High Wind — Lancaster, Pennsylvania

2025-12-29 · Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

High winds began during the afternoon hours of December 29th and continued into the evening hours with the highest wind gust, measured at 58 mph, being observed in Manheim during the early evening hours of December 29th. Gusty winds continued into the morning hours of December 30th before slightly diminishing by the afternoon hours.

Wider weather episode

A strong area of low pressure stationed across Quebec allowed for an extremely tight pressure gradient to form across western Pennsylvania, with strong isallobaric forcing allowing for ample mixing of wind gusts from aloft down towards the surface beginning in the morning hours of December 29th. The strongest winds were observed during the afternoon hours when this mixing was most pronounced and the pressure gradient also allowed for strong wind gusts, before slowly tapering off into the morning hours of December 30th for much of the area; however, strong winds gusts remained into the late morning hours of December 30th across the Laurel Highlands.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1306102. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.