National Weather Service confirmed Thursday a “downburst wind event” on Monday near Hometown.
The downburst happened when a line of severe thunderstorms blew through eastern Schuylkill County around 8:30 that night. Some had suggested it might have been a tornado.
“This occurred as thunderstorm outflow winds rushed downward toward the ground and subsequently spread out upon impact with the ground,” according to a NWS report.
Regardless, the downburst caused widespread damage to the Hometown area, felling numerous trees and knocking out electricity to about 8,000 PPL Electric customers. The wind also flattened a corn field.
According to a National Weather Service report on the downburst, the estimated peak wind gust happened between 8:28 and 8:30 Monday night. That wind gust clocked in at 75 mph. The downburst cut a 3.1 mile path about 100 yards wide starting 2.5 miles northwest of Hometown.
NWS worked with Schuylkill County Emergency Management to confirm the downburst.
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