Microburst/Straight Line Wind Damage Confirmed near Orwell in Bradford County Pennsylvania

• Location: Orwell in Bradford County Pennsylvania
• Date: July 26 2012
• Estimated time: 440 PM EDT
• Estimated maximum wind speed: 110 MPH
• Maximum path width: 700 yards
• Path length: 1.5 miles
• Beginning lat/lon: 41.83n / 76.31w
• Ending lat/lon: 41.82n / 76.29w
• Fatalities: 0
• Injuries: 0

Summary

The National Weather Service in Binghamton, NY has confirmed a microburst/straight line wind damage near Orwell in Bradford county Pennsylvania on July 26, 2012.

A path of straight line wind damage began, going up a hillside in Orwell Township, along and just north of Raglan Road. The most significant damage occurred near the northern edge of the damage path, within a logging area. Approximately 600 trees were impacted, many of them healthy hardwoods that were either snapped off or uprooted. Winds appeared to maximize in this area, reaching speeds of 100 to 110 mph.

As the microburst continued east southeastward, damage became more sporadic in nature, consisting primarily of occasional tree snaps and uproots, as well as downed limbs. The damage path appeared to end just northeast of where Raglan Road intersects with Harmony Hill Road, still in Orwell Township.

The image below is the approximate path and width of the straight line winds.

Damage Photos

For reference:

A microburst is a convective downdraft with an affected outflow area of less than 2 1/2 miles wide and peak winds lasting less than 5 minutes. Microbursts may induce dangerous horizontal/vertical wind shears, which can adversely affect aircraft performance and cause property damage. Straight-line winds are generally any wind that is not associated with rotation, used mainly to differentiate them from tornadic winds.

MJ/MJN