Storm Team To Probe Peters Tornado

PETERS TOWNSHIP, PA — The National Weather Service sent teams into the field Friday to unearth details of an unexpected outbreak of tornadoes Thursday night in the Pittsburgh forecast area. A team is expected to be in Peters Saturday to investigate a confirmed tornado there.

The weather service has now confirmed five twisters, but that number could increase as the investigation continues.

The five occurred in the weather service's Pittsburgh region, which includes northwestern and southwestern Pennsylvania, southeastern Ohio, the West Virginia northern panhandle and Garrett County in Maryland.

No deaths or injuries were reported as a result of the violent weather, but the storms triggered numerous power outages and caused significant property damage throughout the region.

Weatherservice storm survey teams on Friday confirmed an EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of 100 mph in Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County, Ohio and an EF-1 with maximum winds between 90 and 95 mph near Warnock in Belmont County, Ohio.

Survey teams were on the scene Friday at the site of two confirmed twisters in Hampton and Ohio Township in Allegheny County.

Damage surveys occurred Friday in Beaver and Butler counties and one was scheduled specifically for Hopewell in Beaver County. Survey teams will be sent to West Finley in Washington County, Slippery Rock in Butler County and Mercer County.

The weather service on Friday released startling statistics regarding tornadoes in the Pittsburgh region. The area averages three confirmed tornadoes per year, but 27 have been confirmed thus far in 2021.

None of the twisters have occurred within Pittsburgh city limits.

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