The Campbelltown Tornado

• A strong F3-tornado ripped through the County Squire Estates sub-division in southern Lebanon County during the early afternoon of July 14, 2004.
• Over 100 homes completely destroyed, or severely damaged.
• Multiple injuries (one critical), but no deaths.
• The meteorological conditions were favorable for severe thunderstorms.
• However, they were not excessive as we have seen in larger (widespread) tornado outbreaks like May 31, 1985, May 31, 1998, and Jun 2, 1998

Infrared Satellite Image around Noon Local

Surface Observations and Fronts around 2 pm

Storm Reports for the day

Public Information Statement on the Damage Survey at Campbelltown:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
345 PM EDT THU JUL 15 2004

...STRONG F3 TORNADO CONFIRMED IN LEBANON COUNTY...

A SURVEY TEAM SENT BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE 
CONFIRMED TODAY THAT THUNDERSTORMS SPAWNED A STRONG F3 TORNADO 
DURING THE AFTERNOON OF WEDNESDAY JULY 14 IN SOUTHERN LEBANON 
COUNTY.

THE TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN AT 3:05 PM EDT...ABOUT 1 MILE WEST OF
THE TOWN OF CAMPBELLTOWN IN FAR WESTERN LEBANON COUNTY. THE TORNADO
TRAVELED EAST...AND STRUCK A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ABOUT ONE QUARTER 
MILE SOUTH OF ROUTE 322. A TOTAL OF 32 HOMES WERE DESTROYED...WITH
ANOTHER 37 HOMES SUSTAINING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. AN ADDITIONAL 50 
HOMES IN THE AREA WERE DAMAGED BY DOWNBURST WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE THUNDERSTORM THAT SPAWNED THE TORNADO. NINE OR MORE FARM
BUILDINGS WERE ALSO DAMAGED.

THE TORNADO CONTINUED ALONG A PATH TO THE EAST FOR SEVEN AND ONE
HALF MILES. THE TORNADO CROSSED ROUTE 322 WEST OF MOUNT 
PLEASANT...AND CONTINUED EAST...MAINLY ACROSS FIELDS...UNTIL IT 
LIFTED UP ABOUT 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF CORNWALL AT 3:15 PM 
EDT. THE WIDTH OF THE TORNADO WAS ONE QUARTER MILE. ALTHOUGH THE 
TORNADIC DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO THE PATH DESCRIBED...ADDITIONAL 
DAMAGE OCCURRED OUTSIDE THIS PATH...AGAIN ASSOCIATED WITH DOWNBURST 
WINDS FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM.

WINDS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 175 AND 200 MPH...MAKING THIS A STRONG 
CATEGORY 3 TORNADO ON THE FUJITA SCALE. FOR REFERENCE:

F0 - 40 TO 72 MPH WINDS
F1 - 73 TO 112 MPH WINDS
F2 - 113 TO 157 MPH WINDS
F3 - 158 TO 206 MPH WINDS
F4 - 207 TO 260 MPH WINDS
F5 - 261 TO 318 MPH WINDS

THE TORNADO INJURED 24 PERSONS...ONE CRITICALLY. NO DEATHS HAVE BEEN 
ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM.

THE AMERICAN RED CROSS OPENED A MASS CARE CENTER...WHERE OVER 50
PEOPLE REQUIRED ASSISTANCE WITH SHELTERING. BETWEEN 25,000 AND
30,000 CUSTOMERS LOST POWER IN LEBANON AND BERKS COUNTIES AS A 
RESULT OF THE STORMS.