Strong winds knock out power, cause damage; Wind advisory in effect

PITTSBURGH — Strong winds across much of the Channel 11 viewing area Monday have caused damage in several places.

A fallen tree caused a campus-wide power outage around noon at Robert Morris University's Moon campus.

In Mount Lebanon, officials said winds brought down traffic signals and wires on Scott Road. The area was closed while crews worked to clear the scene.

A wind gust of 49 mph was recorded at 12:25 p.m. at Pittsburgh International Airport in Findlay and a 46 mph gust was reported around 1:40 p.m. at the Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin, according to reports to the National Weather Service. The highest gust reported to the NWS as of 4 p.m. was a 53 mph blast shortly in Peters, Washington County.

Severe Weather Team 11 meteorologist Kevin Benson said the NWS has issued a wind advisory until 3 a.m. Tuesday for much of Western Pennsylvania and until 9 a.m. in the mountain ridges to the east and southeast. Steady winds of 20 mph to 25 mph with gusts reaching up to 50 mph are expected for much of the area.

“Winds will remain strong through the evening and then relax a bit by dawn Tuesday,” Severe Weather Team 11 Chief Meteorologist Stephen Cropper said.

Besides downed trees and power lines, Benson warned that the gusts could pose problems for empty tractor-trailers and other high-profile vehicles.

Afternoon and evening classes at Robert Morris were canceled by the power outage, school spokesman Jonathan Potts said.

“The cause appears to be a downed power line, due to high winds that felled a tree,” he said.

In Fayette, the county Emergency Management Agency reported numerous trees down around the county from high winds. Motorists were advised to beware of limbs and debris across some roadways.

Stick with Severe Weather Team 11 and WPXI.com for updated forecast information.

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Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE contributed to this report.

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