Added: 5 years ago
From: Anticyclonic
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  • I remember this all too well. :(

  • This was the tornado featured on Mr. Belvedere in 1985.

  • wasnt this the same day as the Barrie tornado?

  • In Pa, this is unheard of and the people must have went through hell and God bless all of you who made it and may the memories of those lost last forever!

  • I have lived in PA for 20 years... Harrisburg and never once seen even a funnel cloud... this is remarkable

  • I live in Dubois. I bet this is the same day we had a tornado at Parker Dam state park that killed several boy scouts. They were in a cabin when it hit. I was 9 years old. I remember it happened in 85.

  • @Steelershaterforlife You are correct. The Parker Dam tornado was an EF-4 on the same outbreak.

  • there was a tornado that hit my farm a few years ago on thanksgiving. I was in church at the time and remember a loud bang sounding throughout the church I got home and saw the neighbor's tree being held up by powerlines and three other ripped from the ground. I also saw the barn roof with huge holes in it as the wind ripped the slate off and disked it into the ground the dog who lived next to the barn was ok but the farm was lucky that there was little damage compared to the neighbors lawn

  • This outbreak did not occur in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas or Nebraska, in traditional "tornado alley" nor in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia or Tennessee in "dixie alley".

  • got the book tornado watch 211. all about this storm. very good

  • @grvolans me too, i enjoy the book so far. I'm about 90 pages in.

  • brave stand up to that f 5 going past almost in the yard

  • that had to be terrifying. tornados are not common in pa. for that many to hit in a single day, had to feel like the world was ending

  • @bigpowerfulpeople

    They are not common in PA? Are you sure? I recently moves there and I can't get a straight answer from anybody about how sevrere they are. Some say they're common and destructive, others say they rarely see them. Could you please settle this for me?

  • @regelemihai pa gets about a dozen tornados a year with many of them either an f0 or an f1. google 'tornado statistics by state' or similar. these 1985 tornados were unusual.

  • @bigpowerfulpeople

    I have seen the stats, but they don't tell me anything, since I don't have anything to compare them to. I'm looking for a more generalized answer. How many times, assuming you are a long time PA resident, in your life have you crossed paths with a tornado?

  • @regelemihai never. which is why i look for these videos. i actually want to see one. but not hit my house. maybe brush my house.

  • @bigpowerfulpeople

    That's comforting. And have you lived in PA for a while?

  • @regelemihai Im from meadville originally and we could get maybe 2-3 a year...nothing too big..not like the ones we got in 1985. I was just south of Albion in the town of Conneautville when they got hit by tornadoes..I went to the Atlantic, Greenville and Hermitage areas the day after and saw the destruction...nothing has occurred like that since..Im in Maryland now and we get a few tornadoes a year as well...

  • @Coachrob36

    Okay so now I'm getting conflicting accounts :P

    You're telling me they're common, the last dude that replied to me said that he lived in PA all his life and had never even seen one.

  • @regelemihai I think it depends on what region/area you live in. I grew up in NWPA and we would get severe storms and tornadoes that would originate from the midwest states. I dont know where the other dude is from but he must be in an area that doesnt see many severe storms. I lived near Blooming Valley and they usually have some sort of funnel cloud every year or every other year..

  • @Coachrob36

    I dunno where NWPA is, but I live in central Pennsylvania. So if I understand correctly, tornadoes happen only in wester Pennsylvania and not in the eastern part?

  • @regelemihai im not sure if you get them in central PA...what part of central PA are you? Im not sure about the eastern part..would have to research it...Im just sharing my experiences...

  • @Coachrob36

    Close to Allentown. We got a whole hell of a lot of Tornado warnings this summer and its been nerve wracking. I've been living here for th past 5 years or so and thank God I've never had the occasion of crossing paths with one. But it's living in this constant fear that it might strike that really gets to me.

    I hoped that AT LEAST the easter part of this country doesn't experience these catastrophies. There's gotta be some place where they don't occur.

  • @regelemihai very west pa and south east pa gets the most tornadoes but they can hit anywhere

  • @skateboy159

    They can technically, but do they hit often? If you'e a Pennsylvanian, what is your experience? How many have you crossed paths with over the years?

