Central PA Summer 2026 Discussion/Obs Thread

[Blizzard of 93]

.42 rain in Marysville.

I hope everyone is ok in the severe storm affected areas.

[anotherman]

I was driving through Columbia when this was all happening and got the emergency notification on my phone that there was a tornado in the area. Definitely saw some rotation, but never saw anything drop down.

[canderson]

Leaving The Mountain Goats show here in Lititz. It feels fall-ish out. 

[pawatch]

53 degrees this morning. Reminder fall is getting closer.

1.53” of rain yesterday. Airport where they keep track of rainfall for IPT 1.58”

1 month ago we had a pretty good rainfall deficit. Now its down to zero.

[mahantango#1]

 

[Superstorm]

Impressive damage path from eastern York into Columbia. It's unfortunate that CTP left York and Lancaster counties out of the Tornado Watch. 

I was thinking same thing.


.

[Yardstickgozinya]

My best friend arrived. in town from Maui yesterday. He just rode out Hurricane Lala only a few days ago . He was pretty amazed to see that kind of damage after not living in Pennsylvania for twenty years. It just so happens he was back in town fishing with me in august 2023 when the Maui fires broke out just a few miles from his gym and home . After all the excitement, my buddy from  ended up hooking  into and landing a 42lbs Flathead on a chatter, bait and 12lb test targeting bass while we had our other rods out for flatheads. We never thought the fish would end up being landed, but after nearly 26 minutes, and several long runs out into the river, we landed the big girl and his new personal best flathead. My other lifelong best friend was buried just a few days ago leaving behind 2 teenage daughters at the age of 48 do the secondary brain cancer. What a crazy up and down week It's been. Anyways, waiting on pictures from my buddy from our storm and fishing events yesterday. I thought I had more pictures to post today, but after looking through my gallery, it looks like I already posted all the best ones for the most part. 

 

[ChescoWx]

Widespread cool 50's overnight with our usual chilly spot in Warwick Township down to 54.4. In most spots it was our chilliest morning since back on July 26th. Below normal temperatures look likely to continue through most of this week with highs mainly in the 70's and lows in the upper 50's to lower 60's. Some shower chances but no washouts around this weekend before we clear out to start the new work week.

[Mount Joy Snowman]

Low of 58 to go along with 1.28" of rainfall.  I expect the NWS to confirm a tornado touchdown near the Wrightsville/Columbia area today.  Even over my way the low clouds had some serious rotation to them.  Impressive event. 

[Eskimo Joe]

1 hour ago, Mount Joy Snowman said:

Low of 58 to go along with 1.28" of rainfall.  I expect the NWS to confirm a tornado touchdown near the Wrightsville/Columbia area today.  Even over my way the low clouds had some serious rotation to them.  Impressive event. 

I say it's a 99% chance it was a tornado. There was video taken from the intersection of Route 30 and Route 441 looking southwest at the storm at it came through Columbia. Obvious rotation.

[canderson]

CTP confirms a tornado hit south of Wrightsville/Eastern York HS  

https://www.wgal.com/article/pa-tornado-confirmed-eastern-york-high-school-nws/73496078

[Yardstickgozinya]

4 hours ago, Eskimo Joe said:

I say it's a 99% chance it was a tornado. There was video taken from the intersection of Route 30 and Route 441 looking southwest at the storm at it came through Columbia. Obvious rotation.

My son just sent me video of the actual tornado rolling through colombia I wish weekend post videos.

[Yardstickgozinya]

Video stills don't really do it. Justice. Definitely a tornado. You can see some debris being lofted off the building in the lower video still.

 

[Yardstickgozinya]

My 21 year old son, and his 19 year old girlfriend just got a trailer in East prospect York not long ago. Yesterday he sent me a video of what he thought was just a bad storm.  You can clearly see debris falling straight out the sky  with the sound of a low jet engine in the background. He had no idea what he was witnessing. It's finally hitting home today how lucky he was. I told him when he moved down there , thst storms don't split that area like they do up here in Northern York County. 

