Persistent Friday storms caused damage, flooding across region

PITTSBURGH — Severe weather impacted much of the Channel 11 viewing area on Friday, causing damage and flooding for many communities.

The long line of storms produced quarter-sized hail and damaging winds in excess of 60 mph, in addition to dangerous lightning.

Washington County was one of the hardest-hit areas throughout the day on Friday.

Washington County officials reported to the National Weather Service that, due to heavy rainfall, Catfish Run flooded West Maiden Street and Washington Avenue, and got close to Chestnut Street.

Channel 11’s Cara Sapida was told that firefighters had to shut down roads in the city of Washington because cars were barely able to make it along the roads.

Cameron Stadium, Washington and Jefferson College’s football field, was covered in water when Chopper 11 flew over it earlier Friday.

The flooding also affected houses in the city of Washington.

Kenneth Springs, who lives on Campbell Avenue, told Channel 11’s Vince Sims that he was working and had no idea his house had flooded. When Springs arrived home, he said he found puddles of water throughout the basement.

Springs told Sims that he had just bought the house, his childhood home, and was in the process of remodeling it.

"This is what I came home to. I don't know how high in here and you can [tell] ‘cause you are down here it got over the top of the lawn mower and smells like gasoline real bad. It tipped over my gas cans for my mower and lawn equipment," said Springs.

Meanwhile parts of northern Fayette County were hit with nearly 2 inches of rain and Jefferson County residents continued to clean up from a storm that swept through Thursday night.

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