PENNSYLVANIA, USA — It’s time for another weather rewind, where we look back at this past week’s weather with a twist.
This week, more severe weather made the headlines.
Severe storms across the eastern half of the nation produced tornadoes, and a handful of them were in the Mid-Atlantic.
LET’S REWIND
Severe storms battered the eastern U.S. Saturday, with a handful of them hitting a little too close to home.
In eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, a total of nine tornadoes were reported.
The strongest was an EF3 tornado in southern Delaware with winds estimated at 140 miles per hour.
Closer to home, an EF1 was confirmed in lower Bucks County, in the neighboring northeast suburbs of Philadelphia.
Another notable one occurred right over the Delaware River in New Jersey, where an EF1 tornado produced winds estimated at 100 miles per hour.
The same line of severe storms crossed through central Pennsylvania first before intensifying more as it moved east.
It’s a close call and a reminder that our area gets tornadoes too.
Let’s take a look.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Here’s a look at all the tornadoes reported in our area by county since 1950.
The lowest count is in areas northwest of Harrisburg, and that includes Mifflin, Juniata and Perry counties.
The higher elevation terrain tends to limit tornado development—to be fair, they are also less-populated counties, so some could have been missed because no one was there to report them.
Lancaster and York counties have seen the most tornadoes because terrain is less of an issue both along and east of the Susquehanna River.
Before we finish up here, it’s a good time to remind everyone where to go if there is a Tornado Warning.
Always head to the interior portion of your home or building, away from windows and doors.
Cover yourself with helmets, blankets, or even mattresses for protection.
Your basement is the best location and should be the first choice if you have one.
Keep it to the FOX43 Weather Smart team to keep you prepared this spring and summer.
You can always download the FOX43 app to get those severe weather alerts sent right to your phone too!
Stay tuned for all the “whys” behind the weather wonders that capture our attention each week!