Microburst with 100 mph winds damaged trees, buildings near Milesburg on Saturday

The storm that caused damage to trees and buildings near Milesburg on Saturday was a microburst, the National Weather Service confirmed Tuesday.

A microburst is a “localized column of sinking air (downdraft) within a thunderstorm and is usually less than or equal to 2.5 miles in diameter,” according to the National Weather Service.

The microburst hit at 4:47 p.m. along Moose Run Road, reaching peak wind speeds of 95 to 105 mph. Numerous hardwood and softwood trees were uprooted and two buildings along Johnson Hill Road suffered considerable damage as the microburst moved through, according to the NWS report.

The microburst’s three-minute path was .8 miles long with a maximum width of 350 yards.

No fatalities and no injuries were reported.

Although microbursts are not tornadoes, they can reach wind speeds rivaling an EF-1 tornado and cause severe damage. Microbursts are also difficult to detect with little to no warning before they occur during severe thunderstorms, according to the NWS.

In the report, the NWS thanked the Centre County Office of Emergency Services and Milesburg Fire Company for gathering information on the microburst.

This story was originally published June 25, 2024 at 5:20 PM.