At least four microbursts blasted West and South Philadelphia over the weekend, uprooting and scattering large, downed trees and debris across vehicles, homes, and roads. A Disaster Emergency was declared to help with recovery efforts.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Parts of West and South Philadelphia were ravaged by a series of destructive microbursts over the weekend, with its powerful straight-line winds uprooting and scattering large, downed trees and debris across vehicles, homes, and roads.
A series of powerful microbursts slams Philadelphia, causing widespread damage.
Mayor Cherelle Parker declared a Disaster Emergency to help strengthen recovery efforts.
On Saturday afternoon, the city was under flash flood warnings as at least four separate microbursts struck the area, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Footage of the aftermath captured on Sunday shows large trees crushing vehicles and branches smashed through home windows.
A series of powerful microbursts slams Philadelphia, causing widespread damage.
(Karen Closkey | Storyful)
A street sign was also seen mangled in a toppled tree extending well into the roadway, and cars were seen carefully navigating the debris, driving under a fallen tree trunk like a bridge.
Vehicles cross under downed tree
(Karen Closkey | Storyful)
Crews are assessing and clearing the wreckage, working around the clock to remove hazards, restore services, and aid all affected neighborhoods.
Crews work to remove hazards and aid all affected neighborhoods.
(Karen Closkey | Storyful)
A microburst is defined by the National Weather Service as a localized, descending column of air within a thunderstorm measuring 2.5 miles or less in diameter.
It occurs when an updraft weakens, allowing the core of air and water to plummet and spread destructive winds upon ground impact.
To break it down even further, FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said, “A microburst is when a thunderstorm is kind of falling apart and decaying and the updraft kind of collapses, and that means all the air rushes down from the thunderstorm to the ground, and you have this massive burst of air.”
According to the NWS, winds can reach up to 100 mph in microbursts, which is equivalent to an EF-1 tornado.
