High Wind in Pennsylvania, September 16 to 17, 1999

Strong and damaging winds plagued northeastern Pennsylvania during the late afternoon and night as the remnants of Hurricane Floyd moved up the eastern seaboard. The strong winds began during the afternoon as the tropical system reached the New Jersey coast. Blustery conditions lasted into early the next morning with persistent wind gusts estimated between 40 and 50 mph. Occasionally, wind speeds reached 60 mph or more, especially in the Pocono mountains. The gale force winds caused considerable tree and powerline damage throughout the Poconos and Wyoming valley. The Pennsylvania Power and Light (PP&L) company reported nearly 260,000 of their customers were without power at some point during the storm. Many did not have electric service restored until late in the day on September 17th. A PP&L company spokesman claimed that this was "the most damage the company had experienced in the last 20 years". Dozens of large trees and limbs were uprooted or knocked down onto buildings and cars throughout northeast Pennsylvania, but the hardest hit area was Luzerne county, especially on the ridges surrounding Wilkes-Barre. The Back Mountain and Bear Creek areas suffered considerable structural damage from trees toppling onto roofs, garages, porches and vehicles. PP&L estimated approximately 1000 powerlines were downed in this county alone. Foresters discovered several thousand uprooted and broken trees at Ricketts Glen State Park.