Damaging Wind and Lightning Strikes in Pennsylvania, May 13, 2000

A severe thunderstorm hammered the southern half of Northampton County with wind gusts that were estimate to reach 100 mph. Wind damage was reported in Bethlehem, Easton, Forks Township, Lower and Upper Nazareth Townships, Nazareth, Palmer Township, Stockertown, Tatamy and Wilson. GPU Energy reported about 36,000 homes and businesses lost power in the Lehigh Valley. There were more than 35 poles knocked down. Pennsylvania Power and Light reported that 11,000 customers lost power in Northampton County. Hardest hit were locations along the U.S. Route 22 corridor. Power was not completely restored until Tuesday night the 16th. Numerous major roadways were closed because of downed trees and wires and included Pennsylvania State Routes 33 and 248. U.S. Route 22 was littered with debris. A few homes suffered major damage and numerous cars were damaged by fallen trees. The only reported injuries occurred because of lightning strikes. A boy was struck by lightning in Nazareth Borough and a 78-year-old man was struck outside his home in Easton. The lightning bolt struck the man in his foot, burned a hole in his sock and went through the back of his thigh. The man escaped with first-degree burns to his foot.In Bethlehem, the thunderstorm winds collapsed a half dozen booths at the Bethlehem Fine Arts Show. A 150-year-old catalpa tree was knocked down. In Lower Nazareth Township wind damage occurred along Georgetown Road as siding was removed from a barn. A billboard sign was spewed across a field. The wind damage continued between Pennsylvania State Route 946 and Newburg Road east to Pennsylvania State Route 248. Some of the worst wind damage occurred along Georgetown and Blossom Hill Roads in Upper Nazareth Townships. The back of one house collapsed on Blossom Hill Road. A large oak tree destroyed the family room of another house on Georgetown Road. In Nazareth Borough, dozens of roads were closed because of downed poles, transformers and trees. The worst damage was around the Moravian Hall Square Retirement Center. In Palmer Township, a home under construction collapsed; another home was severely damaged.