Severe Thunderstorms Down Trees, Cut Power Across Pennsylvania, Massachusetts

Severe thunderstorms moved across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast United States on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, downing trees and power lines in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The first damage report came at 12:12 p.m. EDT.

The U.S. National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) issued two Severe Thunderstorm Watches for the region that afternoon. Watch 686 ran from 1:25 p.m. until 8 p.m. EDT for Washington, D.C., Maryland, southern New York, central and eastern Pennsylvania, northern Virginia and eastern West Virginia; the SPC said widespread damaging wind gusts to 70 mph were likely, with a tornado or two possible. Watch 687 ran from 3:50 p.m. until 10 p.m. EDT for western Connecticut, Delaware, eastern Maryland, New Jersey and far southern New York, with scattered gusts to 70 mph possible there.

National Weather Service storm reports recorded 22 reports of wind damage across Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, almost all in Pennsylvania. Near North Vandergrift, in Armstrong County, a large tree fell across a road and a truck drove into it; no deaths or injuries were reported in any of the 22 reports.