Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, May 19, 1997

A bow echo type severe thunderstorm raced across northern sections of the county between 800 pm EDT and 900 pm. Widespread wind damage resulted, especially in the Wyoming Valley. West of Dallas township, numerous trees were uprooted and toppled around 820 pm. Four homes sustained damage from falling trees and several trailers were also blown over. At 825 pm, a large steeple was blown off the top of a church in Union township, north of Shickshinny. From 830 to 835 pm, trees and wires were felled in Plymouth, causing damage to 2 homes and a garage. A roof was also torn off a house. At 835 pm, a tree was blown onto a roof top in Larksville. At 845 pm, an 8x8 foot storage shed was picked up and blown down the side of a hill in Wilkes-Barre. Around 850 pm, numerous large trees and power lines were blown down in Duryea and Plains township. More than a dozen homes were damaged in these two localities and a grocery store also had their windows blown in. At 855 pm, the exterior wall of a trucking garage was damaged by the wind in Pittston township.

The same line of severe storms that produced widespread damage in Luzerne county moved through Lackawanna county between 845 pm EDT and 930 pm, producing additional wind damage. At 845 pm, numerous trees and power lines were downed just east of Dalton. At 855 pm, more trees and power lines were toppled in Taylor. From 900 to 905 pm, the storm moved through downtown Scranton, downing trees and power lines throughout the city. The most concentrated area of damage was on Adams street where large trees were blocking the road. At 905 pm, more trees and power lines came down in Throop. At 915 pm, three homes sustained damage from falling trees in Scott township, just north of Montdale. One of the houses also had their chimney blown off.

Severe thunderstorms that inflicted considerable wind damage on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton vicinity moved through Wayne county between 910 pm EDT and 945 pm. At 910 pm, numerous large trees and wires were blown down in Lake Ariel. Routes 196 and 296 were both blocked from fallen trees and live wires. At about 925 pm, more large trees and utility poles came down in Hawley. A few homes sustained minor damage.

The line of severe thunderstorms continued to march eastward towards the Delaware river. It caused more wind damage as it crossed Pike county. At about 930 pm EDT, strong winds downed more large trees in Green township, with several blocking roadways. From 940 to 945 pm, many trees and power lines were downed from Dingham township to Milford. Roadways were temporarily closed in Dingham while crews cleared debris. At 950 pm in Shohola, more trees and wires came crashing down.