Pennsylvania, 2023

Hail and Damaging Winds in Pennsylvania, April 22, 2023

April 22, 2023 · NWS CTP · 17 events in 4 counties and zones

A cold front crossed Pennsylvania during the afternoon of April 22, 2023, accompanied by showers and thunderstorms. In a low CAPE/moderate shear environment, the storms congealed into a north-south oriented line containing embedded bowing segments over the Susquehanna Valley and managed to produce sporadic wind damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
$193,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
17

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 CTP wrote it up.

A cold front crossed Pennsylvania during the afternoon of April 22, 2023, accompanied by showers and thunderstorms. In a low CAPE/moderate shear environment, the storms congealed into a north-south oriented line containing embedded bowing segments over the Susquehanna Valley and managed to produce sporadic wind damage.

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:39 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, York

When
April 22, 1:40 PM EST
Where
York County, 0.53 mi E of Jefferson
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.820, -76.840

A thunderstorm produced nickel-sized hail near Jefferson.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dauphin

When
April 22, 1:45 PM EST
Where
Dauphin County, 0.77 mi SSE of Hockersville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$17,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
40.269, -76.666

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph tore half of the roof off of the Areba Barn on the Hershey Medical Center campus. A large piece of the roofing landed on a car, denting the car and breaking the rear window. There were also several trees down in a residential area across Route 322 from the Barn, along Hillview Lane and West Areba Drive.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dauphin

When
April 22, 1:45 PM EST
Where
Dauphin County, 0.19 mi SW of Olmsted Afb
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$6,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.198, -76.753

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down five utility poles along West Harrisburg Pike between Meade Avenue and Rosedale Avenue just north of Harrisburg International Airport.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dauphin

When
April 22, 1:47 PM EST
Where
Dauphin County, 1.38 mi S of Hockersville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
40.260, -76.670

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and wires in several locations around Hershey.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dauphin

When
April 22, 1:47 PM EST
Where
Dauphin County, 0.41 mi ENE of Hoernerstown
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.282, -76.723

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree through the roof of a home on South Hoernerstown Road in South Hanover Township.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dauphin

When
April 22, 1:49 PM EST
Where
Dauphin County, 1.37 mi ENE of Hershey Arpt
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$6,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
40.310, -76.647

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph produced damage to trees and siding in Derry Township.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dauphin

When
April 22, 1:50 PM EST
Where
Dauphin County, 1.57 mi SSE of Hockersville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
40.258, -76.663

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree onto a house on Hill Church Road near Hershey.

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When
April 22, 2:20 PM EST
Where
York County, 0.68 mi SSE of Hungerford
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
39.741, -76.675

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down tree limbs and power lines across Susquehanna Trail South near New Freedom.

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When
April 22, 2:35 PM EST to 2:40 PM EST
Where
York County, 0.81 mi SW of New Bridgeville to 0.74 mi NW of New Bridgeville
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.912, -76.492

A severe thunderstorm produced winds estimated near 80 mph in a downburst in eastern York County. The downburst began just west of New Bridgeville and progressed northward to near Shoff Road. Several trees and wires were downed, and a 10'x12' shed was blown over.

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When
April 22, 2:36 PM EST
Where
York County, 0.82 mi SSW of Freysville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.919, -76.606

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree onto a home along Charity Drive in Windsor Township.

Thunderstorm Wind, York

When
April 22, 2:42 PM EST
Where
York County, 1.3 mi NW of Strinestown
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$4,000
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
40.091, -76.790

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and wires west of Strinestown.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
April 22, 2:45 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 1.31 mi W of Schoeneck
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.250, -76.205

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree onto a house on Hillside Road near Schoeneck.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
April 22, 2:45 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 0.85 mi SE of Lancaster
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
40.061, -76.289

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree onto a car near Lancaster.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
April 22, 2:45 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 0.82 mi W of New Providence
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.920, -76.215

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a large branch along the 100 block of Sawmill Road in Providence Township, with one fatality reported.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
April 22, 2:45 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 0.99 mi W of Akron
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.153, -76.218

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree onto a house along Millway Road near Akron.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster

When
April 22, 2:55 PM EST
Where
Lancaster County, 0.44 mi NE of Fairfield
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
State Official
Coordinates
39.785, -76.224

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree onto a home on Slate Hill Road in Drumore Township, crushing half of the home.

Thunderstorm Wind, Schuylkill

When
April 22, 3:45 PM EST
Where
Schuylkill County, 0.05 mi NW of Orwigsburg
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$7,000
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
40.651, -76.100

A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down two large trees and damaged a greenhouse near Orwigsburg.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Thunderstorm Wind, Lancaster2023-04-2212Under TreeDirect

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, April 2023

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: 1082389, 1082368, 1082373, 1082379, 1082381, 1082377, 1082378, 1082390, 1083585, 1082371, 1082391, 1082382, 1082383, 1082384, 1082387, 1082537, 1082393.