At least four people were killed in Pennsylvania on Tuesday as severe weather, which had previously impacted the High Plains and Upper Midwest, moved into the Northeast and Canada. Hundreds of thousands of customers were left without power due to the storm.
According to the Pittsburgh Public Safety Department, David Lepinsky, 59, was electrocuted by live wires and pronounced dead at the scene. Raymond Gordon, 67, was fatally struck by a tree that blew over as he returned home, as reported by the Ross Township Police Department.
In Centre County, a 22-year-old man died after being electrocuted while attempting to extinguish a mulch fire during the storm, according to a statement from the State College Police Department. Additionally, Andrew Celaschi was killed in Greene County when a tree fell on the car he was in, as noted by the Pennsylvania State Police.
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey described the storm's impact on the city as significant during a news conference on Wednesday. The National Weather Service reported that crews were deployed in Wilkinsburg, a borough in Allegheny County, to assess potential tornado damage from the severe weather.
The National Weather Service indicated that destructive wind damage was widespread, with gusts reaching up to 90 miles per hour. The storms were described as being stronger than many smaller tornadoes typically seen in the region, affecting a much larger area.
As of Wednesday afternoon, over 400,000 customers in Pennsylvania were without power, according to poweroutage.com. Duquesne Light Company stated that it was working to restore service, but some customers might experience outages for five to seven days. The utility company also requested assistance from partners due to the heavy winds that had uprooted trees and damaged utility poles, leading to over 20,000 reports of hazards.
Residents in Allegheny County were advised to remain indoors as crews worked to clear debris and fallen trees from roadways. Approximately 180 trees were reported down in Pittsburgh. Mayor Gainey emphasized the importance of safety, urging residents to stay home.
The storm system also affected southern Quebec, where a teenage boy was reported in critical condition in Montreal after being pinned by a fallen tree. In Quebec, about 49,000 customers faced power outages on Wednesday afternoon.
The severe weather included thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds and hail the size of Ping Pong balls. A total of 14 tornadoes were confirmed across several states as of Wednesday, with the majority occurring in Wisconsin, while others were reported in Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Utah.
Meteorologist Nathan Wendt from the Storm Prediction Center noted that while there was a wide coverage of tornadoes, the total number was not as high as it could have been. By Wednesday afternoon, storm activity had moved offshore, and a quieter day was expected in the Northeast.