High Wind in Pennsylvania, December 1, 1996

Damaging southwest winds moved through Berks County and the Lehigh Valley during the late afternoon of the 1st.In Berks County, about 15,000 Pennsylvania Power and Light homes in the southwest part of the county lost power. Spring Township was the hardest hit community with numerous downed trees reported. A wind gust to 60 mph was measured in Vinemont at 4 p.m. EST. Other communities losing power included Robesonia, Shillington, Sinking Spring, Womelsdorf and Wyomissing. A wind gust to 58 mph was measured at the Reading Regional Airport. Dozens of trees were uprooted within Reading. In West Reading at 5 p.m. EST the wind peeled the roof from a rowhouse off and damaged another home's chimney. In Robeson Township, the wind peeled a 50-foot-long roof from a machinery shed near the Green Hills Golf Course. Another 2,600 General Power Utilities homes also lost power in the eastern part of the county around 4 p.m. EST in Birdsboro, Boyertown, Flying Hills and Topton. Eighty percent of the customers had power returned by 9 p.m. EST. A few trees were also uprooted in Bethel Township. In Lehigh County, several trees were knocked down in Coopersburg near the Pennsylvania State Route 519 Junction. In Northampton County, about 1,500 Pennsylvania Power and Light customers lost power in Hanover and Bethlehem. Downed trees blocked roadways in Easton and Hanover. Trees also littered Pennsylvania State Route 611 north of Easton.