Tornadoes · United States · Pennsylvania · 2021
EF0 tornado, Indiana Co Arpt, Pennsylvania, July 29, 2021
This EF0 tornado ran 0.1 miles across Indiana County on July 29, 2021, touching down at 5:20 PM EDT and reaching 10 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $50,000 of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- EF0
- Date
- July 29, 2021
- Touchdown
- 5:20 PM EDT (21:20 UTC)
- Lifted
- 5:21 PM EDT (21:21 UTC)
- On the ground
- 1 minutes
- Path length
- 0.1 miles (0.1 km)
- Path width
- 10 yards (9 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Crop damage
- $1,000
- County
- Indiana County
- Touchdown point
- 40.617, -79.096
- Lift-off point
- 40.617, -79.095
- Record number
- 2107291520-01
The damage survey
5 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS PBZ, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF0. The highest wind the damage implies is 77 mph.
- Tin roof and wall ripped off and tossed into the field about 100 feet.
- A 2x4 hit the tin siding of shed and punctured it.
- A barn roof and siding was tossed into a cornfield.
Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.
What the Weather Service recorded
A shortwave passage during the morning of July 29th spread mainly non-severe showers and thunderstorms across the region during the morning and midday hours. However, a discrete cell along the back edge of the morning activity was able to develop an EF1 tornado along the Fayette-Westmoreland County border. This was a preview of what was to follow. ||In the wake of this morning activity, instability was able to build as partial clearing occurred. Additional thunderstorms were able to develop in association with a prefrontal trough. These storms were able to take advantage of deep shear, especially in the lower levels. A cross-boundary component to this shear allowed discrete supercells to form during the mid and late afternoon hours. Storm motions were favorable for the ingestion of streamwise vorticity, allowing for rotating storms, and the development of additional tornadoes in southwest Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio. Three additional tornadoes occurred in southwest Pennsylvania, causing generally tree and light structural damage. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. A few other damaging wind reports were received as well.
An EF-0 tornado, that was observed by live video and confirmed via damage |survey, began in a cornfield near Geesey Road, crossed a farmers property, |and dissipated at the end of the property. Minor crop damage was noted|near Geesey Road where the tornado began. The tornado then tracked |east-southeast where it struck the side of a barn and tossed portions |of the roofing and siding 100 feet away from the structure. Finally, |some damage was noted on the side of a open barn shed where a 2x4 struck a |metal side of a structure. Maximum wind speed was estimated at 75 MPH.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at Jul 29, 1:37 PM EDT, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 1:37 PM EDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 137 PM EDT Thu Jul 29 2021 .SYNOPSIS... Showers and thunderstorms will be crossing the area today with the passage of a cold front. High pressure returns dry and seasonably cool conditions for the first half of the weekend. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... A shortwave will finish its exit through the region shortly, pushing most convection east while leaving a residual trail of cloud cover. Though storms may continue north of I-80 due weak sfc convergence, the main focus will be on scattered shower and thunderstorm development ahead of an approaching pre-frontal trough this afternoon and early evening. Storms could become severe with damaging wind and large hail the primary threats in part due to abundant shear and increasingly dry mid-level air. However, there are two factors that may limit the threat, keeping confidence low that one even develops. The first factor is waning upper support as the sfc feature lags behind the exiting shortwave; more limited storm coverage is the likely outcome of this. The other factor is instability, or the lack thereof, at the moment given excessive cloud cover from this morning's convection. Very simply: more heating/destabilization is needed to foster robust storm development and tap into the shear/dry air to create the severe threat. Overnight, additional weak shortwaves and the passage of the sfc cold front may aid iso/sct showers with localized thunder. Otherwise, drier conditions are expected due to building high pressure and dry, cold advection. