The July 8, 1997 Elkhorn Creek TornadoDuring the late afternoon and early evening of July 8, 1997, severe thunderstorms developed across the northern tier of Pennsylvania... ahead of a warm front. Three very intense severe thunderstorms moved across the northern portions of Potter, Tioga, Bradford, and Susquehanna counties. One became tornadic in Tioga county. A tornado warning was issued at 5:41 pm for Tioga county as a rapidly developing severe thunderstorm was showing signs of strong rotation. At one point, rotational shear was over 35 mph! At 6:30 pm, a tornado warning was issued for Bradford county, and another tornado warning went out for Tioga county at 6:47 pm. The NWS mentioned in one of their severe weather statements that a tornado has been sighted with many trees down. After an NWS storm survey of Tioga county, it was confirmed that an F1 tornado, with winds averaging 80 mph, touched down in Farmington township about 8 miles west of the town of Tioga. It tracked due east for nearly 8 miles, following Elkhorn Creek. This area is extremely unpopulated, with a farm visible every now and then. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. At least one car was damaged by a falling tree. An old two story house completely collapsed (the one area where winds may have been around 90 mph), part of the roof was torn away from a barn, and a metal farm equipment building was destroyed. At some locations along the 8 mile tornado path, there was good indication of tornadic activity (rotation). Some pieces of the buildings were thrown east, while others were thrown west. Trees also fell in all directions. Quarter size (1") hail was reported with this severe thunderstorm as well. The damage in northern Bradford county was ruled to be thunderstorm winds. Numerous large trees were uprooted in Ulster, Greens Landing, and East Smithfield. Also, roof damage from a falling tree occurred in Athens township, and the roof was torn off a metal building by the thunderstorm winds. Winds were estimated by a NWS survey team to be around 60-70 mph. Nickel size hail fell with this severe thunderstorm.
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