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The National Weather Service surveys storm damage in Lancaster County

WEST COCALICO TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. – The NWS has confirmed an EF-1 tornado did touch down for a brief time in West Cocalico Township Sunday eve...

WEST COCALICO TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - The NWS has confirmed an EF-1 tornado did touch down for a brief time in West Cocalico Township Sunday evening.. The National Weather Service and Lancaster County Emergency Management Agency spent Monday afternoon surveying the damage left behind from the Sunday evening storms.

The NWS and Lancaster County EMA taking a look 400 feet above the damage from Sunday night's storm in West Cocalico Township.

"It just gives a much better perspective from the air," said Michael Jurewicz, The National Weather Service State College.

Lancaster County EMA flying its drone to help the NWS determine if a tornado touched down.

"What we typically look for on these damage surveys are that the patterns of damage," asked Jurewicz. "How objects are laid down, are they blown down in a straight line? is there a chaotic pattern?"

The drone capturing the ways trees fell, and roofs ripped off homes. Having a drone in this type of situation helps speed up the process of piecing together the damage left behind from a possible tornado.

"If you can look at a big picture in one motion rather than stitch together photos of the ground," said Jurewicz. "Sometimes you can get a much better idea of the pattern."

During Sunday night's storms, the Ephrata Police Department alone received more than 70 storm related calls. The majority of the damage happening on Kline Road, the area in West Cocalico Township, the NWS and Lancaster County EMA surveyed.

"It's a lot more than what I thought," said Philip Colvin, Lancaster County EMA Director. "You know we knew there were some bad things going on but its more than what we originally thought for sure."

The NWS is still reviewing footage of the damage and will have more details about the EF-1 tornado when they complete their review.

 

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