Pennsylvania, 2002

High Wind in Pennsylvania, February 1, 2002

February 1, 2002 · NWS PBZ · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

High winds associated with a cold frontal passage downed numerous trees and power lines down across portions of western Pennsylvania. The majority of damage across the region was due to downed trees and power lines.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

High winds associated with a cold frontal passage downed numerous trees and power lines down across portions of western Pennsylvania. The majority of damage across the region was due to downed trees and power lines. In Jefferson County, a 63 MPH wind gust was measured at the Du Bois Airport. In Indiana County, a roof was partially blown off a building in Homer City by the high winds. In Beaver County, downed power lines left around 1,200 homes and businesses without power at the height of the event, especially in the cities of Big Beaver, Economy and Industry.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 1, 11:00 AM EST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 1, 11:00 AM EST, 1 hour before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
1100 AM EST FRI FEB 1 2002

UPDATE MRNG ZONES AGAIN TO ADD 6 RDGE CNTYS TO NOW TO HIGH
WIND WARNING. REST SAME.

.PBZ...
MD...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 800 PM EST FRIDAY FOR ZONE MDZ001.

OH...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 400 PM EST FRIDAY FOR ZONES OHZ039>041...
     OHZ048>050...OHZ057>059...OHZ068>069.

PA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 800 PM EST FRIDAY FOR ZONES PAZ023-030-032
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 800 PM EST FRIDAY FOR ZONES PAZ007>009
     PAZ013>016...PAZ020>022...PAZ029-031.

WV...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 800 PM EST FRIDAY FOR ZONES WVZ023-041
     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 800 PM EST FRIDAY FOR ZONES WVZ001>004
     WVZ012...WVZ021-022.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Beaver

When
February 1, 12:00 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Beaver forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
40.682, -80.349 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Indiana

When
February 1, 12:10 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Indiana forecast zone
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER

High Wind, Jefferson

When
February 1, 12:33 PM EST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
41.128, -78.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Fayette

When
February 1, 1:00 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Fayette forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind, Westmoreland

When
February 1, 1:00 PM EST to 7:00 PM EST
Where
Westmoreland forecast zone
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER

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 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, February 2002

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: 5283121, 5283123, 5283125, 5283122, 5283124.