Thousands lost power in Centre County after severe storm moved through area
Thousands in Centre County lost power Tuesday afternoon after a severe storm moved through the area.
Severe thunderstorm warnings issued by the National Weather Service called for a strong storm moving across central Pennsylvania carrying nickel-sized hail and wind gusts up to 60 mph. Two warnings, which were separately issued for central and southeastern Centre County, expired by 2:30 p.m.
A wind advisory, which called for continued strong and gusty winds, remained in effect until 8 p.m.
After storms hit the State College area shortly after 1:30 p.m., more than 8,300 West Penn Power customers in Centre County were without power. Nearly 95% of those affected customers were located in the immediate State College area, with Patton Township’s 3,394 affected customers marking about 50% of the outages as of 2:30 p.m.
As of 8 p.m., less than 350 West Penn Power customers were still without power, with the estimated time of restoration listed as 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Multiple State College Area School District buildings were without power following the storm, according to an email sent to families. State College schools finished the school day using power from generators.
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 15, 2025 at 2:41 PM.
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