Butler County tornado damage survey underway Thursday morning, to determine storm’s strength
National Weather Service employees visited Butler County on Thursday, May 22, to survey damage left by the reported tornado Wednesday evening.
The weather service acquired video of the tornado ripping the roof off a Center Township storage building behind the Unionville Volunteer Fire Company, prompting the visit, according to spokesperson Fred McMullen.
He said their job is to survey the damage to determine the tornado’s width, intensity and max speed as it passed through.
Residents in the area had only about four minutes to take action Wednesday night before the tornado formed, McMullen said.
He said the damage in Center Township was mostly centralized to the building, but the crew is also examining damage in the area of Clay Township and West Sunbury.
However, it does not appear from the damage the tornado was continuous from Center Township to the other areas.
McCullen pointed to an area on Mack Road in Clay Township, where it appeared the tornado ripped through groups of trees near the road.
The weather service is also investigating damage in parts of northern Washington and Allegheny counties.
McMullen said Wednesday’s tornado was the seventh the weather service has recorded this year in the area, which covers parts of western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia.
He said the weather service records an average of six tornadoes per year in the area with May and June being the peak months.
