Photo: john finney photography / Moment / Getty Images
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that a brief EF-0 tornado touched down in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on Thursday night (September 4). The tornado, with maximum winds of 70 mph, struck the Quarryville area around 9:30 p.m., staying on the ground for approximately one minute.
The tornado's path was 0.15 miles long and 30 yards wide. During its short duration, it lifted the roof off a dugout at the Solanco Youth Baseball Association and caused crop damage near Encounter Church. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The NWS in State College, Pennsylvania, released a statement detailing the tornado's impact and confirmed its classification as an EF-0, the lowest on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which measures tornado intensity based on wind speeds and damage caused. According to WGAL, the tornado was part of a series of thunderstorms that passed over the area.
Despite the damage, the tornado was not detected by NWS radar systems due to a radar gap in the Susquehanna Valley, as ABC27 reported. The closest live radar, located in Millersville, Pennsylvania, provides more detailed information on low-level weather phenomena, which can help in future detections.
Local21 News noted that the NWS thanked students and alumni from Millersville University's Meteorology program for their assistance in relaying reports and sharing photos of the event. The information remains preliminary and is subject to change pending final review by the NWS.