  • @regelemihai i live north west pa i seen a small tornado touchdown then lift within 3 seconds on ground i seen a wagon in a tree from 1985 tornado north of tionesta i seen trees twisted from a touchdown i seen 2 things from tornadoes and seen 1 tornado

  • @skateboy159

    Okay, and this is after how many years of you living in PA?

  • @regelemihai im 19 and i lived here all my life the tornado i seen was 2001 dont remember the month and day and twisted trees i seen was june or july 2003 the wagon i seen in a tree from 1985 it sadly fell out of the tree 5 years ago and they took it to the junkyard

  • @regelemihai if u go to weather.gov click on top right weather.gov left side click severe weather then click reports then scroll down click under monthly and annual summaries scroll down click on the year u want to look at and looks at tornado wind hail u can see reports in pa

  • @skateboy159

    Thank you. I don't think it will make me feel safer, but it's still useful imformation :P

  • @regelemihai haha pa is really safe tho not to many long track tornadoes happen most of them they last 5 seconds to 5 mins btw u live in pa?

  • @skateboy159

    "most of them they last 5 seconds to 5 mins"

    I guess that's a relief, lol. We've been getting tornado warnings on TV this summer almost every week--that's why I'm freaking out. And yes, I live in PA :)

  • @regelemihai sorry about spamming ur inbox lol but here a good site" tornadohistoryproject" add . and a com

  • @skateboy159

    That's for the link, and you don't need to apologize. I appreciate all comments as long as they're fiendy and helpful.

  • I moved to the Shenango Valley the next year and remember there still being damage. Don't think the area has really ever gotten over it just yet.

  • Thank god I didn't live in Hermitage when this happened.

  • I'm glad I wasn't born yet for this one. I was born in '86 in SD, but my family is all from Hermitage and it's where my mom brought me to stay in 1987. Growing up I would often go into the woods behind our house that connected to Rt 18 going into West middlesex. Trees to this day are still uprooted and some neighbor houses are still missing from this tornado's destruction, as well as metal wrapped around trees and a canoe and an abandoned hidden house with no driveway. Lots to learn back there.

  • I remember this day very well. I lived in Erie at the time. The sky turned a weird purplish-green to the south and west - something I'd never seen before and have never seen since. The winds kicked up and blew my parents' trees all over the place. My grandfather had friends in Albion, some of whom died in the storm, and his church went there to help clean up - the wreckage was incredible. While I did not actually see a tornado that day, the memories stay with me, and I pray for those who died.

  • @warszawianka My brother died May 31, 1985 in a tornado. The night before he died at the age of 6, he told my mother the next day (the day of the tornado that killed him) that Jesus came to him. She laughed, just a kid telling a story - and asked him, "Well, what did Jesus say?" and my 6 yr old brother responded, " 'I love you...' "

    He died that day. We lived in Erie after this devastation, where I was born five months later.

  • @IschysDynamis My condolences. Do you know a little boy named Luke Stahlsmith who perished in this horrible storm?

  • @padude64 "My condolences. Do you know a little boy named Luke Stahlsmith who perished in this horrible storm?"

    Yes, I know Luke Stahlsmith. I am Keir Stahlsmith, his youngest brother. He died in my mother's arms when she was pregnant with me. If he wasn't there, I wouldn't be alive right now to tell you this.

  • A few years back, I visited east pearl and Thornton streets in Albion Pa. I was saddened when I visited that area because I could remember the names of Linda Quay and Sandra Stahlsmith and God Bless Sandra for she lost her son Luke in the Albion tornado! Sandra God Bless!

  • @padude64 I was living in the conneautville springboro area at the time..was a horrible storm and our church quickly went to albion and saw what had happened..it was awful..we couldnt even believe it...

  • A characteristic that only F5 tornadoes seems to have is that, because the rotation is so rapid and violent, the outer edges seem to look like rising smoke columns

  • I used to live in Albion and was with friends nearby when it hit. The complete and utter devastation was unlike anything I'd ever witnessed before in my life. I can still see it when I close my eyes.

  • The tornado that hit Albion was an F-4

  • There may be a second severe weather season in November as winter battles fall! We will have to wait and see if this materializes.

