Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

PITTSTON TWP. — Saturday’s severe weather brought not only thunderstorms, torrential rains and high winds to the Wyoming Valley, but a tornado as well, the National Weather Service said.

A tornado touched down in Pittston Township on Saturday evening, NWS officials confirmed on Sunday after inspecting the area.

According to information from news-gathering partner, Fox 56 News, NWS crews confirmed an EF-2 tornado touched down from the areas of Plains and Pittston townships in Luzerne County to Moosic in Lackawanna County from 2:35 to 2:50 p.m. The tornado generated top wind speeds of 120 mph, had a maximum width of 500 yards and traveled 12.8 miles.

The tornado did extensive damage to a metal horse barn and two houses along its path; 28 additional homes had varying levels of damage, Fox 56 reported.

The NWS explained the highly unusual weather event happened after a cold front moved into the area.

“This cold front combined with this record warm air mass and we get a tornado,” Dave Nicosia, warning coordination meteorologist for NWS Binghamton, told the news station.

Nicosia explained that the NWS had determined that a tornado did indeed touch down after examining tree damage that showed evidence of rotation from the winds, in addition to examining eyewitness testimony and video shot by witnesses.

The tornado touched down in the area around Suscon Road, Chapel Road and Baker Road. According to locals living on Suscon Road, the damage was at its worst on Chapel Road; however, a Times Leader reporter was blocked from entering the area by Hughestown fire crews, who said they were under orders from “local officials” to block media from entering.

Along Suscon Road, numerous properties were damaged both by the strong winds and trees toppled by those winds. Lori Adams, 46, of Pittston Township, was working with family and neighbors to clean up the damage.

“We’ve been working since daylight,” she said, as the sun hung low in the sky around 5 p.m. “It’s just unbelievable.”

According to Adams, the storm caused substantial damage to her house, including shingles and the roof itself. In addition, power was knocked out to the house when the main power supply was ripped out of the wall by a falling tree.

That tree was on the property of their next-door neighbors, Frank and Ann Galonis. While Frank and Ann were busy with the cleanup effort, their daughter-in-law, Meagan Galonis, also of Pittston Township, talked about the harrowing moments when she first learned of the damage to the home of her in-laws.

“My father-in-law called me to say that a tree fell onto their bedroom and then the line went dead,” Meagan said. “It was scary.”

Meagan said that when her in-laws called the insurance company, they were unable to send anyone to assist with the cleanup due to the volume of calls received about the tornado, so Frank climbed onto the roof with a chainsaw to remove the tree and place a tarp over the hole in the roof.

Both Galonis and Adams emphasized how helpful neighbors and family members were in the wake of the damage.

“Everyone came out to help,” Adams said. “People came by with plenty of food.”

“It was like a movie,” Galonis said. “It was beautiful how everyone helped.”

Several trees were knocked down by the tornado that ripped through Pittston Township.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_20170226_160731-3.jpg.optimal.jpgSeveral trees were knocked down by the tornado that ripped through Pittston Township. Patrick Kernan

Trees in the back of the Galonis home in Pittston Township fell onto cars in the driveway and into the backyard.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_20170226_163653-3.jpg.optimal.jpgTrees in the back of the Galonis home in Pittston Township fell onto cars in the driveway and into the backyard. Patrick Kernan

Debris litters the yard between the two Pittston Township homes.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_20170226_163732-3.jpg.optimal.jpgDebris litters the yard between the two Pittston Township homes. Patrick Kernan

A tarp covers the roof of the bedroom of the Galonis home after a tree crashed through the roof.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_20170226_163655-3.jpg.optimal.jpgA tarp covers the roof of the bedroom of the Galonis home after a tree crashed through the roof. Patrick Kernan

Neighbors and family members assist in post-storm cleanup on Suscon Road.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_20170226_163731-3.jpg.optimal.jpgNeighbors and family members assist in post-storm cleanup on Suscon Road. Patrick Kernan

This is what remains of a tree that took out the power supply to the Adams family home on Suscon Road in Pittston Township when a tornado struck on Saturday evening.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/web1_20170226_160829-3.jpg.optimal.jpgThis is what remains of a tree that took out the power supply to the Adams family home on Suscon Road in Pittston Township when a tornado struck on Saturday evening. Patrick Kernan

By Patrick Kernan

[email protected]

VideoID: HbFepqvScdE
VideoType: YOUTUBE
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbFepqvScdE
Video Embed String: <iframe width=”560” height=”315” src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/HbFepqvScdE” frameborder=”0” allowfullscreen></iframe>
Video Caption: A tornado touched down in Pittston Township Saturday.
Video Credit: FOX 56
Video Position:

(use the “for files…” link above to associate attached files with this source)