Severe storms slammed the region Monday bringing heavy rain, lightning, power outages, downed trees, flooding and even possible tornadoes.
NBC10 issued a First Alert for the entire region ahead of the storm. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, Flood Advisories, Flash Flood Advisories and Tornado Warnings were in effect for several parts of the area throughout the afternoon and night. They were later lifted.
During the storms, tornado warnings were issued for Sussex County, the lower edge of Kent County and west of Berks County. The National Weather Service is investigating whether tornadoes touched down near Shartlesville, Berks County and Sussex County, Delaware. Videos surfaced showing what appeared to be a funnel cloud in Berks County though it's unconfirmed whether or not it touched down.
Heavy wind toppled trees and power lines during the storm. In Kutztown, Pennsylvania, the wind knocked down several utility poles and caused low-hanging power lines. A farmer told NBC10 the downed power lines caused some sparks near a farm on Bowers Road.
in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania the storm knocked three trees down, each in a different yard, including Nick Fischetti's.
"It only took about 30 seconds for all these trees to go over," Fischetti said. "Luckily our neighbors weren't home. We went over to see if they were okay."
Fischetti told NBC10 he was on his parents' patio when he saw a tree fall only a few feet away.
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"We heard a crack and it fell right over," he said. "When I woke up this morning I didn't expect to see a tree in our backyard and a tree across the street."
Severe Storms Strike Region
Trees also fell in South Whitehall Township and Croydon.
In Chester County, several houses were struck by lightning, including one in Kennett Square where a fire occurred. Officials say lightning hit the chimney and started a fire in the basement that spread throughout the walls. A house sitter and cat were inside at the time but were able to get out safely. Officials say the fire caused about $1 million worth of damage to the home.
The storms also led to flooding at the Jersey Shore. Roads and sidewalks were submerged in water on Ventnor Avenue in Margate as cars and buses moved through several inches of water.
Thousands of homes and businesses also lost power, including a Planet Fitness in South Philadelphia.
Officials with Philadelphia International Airport also say more than 150 flights were canceled Monday due to the weather.
Power Outages
PECO
Bucks 184
Chester 165
Delaware County 48
Montgomery 117
Philadelphia 1845
Delmarva
New Castle County 254
Sussex County 498
PPL
Lehigh 101
PSE&G
Mercer 441
AC Electric
Gloucester County 128
The storms are expected to clear Tuesday morning giving way to a mixture of sun and clouds. Stay with the NBC10 First Alert Weather team for the latest updates on the storm.
