Severe Weather/Bow-Echo of May 19, 1997

In Clinton county, a swath of thunderstorm wind damage about 15 miles long and a 1/4 mile wide occurred... roughly from around Bitumen to Westport to Renovo to Farwell. An F1 tornado with a 5 mile path lengh was embedded within this thunderstorm damage... traveling from roughly 2 miles west of Renovo, through Renovo, to 3 miles east of Renovo. Hundreds of trees were downed along the thunderstorm and tornado path, a hotel and supermarket each had half of their roofs torn off, a railroad car maintenance building had its tin roof peeled off, several other buildings had roofs damaged and other structural damage, and numerous large plate-glass storefront windows were blown out, as well as a few car windows. The pieces of the supermarket roof covered the parking lot. One pickup truck parked there at the time the storm hit was crushed by the roof rafter's and shingles. A postal truck parked in the post office parking lot was considerably damaged from flying debris. In downtown Renovo, numerous large trees were uprooted on the side of busy city steets. One hit a car, and others fell against apartment buildings, damaging soffits, siding, and facia. Some of the trees ripped the concrete sidewalk and parking meters out of the ground, and a cast iron fence was blown over. Quite a few people were unable to live in their homes due to the damage, and two shelters were setup in the Renovo area. Two area schools were forced to close the following day as a result of the severe storms. (Note: NEXRAD radar showed the bow-echo formed soon before this damage occurred, and at the time of the tornado, a hook echo was shown within a particular thunderstorm cell slightly ahead of the bow echo).

The bow-echo continued eastward into Lycoming county, with a 67 mph thunderstorm wind gust being recorded at the Williamsport/Lycoming county regional airport in Montoursville. Trees and powerlines were downed throughout much of southern Lycoming county... leaving Williamsport, South Williamsport, Montoursville, and surrounding areas in the dark. Numerous roads were blocked. In addition, part of a metal roof was peeled off of a barn in the farm areas of Loyalsock township. In Williamsport, a large storefront awning, and the store sign attached to the side of the building were blown down.

The bow-echo continued eastward into northern Luzerne county, causing widespread wind damage, primarily from severe thunderstorm winds. In townships west of Dallas township, dozens of trees and powerlines were uprooted or snapped, resulting in four homes being damaged. One had a tree in the living room. A moving car was struck by a tree near Sweet Valley, luckily in the rear, allowing the driver to walk away from the scene with minor cuts and bruises. Thunderstorm winds also blew over several trailers in this area. North of Shickshinny, in Union township, a large steeple was blown off the top of a church. In Plymouth, more trees and powerlines were brought down, resulting two houses and a garage sustaining damage. A roof was torn off a house due to severe thunderstorm wind. A tree came crashing down onto a roof-top in Larksville, and an 8x8 foot storage shed was picked up and thrown down a hill Wilkes-Barre. In Duryea and Plains township, large trees and powerlines were down all over the place. Over a dozen homes sustained damage. In the residential section of Duryea, one house had its porch ripped apart, and another had its windows shattered and gutters ripped off. Others had siding, roofing, gutter, and eave damage. A trucking garage in Pittston township had its exterior wall damaged as well. A large area was without power for many hours.

In Lackawanna county, the Old Forge Cemetery had numerous trees, some large, uprooted on its property. Several tombstones were also knocked over. In Scranton, a grocery store had its large store-front windows blown in. Several homes were damaged, some from falling trees... resulting in parts of the homes being crushed. Trees and powerlines were downed in Taylor, Throop, and just east of Dalton. In Scott township, just north of Montdale, three houses had damage from falling trees. One house had its chimney blown off. In downtown Scranton, numerous large trees and powerlines were were downed by the thunderstorm wind, resulting in the closing of many roads.

Severe thunderstorm damage occurred in several other counties as well. In Cameron county, a tree fell on a mobile home near Sinnamahoning. Trees were downed in the town of Huntingdon, Huntingdon county, in Holidaysburg, Blair county, and in Cresson & Nicktown, Cambria county. Trees were also down in Wrightsville, Warren county, and in Lecontes Mills, Clearfield county. The Penn State University in State College, Centre county, recorded a 70 mph wind gust. Trees were down in Mc Veytown and Mc Alisterville, in Mifflin & Juniata counties. A tree was downed on a car (1 injury) in Milton, Northumberland county, trees were brought down in Danville and other parts of Montour county, as well as Bloomsburg & Berwick in Columbia county. Several trees were downed in Jonestown, Lebanon county, and in Ashland, Schuylkill county. At the Worlds End State Park in Sullivan county, trees were down in a few areas. Union and Snyder counties also had damage, with trees down in Mifflinburg & Mazeppa, and a roof blown off a barn in Shamokin Dam. In Monroe county, trees and powerlines were reported down across the north half of the county, from Reeders to Skytop. Two places recorded 58 mph thunderstorm gusts. The eastern parts of Carbon county, from Albrightsville to Trachsville, experienced numerous trees and powerlines down. Parts of Northampton county received wind damage in the form of downed trees and lines... including the towns of Bangor, Raubsville, Roseto, Stockertown, Wilson, and Wind Gap. Several locations in Wayne and Pike counties had trees and powerlines down, some blocking roads. In southwest PA, Washington county, a man was killed from a flash flood. Many other western PA counties had trees and powerlines down. In Armstrong county, a 13 year-old boy was killed, with two others injured, one seriously, when thunderstorm winds blew a tree down onto their moving pickup truck.

The bow echo fell apart by the time it reached NJ, but still caused damage in some spots. In Sussex county, dozens upon dozens of trees were uprooted or snapped, some falling on houses in Fredon & Stillwater. At the Sussex county Juvenile Detention Center, a large portion of their security fencing was blown down. In Morris county, a 70 mph and a 63 mph wind gust were recorded in different parts of Chatham township. Trees and wires were down in northern Lebanon township, Hunterdon county. Other damage included downed trees in Saddle River (Bergen county).