  • The reason why the midwest gets more tornadic weather is because of the rocky mountains! Cold air is dense and drives down the mountains and warm air lifts!

  • I live in Philly and we have had only 5 tornadoes in the last 50 years, the last occurring in 1991; I was like three so I don't remember it . None were above F2.

    PA in general does not get hit with F3's often (very rarely F4's and only one F5 ever...so far) but they obviously do and could happen.

    Thank God I've live in the city.

  • Living in a city doesn't really provide much protection. It's just that eastern PA doesn't have as many tornadoes as western PA.

  • I guess eastern PA could thank the Poconos for blocking the airflow need for a serious tornado to form.

    And even if it was able to get over them all of the buildings in a large city would certainly hinder the air flow need for a tornado to sustain itself. (Which is why every tornado to ever hit Philadelphia was never above an F2)

  • Buildings do not hinder a tornado. If anything they can actually cause a tornado to intensify by acting as a wind tunnel. The reason Philadelphia has never been hit by anything more than an F2 is that tornadoes rated F2 and weaker make up about 95% of all tornadoes.

  • Why does pittsburgh always miss out on thunderstorms? Why, on radar does it 95% of the time either hit mercer/venengo county or butler? anyone know?

  • I always wonder that myself!

  • Justin, I think it is a matter of timing! Many times I have seen where storms will first hit the northern counties and then weaken before they hit Pittsburgh!

    Justin, conditions have to be absolutely perfect for tornadoes! remember Mt.Washington was hit.

  • i live in lancaster and there was a scary tornado july 17th

  • Comment removed

  • This was different from the Albion tornado. This tornado hit Mercer County and was an F5. The Albion tornado was in Erie County and was an F4.

  • In bellefonte area we hardly get any or id be in my basement alot im hardly ever

  • Wow pa hardly gets torndos this is the first ive ever sean on youtube

  • we get plenty of tornados, trust me....just not too many F-5's is all..... remember.... Pittsburgh is the Gateway to the midwest.

  • i was home from school when there was a tornado rageing once and my mom was at her store when 2 tornado warnings were close to her on both sides of her store and if they spawnd they almost did but if they spawnd theyd head tward each other and destroy the store and her...

  • pa gets any where from 5 -15 tornadoes per year just 12/9/09 got 2 tornado touch down in venango and forest county pa for 2 - 3 mins no one reported it to nws

  • i never rember this happening but that was huge

  • I am from, and still live in Erie, PA, which is about 50 miles to the north of Farrell. This tornado ment business, to this day this is PA's only F5 tornado. Another large tornado (F4) hit Albion,PA and obliterated the town. The same storm spawned another tornado of F4 strength in south eastern Erie County. An Uncle's proptery was effected, and I helped to clean up after the storm.  That was a scary day, I was only 7 when it happened.

  • I was also 7 when those storms hit I was only 4 miles from the F3-4 that touch down in beaver county and hit the big beaver plaza and spotlight 88 drive in I will never forget he day after!! riding around in my moms 74 pinto wagon checking out the damage.

  • OMG that tornadoe was huge!!!!

    -Mia

  • I Used To Live In Hermitage; But I Live In Greenville, PA; Hermitage's Is Just 8 Miles From Me. The Last Time A Tornado Hit Was In 2002. Thanks For Sharing!

  • not exactly. in 2006 or 2007 there were funnel clouds from mercer to hubbard on 318 that knocked one of my trees and threw a sign from the road in to my neighbor's window

  • yeah i live in hubbard and in 2006 there was a funnel cloud spinning above my house that was hudge. im supprised that it didnt touch the ground.

  • This was on the same an F4 Tornado Ripped through BARRIE, ONTARIO, CANADA. I was 10 and a half and my Aunt and Uncle and Cousins were right in the middle of it. They live in a town called Bradford and that's where 2 of many twisters had started. There were 2 F4 Tornadoes. One hit the Holland Marsh near Newmarket, Ontario which they could see from there back Porch. and the other hit Barrie. Which they could see from there Front porch. It's like they were surrounded.

