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25 years ago: Tornado touched down on Mt Washington

PITTSBURGH — Twenty-five years ago today on June 8, 1998, eight different tornadoes touched down in western Pennsylvania. Most of them were of the lower F0 or F1 categories, but an F2 tornado crossed through the higher elevations of Fayette County and an F3 tornado plowed through rural sections of Somerset County.

Old Fujita Scale (prior to the adoption of the Enhanced Fujita scale in 2007):

  • F0: <73 mph
  • F1: 73-112 mph
  • F2: 113-157 mph
  • F3: 158-206 mph
  • F4: 207-260 mph
  • F5: 261-318 mph

However, the most impactful tornado in and around Pittsburgh was the F1 that ripped through 32 miles of Allegheny and extreme western Westmoreland county. This was the infamous Mt. Washington tornado, where the most damage and injuries occurred. Numerous roofs were blown off along with uprooted trees and torn down brick walls. Other Pittsburgh suburbs that sustained damage included Hazelwood and Rankin, along with areas just north of Baldwin. Fifty people were hurt from this tornado although the injuries were relatively minor.

Other tornadoes included a pair in Beaver County along with another F1 that formed near Donegal in Washington County which eventually crossed the Pennsylvania turnpike.

This outbreak, along with May 31, 1985, reminds us that May and June are typically the most active severe weather months in Pennsylvania, despite how quiet it’s been so far this year.

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