Bucks County

95 MPH Tornado Touched Down in Bucks County, National Weather Service Says

The category EF-1 tornado briefly touched down in Tinicum Township's Beaver Valley Campgrounds

A severe storm that slammed the Philadelphia region's northern neighborhoods Sunday produced a tornado that damaged property as it touched down in Bucks County.

The category EF-1 tornado briefly touched down in Tinicum Township's Beaver Valley Campgrounds around 9:51 p.m. Sunday, May 19, the National Weather Service said. It reached 95 mph as it barreled through the campgrounds for about a quarter of a mile.

Fifteen-year-old Jaylin Lafferty and her little brother witnessed the tornado making its way outside their house. "My brother was crying," said Lafferty, who captured the tornado on cellphone video.

The tornado lasted about a minute and reached a width of around 100 yards as it toppled dozens of trees, some of which ended up damaging three nearby camper trailers, the NWS said. Despite the damage, no injuries were reported.

The information about the storm is preliminary and could change after a final review, the NWS said.

The Enhanced Fujita scale classifies tornadoes by their intensity. The scale ranges from EF-0 to EF-5. An EF-1 tornado like the one in Tinicum Township is considered weak and produces wind speeds between 86 to 110 mph, according to the NWS.

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