Gust Upends Tent at Morgantown, WV, Ballpark, Injures Several
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
(TNS)
The National Weather Service in Moon will investigate reports that a tornado touched down Saturday afternoon in the Bentleyville area.
A storm moving through Western Pennsylvania packed heavy rain and winds shortly before 3 p.m. The weather service had issued a tornado warning at 2:44 p.m., meaning a tornado had been sighted or indicated by weather radar.
The warning expired at 3:15 p.m. During that 29-minute period, the weather service received reports that a tornado may have touched down in an area that included Bentleyville, Connellsville, Monessen and California, Pa.
Shannon Hefferan, an NWS meteorologist, said her agency would investigate.
“Unless we get a line of damage correlated with a tornado, we can't call it a tornado, but I mean, we've been having tons of trees down just because of the thunderstorms. … We’re going to have to go out and survey before we call it anything,” Hefferan said.
The tornado reports came in as the region was under a severe weather watch Saturday, with strong winds, hail and thunderstorms possible.
In Morgantown, W.Va., several people were reportedly injured when a severe thunderstorm moved through the area where West Virginia University was playing host to a super regional NCAA baseball game. MetroNews, the Voice of West Virginia, reported that the storm struck the Kendrick Family Ballpark.
Several thousand fans were in the park at the time, with winds overturning large tents on what’s known as Randy’s Ridge overlooking the facility. The game, with WVU leading Cal Poly 17-1 in the eighth inning, was delayed as the storm approached.
Monongalia County EMS reported seven people were injured but indicated that number could climb. Five of the seven were taken to Morgantown hospitals, MetroNews reported.
Western Pennsylvania, parts of Ohio and West Virginia could see damaging winds that could knock down trees and power lines, quarter-sized hail and the chance of an isolated tornado, Hefferan said earlier in the day. There was also an isolated risk of flooding risk, especially in urban areas where draining issues can arise.
At 2 p.m. Saturday, the NWS put out a severe weather warning for southeastern Allegheny County until 3:45 p.m.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma gave the storm a two out of five, meaning there’s a slight risk, Hefferan said.
The severe weather watch is in effect until 6 p.m., according to the NSW.
Duquesne Light said it has increased staffing Saturday afternoon to respond to possible downed power lines and service disruptions.
Temperatures Saturday will be muggy and hover around the mid-80s, although “if there’s some rain lingering about we might not get to that high temperature,” Hefferan said.
Lows overnight into Sunday will be in the mid-60s.
Lingering thunderstorms could continue through the early morning hours Sunday, “but they likely won’t be as severe,” Hefferan said.
Temperatures Sunday will be in the mid-80s, with Pittsburgh nearing 87 degrees.
“Because we’re not going to have a lot of precipitation … it might be a tad bit warmer,” Hefferan said.
Temperatures will climb close to 90 degrees Monday and Tuesday.
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