  • wicked

  • Wow...I wasn't even a year old. I remember my mom and aunt telling me about this tornado. I was in the hospital at the time (for a liver transplant; long story) but my aunt said when she was driving home from visiting me that the sky was pitch black.

  • My dad filmed this lol i was a baby downstairs with my mom dale lol this is at my grandpas house on brian lane

  • Credit:Ron Alfredo

  • Pittsburgh is listed as the seventh city to get hit by violent tornadoes in the Ohio VAlley so it can happen here!

  • it is greatttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt­tttttttttt

  • "That's atornado, look at it, get downstairs, that's fantastic." that's some of the best commentary during a tornado I've ever heard.

    Still doesn't beat "GET AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS!!!!" or "I'm 10 feet from it!", my personal favourite quote is "It's a little tornado" but you gotta say it with a southern drawl. great video, as always.

  • I was 2 years old and I was at the Italian Home in Farrell.

  • People from Pittsburgh were a little nervous that day!

  • I did live there, but im in nc now... Good.

  • NEW CASTLE!! lol

  • thats even worse

  • Hah, I lived there too. But now I live in Arkansas...good?

  • One of my former teacher's friend was killed in this tornado.

  • was your teacher mrs walker?

  • PA shouldn't get F5 tornadoes...

  • I live in Erie, Pa and did see this actual twister when it was up in the sky off the ground. It tore through a trailer court 1/2 mile from my home, then jumped up in the sky (thankfully as my house was in line). I was only 12, but I remember it clearly....scary stuff

  • I was 9 and just moved out of Hubbard when these went through. We came back to visit for some reason. I remember seeing a house that looked like someone had picked it up off the foundation and just neatly set it right back down beside it.

  • The tornado Outbreak of Friday May 31st 1985 is extremely rare! I remember being at work and having my weather radio on and hearing the tornado warnings.

    The worst tornado that day hit Whealtland, Mercer County with 265 mph winds! The tornado was as wide as 7 football fields. This story was also featured in the Readers Digest.Many people lost their lives on this day but now we know, we are NOT immune to tornadoes!

  • I was in New Jersey at the time. The tornadoes that day were already in the evening news as the outbreak was in progress. I remember waiting up until the storms came through our area around 2:30 AM. The lightning was incredible, but luckily for us, the tornadoes had ceased.

  • The path of destruction was 1/2 mile wide. We went to a friend's house the day after. He lived in Newton Falls and you could see where this monster came rumbling through the woods and totally destroyed this neighborhood... it looked like a bomb went off.  Our friend's house was nothing more than a slab. He moved to California after that. I lived in Warren, all I remember was that all day it kept getting hot, then cool.

  • that sucks man totally. glad im in arizona

  • that was just nothin .i was so pleased to no you put up with this.

  • I was in State College that night. We saw the movie "Fletch" on its opening night and came out of the theater at ~9PM in the middle of a severe thunderstorm. We found out the next day that it was the same thunderstorm which spawned a kilometer-wide F4 tornado that passed about 30 miles north of State College through unpopulated sections of the Moshannon State Forest.

  • The Beaver County, Pennsylvania, F3 tornado on that same day passed less than a mile away from my house. It was this oubreak that really sparked my interest in thunderstorms and tornadoes.

  • i remember that day...i was nine...i just remember my sister and i were playing atari video games and my mom came inside and yelled for us all to "get in the basement NOW" and then the sky turned green.

  • I was not even a year old when this happened. This video is simply amazing, even though many people lost their lives that days. Since, hearing about this outbreak from many people, I've grown an obsession with tornadoes. Great video!

  • amazing old home video! one good thing about the old bulky vhs ones was the audio, especially if you had one with stereo mics.. puts the new digitals to shame imo =)

  • The commentary is great on the second part. Too bad this video leaves off the part where the guy keeps saying "look at all the papers!" until someone corrects him that it's leaves. It sounds like you can hear him going "yeah leaves!" right when it switches over to it.

  • yes the old hifi vhs cameras had great sound...much better than the picture resolution. limitation on the new digi cams is the built in microphones. but hookup a decent external mic to a 24 bit pcm recorder and it will blow away any analogue. Someone needs to record a tornado in Hi Def with AC3 5 channel surround sound.

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