Tens of thousands lose power in Centre County after severe storm rolls through area
(Editor’s Note: This story is not being updated any further. For updates on road closures, power outages and more, please visit today’s “Live Updates” story.)
More than 36,000 in Centre County lost power Tuesday evening when a severe storm moved through the area, leaving downed trees and significant damage in its wake.
Based on the public outage map, provided by West Penn Power, some 36,591 customers within Centre County were still impacted as of 11 p.m. Tuesday. More than 200 separate outages were reported across the county, with most of the estimated restoration initially set for 11 p.m. Tuesday — before being extended until Wednesday’s early morning hours.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning across much of the county earlier Tuesday evening, with wind gusts up to 80 mph predicted in the eastern part of the county. After the storm, AccuWeather meteorologists labeled the weather phenomenon a “derecho,” often referred to as an inland hurricane, because the storms evolved into a thunderstorm complex that spanned more than 400 miles to produce intense straight-line wind damage.
“The line of storms formed near Indianapolis and continued advancing eastward, bringing widespread tree and power line damage to western and central Pennsylvania,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said in a news release. “Wind gusts in some areas were nearly 80 mph. For some communities, this derecho could be a once-in-10-year or even a once-in-20-year event.”
A 22-year-old man died of electrocution in the State College area, when he encountered an active electric current from a utility pole as he was putting out a mulch fire. Numerous reports of downed trees and wires had also been reported across Centre County.
Road closures included Axemann Road from Steeplechase to Rishel Hill Road in Spring Township for wires down in the roadway, and part of West College Avenue in Ferguson Township near Harner Farm for a pole down.
According to AccuWeather, more than 550,000 homes and businesses in Pennsylvania were left without electricity following the storm. That dwarfed those without power in Ohio (80,000) and New York (30,000).
What to do if there’s a power outage
West Penn Power customers can report outages online or text OUT to 544487. Downed power lines should be reported by calling 1-888-544-4877.
If your power does go out, keep these safety tips in mind until help arrives:
- Check circuits and fuses to make sure the power is out before reporting.
- Check with neighbors to see if others in your area are affected.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers closed.
- Disconnect appliances and electronics.
This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 7:52 PM.