Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, July 19, 1996

Name: Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, July 19, 1996
Start: 1996-07-19T08:25
End: 1996-07-19T08:25
Location: Pennsylvania

July 19, 1996 · NWS PHI · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Lightning struck a Muhlenburg Township home's chimney. Debris from the chimney fell through the roof and severed a gas line.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.

Lightning struck a Muhlenburg Township home's chimney. Debris from the chimney fell through the roof and severed a gas line. There was extensive roof damage, but the rest of the house was not damaged.

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 139 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Berks

When: July 19, 8:25 AM EST
Where: Berks County, 2 mi SW of Temple
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 40.416, -75.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Pennsylvania, July 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5562841.