PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: A line of severe thunderstorms transformed into a derecho, resulting in intense wind gusts across the Ohio Valley and interior Northeast, causing fatalities and power outages.
👥 Who’s Involved: Residents and emergency services in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and particularly Pittsburgh, were affected.
📍 Where & When: The events unfolded Tuesday evening, impacting areas from Indianapolis eastward across western and central Pennsylvania.
💬 Key Quote: “Wind gusts in some areas were nearly 80 mph. For some communities, this derecho could be a once-in-10-year or even a once-in-20-year event,” stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Alan Reppert.
⚠️ Impact: There were at least three fatalities, significant property damage, and power outages for 700,000 customers, primarily in Pennsylvania. Strong winds reached 80 mph, toppling trees and power lines, causing disruptions.
IN FULL:
A swift-moving line of severe thunderstorms developed into a derecho on the evening of April 29, wreaking havoc across the Ohio Valley and the interior Northeast. This weather phenomenon resulted in at least three deaths and widespread power outages. Pennsylvania bore the brunt with the highest number of outages.
Particularly hard-hit areas included southeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Areas saw speeds typically associated with low-end tornadoes, but affected a broader region in this instance. “Wind gusts in some areas were nearly 80 mph. For some communities, this derecho could be a once-in-10-year or even a once-in-20-year event,” stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Alan Reppert.
In Pittsburgh, a man tragically lost his life due to electrocution from live wires, according to the public safety department. Emergency crews responding to St. Martin Street found the man deceased at the location. Another storm-related fatality was recorded in Allegheny County.
The severity of the derecho led to substantial disruptions, including 911 service outages in the Pittsburgh area. Public safety officials recommended that residents contact their local police if they experienced phone difficulties. Recorded wind gusts in Pittsburgh reached 71 mph.
A suspected tornado was also sighted south of State College while fierce storms ravaged parts of Pennsylvania. Central Pennsylvania faced substantial outages as trees and power lines were knocked down, affecting half a million customers across the state.
A tragic incident in State College claimed the life of a 22-year-old man who was electrocuted while attempting to put out a mulch fire near a damaged utility pole.
Experts categorize this as the first derecho of 2025. Derechos are long-lived storm lines causing straight-line wind damage over at least 400 miles, as this one did from near the Ohio-Indiana border to central Pennsylvania. The storm comes just over a month after powerful storms swept over the Midwest and South, leaving 42 people dead.
KDKA Drone Team above East Ohio St in Millvale where severe storms blew the roof off of a building onto a pickup truck below. No injuries reported. The building belongs to Distinctly U, a bathroom & kitchen remodeler. @KDKA #FirstAlertWeather pic.twitter.com/uJVbZt2Lz9
— Ian Smith (@ismithKDKA) April 30, 2025
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