NORTH WARREN — A tornado ripped through North Warren on June 5, causing a short but significant path of damage in its wake, according to the National Weather Service Bureau in State College.
Meteorologist Paul Head said the tornado was classified as an EF1 tornado on their enhanced scale. Head said the enhanced scale takes into account the construction of the tornado instead of wind speed alone. He said the wind speed rating is “more flexible.”
Head personally went to North Warren to assess the damage the following day. He said when he investigated the shingles torn off at one site towards the end of the twister’s path, there were only three nails holding on shingles which had been ripped off.
Head investigated another house further up the tornado’s path which also had shingles ripped off the roof. He said those shingles had four to five nails holding in the shingles. Head said he was able to ascertain there was a higher wind speed on that section of the tornado’s path as it produced the same amount of damage as it did further down the path, but with a higher grade of construction.
Head estimated the winds topped out at approximately 95 mph.
The path of the tornado started on the west side of Route 62 behind the Dairy Queen in North Warren and moved across the highway for approximately six tenths of a mile, according to Head. He said the twister then moved through a cemetery and headed for Conewango Creek.
Head said there was a “tremendous amount of damage” in the path of the twister, and there was not a tree left standing. He said with no trees left standing in the wake of the tornado, temperatures could be warmer in the twister’s path. Head said it could take years for new trees to grow.
Head also noted there was some wind damage to siding, shingles, and flashing’s of some of the buildings in the area. However, he believes the greatest amount of damage was caused by falling trees, and said two sheds and a guest house were destroyed by the tornado.
Posted: Wednesday, June 8, 2016 10:00 am
By CHUCK ABRAHAM Era Correspondent cabraham.era@gmail.com
