Lightning, Northampton
- When
- August 16, 3:25 PM EST
- Where
- Northampton County, Bath
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Coordinates
- 40.754, -75.307 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, August 16, 1997
A squall line of severe thunderstorms caused wind damage in Northampton County, especially across the northern tier border with Monroe County. Scores of downed trees were reported.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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.
A squall line of severe thunderstorms caused wind damage in Northampton County, especially across the northern tier border with Monroe County. Scores of downed trees were reported. Downed trees blocked sections of Pennsylvania State Route 611 in Lower Mount Bethel Township. The severe thunderstorms also downed trees in Bangor, Bath, Fords, Moore Township, Roseto and Upper Mount Bethel Township. In Easton, numerous trees were knocked down and one tree crushed a vehicle. In Bethlehem, the damaging winds lifted the roof off a stage at the Musikfest celebration. Pennsylvania Power and Light reported about 8,000 homes and businesses lost power in the storm. In addition to the strong winds, lightning ignited a fire that ran through a row of townhouses in Bath. Six families were left homeless.
The radar
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:22 UTC.
Event by event
1 lightning, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Northampton
- When
- August 16, 3:25 PM EST
- Where
- Northampton County, Countywide
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph)
- Coordinates
- 40.720, -75.300
What these are
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in Maryland, August 16 to 17, 1997
- Heat in Virginia, August 16 to 17, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Ohio, August 16, 1997
- Heat in District of Columbia, August 16 to 17, 1997
- Heat in Pennsylvania, August 16 to 17, 1997
- Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, August 16, 1997
- Damaging Winds in New York, August 16, 1997
- Tornado in Pennsylvania, August 16, 1997
- Tornado in Pennsylvania, August 16, 1997
- Damaging Wind in New Jersey, August 16, 1997
- Damaging Wind in New Jersey, August 16, 1997
- Damaging Wind in New Jersey, August 16, 1997
More
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, August 1997
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: 5621629, 5621630.