Pennsylvania, 1997

High Wind in Pennsylvania, February 27, 1997

February 27, 1997 · NWS PBZ · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

A strong, fast moving cold front with strong winds ahead and behind it, downed trees and caused some structural damage throughout parts of western Pennsylvania. A roof was partially ripped from a house in Derry, Westmoreland County and numerous trees were downed on Chestnut Ridge and Laurel Hill.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$79,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 PBZ wrote it up.

A strong, fast moving cold front with strong winds ahead and behind it, downed trees and caused some structural damage throughout parts of western Pennsylvania. Westmoreland County was particularly hard hit.A roof was partially ripped from a house in Derry, Westmoreland County and numerous trees were downed on Chestnut Ridge and Laurel Hill. Also in Westmoreland County, a roof was torn from a home 1 mile north of Latrobe and some plate glass windows were blown out in Latrobe, several trees were downed in and near Ligonier, power lines were downed just west of Greensburg. Trees were reported down in Greene County near Davistown. Winds gusted to 56 miles per hour and power lines were downed 2 miles north of Sigel in Jefferson County.Winds gusted to 60 miles per hour in Braddock Hills, Allegheny County, and shingles were ripped from roofs and one roof sustained structural damage. A large tree was also downed onto a car in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh.A wind gust to 60 miles per hour was reported in Fombell in Lawrence County. Trees and power lines were downed in Parker in Armstrong County and shingles were torn off roofs.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Greene

When
February 27, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Greene forecast zone
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
39.854, -80.223 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Jefferson

When
February 27, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Measured
49 kt (56 mph)
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
41.128, -78.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Westmoreland

When
February 27, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Westmoreland forecast zone
Property damage
$50,000

High Wind, Allegheny

When
February 27, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Allegheny forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
40.469, -79.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Lawrence

When
February 27, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Lawrence forecast zone
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
40.991, -80.334 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Armstrong

When
February 27, 11:00 AM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where
Armstrong forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
40.812, -79.464 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, February 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: 5588340, 5588341, 5588342, 5588343, 5588344, 5588345.