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... High pressure will slowly build in from the northwest on Friday with dry conditions expected through Saturday. Temperatures will run below seasonal averages under cold advection. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Another shortwave within the broad eastern U.S. upper trough will push a weak sfc cold front through the region Sunday, increasing precipitation chances. High pressure should resume influence over the upper Ohio River Valley heading into next week under weak upper troughing, with temperature near to slightly below seasonal averages. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Initial activity associated with a shortwave trough/MCV is currently exiting the region, with MGW/DUJ possibly keeping a brief restriction right at TAF time. Another round of at least scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop in association with a pre-frontal trough during the afternoon. Uncertainty regarding storm coverage and intensity remains, and depends on the degree of destabilization that we can achieve. Still, elected to keep a period of VCTS for several hours, and tried to time the most likely period of impact in TEMPO groups at the terminals. A direct hit will likely result in a brief period of IFR/LIFR visibility and perhaps strong wind gusts. Activity should dissipate/move off this evening with the departure of the trough and the loss of instability. As the cold front drops across the region overnight, a period of MVFR ceilings and mist is possible at most terminals. Once daytime mixing commences on Friday, ceilings will likely break, and VFR conditions and light northwest wind will develop by midday. .Outlook... Restrictions are possible with a Sunday cold front. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. &&
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 29, 3:18 PM EDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 318 PM EDT Thu Jul 29 2021 OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ014-020>023-029-031-073>076- WVZ001>004-012-021-509>514-301930- Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-Jefferson OH- Muskingum-Guernsey-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Butler-Beaver-Allegheny- Armstrong-Indiana-Washington-Greene-Westmoreland- Higher Elevations of Westmoreland-Fayette- Higher Elevations of Fayette-Hancock-Brooke-Ohio-Marshall-Wetzel- Marion-Monongalia- Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston- Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker- 318 PM EDT Thu Jul 29 2021 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 403 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio, southwest Pennsylvania, western Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Severe Thunderstorm Watch. Scattered severe thunderstorms are possible today. Damaging wind gusts would be the primary threat, but large hail and a tornado or two cannot be ruled out. However, there is a fair amount of uncertainty whether the severe threat will develop. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures. PAZ007>009-013-015-016-301930- Mercer-Venango-Forest-Lawrence-Clarion-Jefferson PA- 318 PM EDT Thu Jul 29 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Scattered severe thunderstorms are possible today. Damaging wind gusts would be the primary threat, but large hail and a tornado or two cannot be ruled out. However, there is a fair amount of uncertainty whether the severe threat will develop. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 4:43 PM EDT, 37 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
443 PM EDT Thu Jul 29 2021
OHZ041-PAZ013-020-292115-
Columbiana-Lawrence-Beaver-
443 PM EDT Thu Jul 29 2021
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WIND WILL AFFECT
NORTHEASTERN COLUMBIANA...BEAVER AND SOUTHERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES...
At 442 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over East Palestine,
moving southeast at 35 mph.
Wind gusts up to 45 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Aliquippa... Beaver Falls...
Columbiana... Monaca...
East Palestine... Economy...
Ellwood City... New Brighton...
Beaver... Baden...
Rochester... Ohioville...
This includes the following highways...
Pennsylvania Turnpike between mile markers 1 and 24.
Interstate 376 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 31 and 43.
