Strong Wind — Bucks, Pennsylvania

2007-12-16 to 2007-12-17 · Bucks, Pennsylvania

Wider weather episode

A strong area of high pressure was anchored over southeastern Canada on December 15th. This high gradually moved eastward during the day, however it wedged itself down into the Mid Atlantic region. Meanwhile, a storm system became more organized across the Gulf Coast states. This storm tracked northeastward from the 15th to the 16th. As the main storm tracked into Ohio on the 16th, a secondary area of low pressure developed near southern Delaware during that morning. Strong winds resulted as the storm intensified, mostly as the storm itself began to depart during the evening and overnight on the 16th. Peak wind gusts averaged around 50 mph.

The combination of the ice on the trees and wires and the strong winds led to widespread power outages across Eastern Pennsylvania. About 160,000 homes and businesses lost power. Power was not completely restored everywhere until the 19th. The longest outages were in Berks County where shelters were opened in Bernville, Oley and Sinking Spring.

Several homes were damaged by downed trees in the northwest Philadelphia suburbs as Bucks County reported the most damage. About 40,000 homes and businesses lost power. In Buckingham Township on Lancaster Drive, a two-year-old girl narrowly escaped injury as a tree fell into her bedroom. Her mother was injured rescuing her daughter. Three more homes were also damaged by downed trees and/or ensuing fires from downed wires in Bristol Township and Lower Makefield Township. In Towamensing Township, a garage fire was started by downed wires. Elsewhere in Bucks County, downed trees that blocked roads and power outages were reported in Hilltown, Bedminster and East and West Rockhill Townships. After the wind ceased, a 48-year-old man was killed by a tree limb in Bridgeton Township. He was struck in the head by the limb after he slipped on the ice trying to avoid it. The tree was in the process of being removed because of the wind damage it suffered.

In Montgomery County, Franconia Township was hit the hardest as the wind caused over a dozen reports of downed wires. Roadways were closed for up to six hours. Most of the township lost power and a shelter was opened at the fire station. In Hatfield Township, a large tree was knocked down. In Delaware County, in Villanova, a downed 200 foot oak tree cut a home in half. In Chester County, the strong winds overturned a tractor-trailer on Eastbound U.S. Route 422 in North Coventry Township. The roadway was closed for six hours until the tractor-trailer was removed. In Carbon County, Interstate 80 was closed for a couple of hours because of downed wires.

Measured peak wind gusts included 52 mph at the Philadelphia International Airport, in London Grove (Chester County) and on Newbold Island (Bucks County), 51 mph at the Northeast Philadelphia Airport and 44 mph at the Lehigh Valley International Airport.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 69984. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.