[Yardstickgozinya]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

CTP confirms a tornado hit south of Wrightsville/Eastern York HS  

https://www.wgal.com/article/pa-tornado-confirmed-eastern-york-high-school-nws/73496078

Somehow, I miss reading this post before I just did my last round of posting. I thought maybe there were still some doubts. I did notice that the article just mentioned confirmation atEastern York High school. Obviously Colombia will be a confirmation too. 

[Yardstickgozinya]

220115 PNSCTP PAZ065-066-220515- Public Information Statement National Weather Service State College PA 915 PM EDT Fri Aug 21 2026 ...NWS Damage Survey for 08/20/2026 Tornado Event... ..Eastern York County Tornado... Rating: EF2 Estimated Peak Wind: 120 mph Path Length /statute/: 1.07 miles Path Width /maximum/: 100 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 1 Start Date: 08/20/2026 Start Time: 04:24 PM EDT Start Location: 2 SSW Wrightsville / York County / PA Start Lat/Lon: 39.9994 / -76.5521 End Date: 08/20/2026 End Time: 04:26 PM EDT End Location: 2 SSE Wrightsville / York County / PA End Lat/Lon: 39.9975 / -76.5323 Survey Summary: An EF-2 tornado impacted eastern York County during the afternoon of August 20, 2026. Maximum wind speeds were estimated to be 120 mph and the tornado had a maximum path width of 100 yards. Damage was first noted near the end of Vista Lane near Wrightsville where approximately 5 trees were snapped. Sporadic tree damage was noted along the tornado's track as it continued towards Picturesque Drive. The most significant damage occurred at Eastern York High School where the roof was fully ripped off of multiple classrooms. There was also significant damage to the school's auditorium, with the roof partially ripped off and bricks at the top of the wall shifted from their original location. The tornado continued eastward along Winding Way, where multiple homes sustained damage to windows and siding. One injury was reported as a result of a window being blown into a house. The tornado knocked down crops in a field to the east of these houses, before lifting prior to reaching Chateau Circle. We would like to thank York County Emergency Management and local homeowners for their assistance in this damage survey. ..Columbia Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 100 mph Path Length /statute/: 1.47 miles Path Width /maximum/: 100 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 08/20/2026 Start Time: 04:30 PM EDT Start Location: Columbia / Lancaster County / PA Start Lat/Lon: 40.0343 / -76.5015 End Date: 08/20/2026 End Time: 04:32 PM EDT End Location: 1 SE Columbia / Lancaster County / PA End Lat/Lon: 40.018 / -76.4838 Survey Summary: On August 20, 2026 at approximately 4:30 p.m. EDT, an EF-1 tornado impacted Columbia, PA. Maximum windspeeds were estimated at 100 mph with a maximum path width of 100 yards. The damage path began on the block where Walnut Street meets 4th Street. Damage was done to an old firehouse where a section of the second story brick wall was knocked down onto Avenue H and a neighboring store. The firehouse roof and another adjacent roof were torn off and lying nearby. The tornado continued southeast through town where a couple small outbuildings were collapsed near Avenue K. Damage continued down Malt Avenue with many tree limbs snapped and minor damage to roofs. The tornado then crossed the Columbia Reading Railway snapping some large trees along Manor Street and Furnace Avenue. It continued into the wooded area south of town and across Blue Lane where many trees were found uprooted and snapped. The tornado then lifted prior to reaching Richland Drive. We would like to thank Lancaster County Emergency Management, the Columbia Borough Police Department, and students from Millersville University for their assistance in this damage survey. && EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: EF0.....65 to 85 mph EF1.....86 to 110 mph EF2.....111 to 135 mph EF3.....136 to 165 mph EF4.....166 to 200 mph EF5.....>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS Storm Data. $$ Bauco/Krantz

 

https://partnerservices.nws.noaa.gov/products/cache/234-2026/PNSCTP/71c61493e03f4910725fce6ed54c64b5