More than 200,000 homes and businesses lost power in Pennsylvania after fierce winds hit the Pittsburgh area Tuesday evening, downing trees, snapping power lines, and even setting a utility pole on fire.
The National Weather Service confirmed wind gusts reached 80 to 90 mph — stronger than some tornadoes the region usually sees.
That kind of power is similar to EF0 and EF1 tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which measure wind damage.
In Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, over 216,000 customers were left in the dark, according to a USA TODAY power outage tracker.
Local power company Duquesne Light said its crews were working as quickly as possible to assess damage and begin repairs. But because the damage was widespread and severe, the company warned that it could take time before full power is restored.
They encouraged customers to report outages online or through their mobile app. They also reminded people to stay far away from downed power lines and report any emergencies to their hotline at (888) 393-7000.
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“The severity of the weather and the widespread damage will likely delay assessments and estimated restoration times,” Duquesne Light posted on social media.
Photos and videos shared online showed uprooted trees, blocked roads, and damaged property. Emergency crews and utility workers were on the scene throughout the night.
The storm is part of a larger weather system that’s been sweeping across the country. Severe thunderstorms are expected to move out of the Northeast by the morning of April 30, with cooler, drier weather arriving by May 1.
Meanwhile, the same storm system is bringing more bad weather to the South. On April 30, strong thunderstorms are forecast to hit parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley and southern Plains.
Officials continue to warn residents to stay indoors, avoid flooded areas and downed wires, and check for emergency updates as cleanup and repairs begin.
