ALLENTOWN, Pa. — The National Weather Service said the tornado that thumped the city's Midway Manor neighborhood Monday night was rated as an EF-1 packing 100 mph winds.
The weather service released more details Wednesday night regarding the twister, which was on the ground for 0.3 miles and two minutes, tore roofs from homes and scattered debris.
No injuries or fatalities were reported.
- A tornado touched down in Allentown on Monday night
- A National Weather Service storm survey team determined it was an EF-1 with 100 mph winds
- A tornado watch had been in effect for the Lehigh Valley and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic for hours Monday
The twister was confirmed late Tuesday after a National Weather Service survey team inspected the damage.
The weather service had been conducting a storm survey since severe thunderstorms moved through the Lehigh Valley early Monday night.
In a public information statement, the weather service said the tornado began near East Pennsylvania Street, between North Ulster and North Van Buren streets. It continued northeast toward East Lily and North Wahneta streets, causing increasing damage by tearing a shed from its foundation and snapping or uprooting several trees.
The twister reached its maximum width of about 160 yards — and its maximum intensity — as it crossed East Fairmont Street, damaging multiple homes.
"The greatest damage was to homes along the west side of Club Avenue, where multiple homes lost between 30 percent and 50 percent of their roof covering," the weather service said.
“One home had a front porch awning taken off the east side of the house, lofted, then landed about 100 feet away in the backyard of a house two doors down.”
The tornado then continued northeast across Club Avenue and crossed into Bethlehem as it began to weaken, but not before taking down several more trees and branches, according to the statement.
“The tornado then dissipated as it approached Pennsylvania Avenue,” the statement said.
It lasted from 7:21 to 7:23 p.m.
An EF-1 is the second-weakest of ratings on the Enhanced Fujita Scale used to measure tornado strength. Tornadoes in that category are considered weak and have wind speeds of 86 to 110 mph.
The weather service said a final assessment of other Lehigh Valley damage was expected to be released later Wednesday night.
A survey team also inspected damage in the Afton Village development in Upper Saucon Township, near Hopewell Elementary School — not far off Route 309 in Center Valley.
Other areas smacked by the storm included along Route 378 near Saucon Valley Country Club in Lower Saucon — Route 378 remained closed Tuesday afternoon — and the Old Orchard area of Palmer Township.