LAT...LON 4091 8016 4064 8015 4060 8036 4085 8067
4090 8064 4090 8052 4098 8052
TIME...MOT...LOC 2042Z 298DEG 29KT 4085 8053Local storm report, Jul 29, 4:56 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, Jul 29, 4:57 PM EDT, 23 minutes before
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</html>Special weather statement, Jul 29, 5:09 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
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</html>The surface observations
Indiana/Stewart Field (IDI), 2 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 21:18 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2021 tornado in PennsylvaniaEvery tornado in Pennsylvania since 1950Warnings in force in Pennsylvania nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of July 29, 2021
36 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 29 | 1:05 AM CDT | EF0 | Jefferson, WI | 6.0 | 100 | |||
| July 29 | 1:07 AM CDT | EF0 | Jefferson, WI | 3.6 | 25 | |||
| July 29 | 1:07 AM CDT | EF1 | Jefferson, WI | 7.7 | 200 | |||
| July 29 | 1:23 AM CDT | EF1 | Jefferson, WI | 4.7 | 150 | |||
| July 29 | 1:26 AM CDT | EF1 | Waukesha, WI | 1.0 | 75 | |||
| July 29 | 1:32 AM CDT | EF0 | Waukesha, WI | 2.4 | 50 | |||
| July 29 | 1:38 AM CDT | EF1 | Waukesha, WI | 0.9 | 95 | |||
| July 29 | 12:40 PM EDT | EF0 | Crawford, PA | 0.6 | 75 | |||
| July 29 | 12:55 PM EDT | EF0 | Venango, PA | 0.3 | 15 | $15,000 | ||
| July 29 | 1:54 PM EDT | EF1 | Westmoreland, PA | 4.9 | 100 | $275,000 | ||
| July 29 | 2:25 PM EDT | EF1 | Somerset, PA | 0.2 | 65 | |||
| July 29 | 4:04 PM EDT | EF1 | Lehigh, PA | 2.9 | 90 | |||
| July 29 | 4:25 PM EDT | EF1 | Lehigh, PA | 1.1 | 75 | |||
| July 29 | 4:50 PM EDT | EF2 | Harrison, OH | 2.7 | 220 | $200,000 | ||
| July 29 | 4:59 PM EDT | EF2 | Carroll, OH | 6.2 | 150 | $500,000 | ||
| July 29 | 5:07 PM EDT | EF0 | Howard, MD | 0.3 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| July 29 | 5:15 PM EDT | EF1 | Jefferson, OH | 2.2 | 300 | $250,000 | ||
| July 29 | 5:16 PM EDT | EF0 | Washington, OH | 0.1 | 55 | $500 | ||
| July 29 | 5:20 PM EDT | EF0 | Pickaway, OH | 0.9 | 50 | $100,000 | ||
| July 29 | 5:34 PM EDT | EF0 | Lebanon, PA | 0.7 | 60 | |||
| July 29 | 5:40 PM EDT | EF1 | Bucks, PA | 2.7 | 70 | |||
| July 29 | 5:45 PM EDT | EF1 | Jefferson, OH | 2.3 | 300 | $250,000 | ||
| July 29 | 5:54 PM EDT | EF0 | Essex, NJ | 0.3 | 50 | $330,000 | ||
| July 29 | 4:59 PM CDT | EF2 | Bucks, PA to NJ | 6.3 | 400 | |||
| July 29 | 6:00 PM EDT | EF1 | Greene, PA | 2.8 | 200 | $100,000 | ||
| July 29 | 6:10 PM EDT | EF0 | Cambria, PA | 0.1 | 15 | |||
| July 29 | 5:40 PM CDT | EF0 | Cumberland, IL | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| July 29 | 6:56 PM EDT | EF1 | Mercer, NJ | 1.6 | 100 | |||
| July 29 | 7:04 PM EDT | EF3 | Bensalem tornado, PA | 3.4 | 530 | |||
| July 29 | 7:07 PM EDT | EF0 | Philadelphia, PA | 0.4 | 40 | |||
| July 29 | 7:58 PM EDT | EF1 | Shelby, IN | 2.5 | 50 | $43,000 | ||
| July 29 | 8:04 PM EDT | EF0 | Ocean, NJ | 0.8 | 80 | |||
| July 29 | 8:14 PM EDT | EF1 | Shelby, IN | 0.7 | 50 | $15,000 | ||
| July 29 | 7:20 PM CDT | EF1 | Crawford, IL | 0.4 | 75 | |||
| July 29 | 8:42 PM EDT | EF1 | Ocean, NJ | 6.5 | 250 | |||
| July 29 | 9:03 PM EDT | EF2 | Ocean, NJ | 4.2 | 75 | 8 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.