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NOUS41 KPBZ 261732
PNSPBZ
PAZ020-270500-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
National Weather Service PITTSBURGH PA
132 PM EDT Sun May 26 2024

...NWS Damage Survey for 05/25/2024 Beaver County Tornado...

.In the wake of thunderstorms that moved across Beaver and
Allegheny counties during the 2 PM hour, a recovered airmass re-
destabilized, allowing for the formation of an isolated supercell
thunderstorm which moved across these same areas during the 5PM
hour. Both NWS Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh International Airport
Terminal Doppler radars detected a low-reflectivity hook
signature along the southwest flank of this storm as it moved
southeast across rural Beaver county, around Racoon Creek State
Park. This storm intersected an outflow boundary leftover from the
earlier storms, serving as the focus for a brief spin-up tornado.
It should be noted that the main core of this thunderstorm would
then shortly cross over Moon, Findlay, North Fayette and Robinson
Townships, producing widespread hail that exceeded golf ball sized
at times.

.Raccoon Creek State Park area...

Rating:                 EF0
Estimated Peak Wind:    75 mph
Path Length /statute/:  0.1 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   30 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             05/25/2024
Start Time:             04:59 PM EDT
Start Location:         2 W Harshaville / Beaver County / PA
Start Lat/Lon:          40.5503 / -80.4682

End Date:               05/25/2024
End Time:               05:00 PM EDT
End Location:           2 WSW Harshaville / Beaver County / PA
End Lat/Lon:            40.5491 / -80.4673

Survey Summary:

A National Weather Service damage survey concluded that a brief
tornado touchdown occurred along Pleasant Hills road, just north of
the Raccoon Cree State Park boundary in Beaver County, PA. Damage
was limited to a utility pole and several mature trees on adjacent
properties either side of the road. One medium sized hardwood
was uprooted, while a second large, but diseased maple tree was
snapped. Several other additional trees had large branches broken
off. It was noted that neither property, nor a shed, garage or RV
suffered damage. Additionally, the overwhelming vast majority of
other trees and vegetation had no damage. In addition to the low-
reflectivity hook echo and velocity couple observed on both KPBZ
and TPIT Doppler radars, one of the residents provided video of a
slender funnel cloud as the storm passed.

Aerial drone footage, a ground survey of the Raccoon Creek State
Park, nor interviews with Pennyslvania DCNR rangers were able to
confirm any additional damage as the circulation passed through
extremely rough and densely forested terrain over the state park.

&&

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0.....65 to 85 mph
EF1.....86 to 110 mph
EF2.....111 to 135 mph
EF3.....136 to 165 mph
EF4.....166 to 200 mph
EF5.....>200 mph

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in
NWS Storm Data.


$$

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