILES
* Fatalities...0
* Injuries...0

* The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event(s) and publication in
NWS Storm Data.

...Summary...
The National Weather Service in State College PA has confirmed a
Microburst (Straight Line Wind Damage) near Montgomery in
Lycoming County Pennsylvania on September 18 2016.

An area of tree damage and some minor structural damage occurred
just to the southwest of Montgomery, PA on September 18th, 2016.
The most significant building damage occurred along Pinchtown Road
at the New Covenant Assembly Church. Several houses had minor
damage to siding and trees down along nearby Houston Ave.

Additional trees fell along much of Cemetery Hill Rd. Up to 50
trees in the area were damaged or uprooted. Most of the damage
was blown to the north or northwest.

Eyewitness reports place the time of the damage at 645 PM EDT.

This information can also be found on our website at
weather.gov/StateCollege.

For reference...
A microburst is a convective downdraft with an affected outflow
area of less than 2 1/2 miles wide and peak winds lasting less
than 5 minutes. Microbursts may induce dangerous horizontal and
vertical wind shears...which can adversely affect aircraft
performance and cause property damage. Straight-line winds are
generally any wind that is not associated with rotation...used
mainly to differentiate them from tornadic winds.

$$