High Wind — Higher Elevations of Indiana County, Pennsylvania

2024-01-09 · Higher Elevations of Indiana County, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

The call center reported that numerous power lines were blown down across the county during the day. Specific examples were noted on Mack Drive near Wehrum and Black Lick Road near Armagh.

Wider weather episode

A strong surface low pressure center was located over the middle Mississippi Valley during the morning of January 9th, and tracked across Ohio and the eastern Great Lakes through the 10th. Many reports of rainfall in the 1 to 2 inch range were received from area gauges. However, wind was the main impactful factor with this system. Southeast downsloping wind resulted in numerous instances of tree and structural damage along west-facing slopes of Indiana, Westmoreland, and Fayette Counties. Wind gusts of up to 66 MPH were measured at Latrobe. Generally less severe wind gusts and damage were noted in other portions of southwest Pennsylvania.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1159236. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.