Pennsylvania Tornado Outbreak of May, 31, 1985

By: Paul Dornsife



Map of Tornadoes on May, 31 1985 and Their Fujita Strengths


List of Tornadoes: May, 31 1985 Outbreak

Tornado Number

Tornado Name

Length (km)

Width (m)

Time (PM EDT)

1
Utica, OH
45
150
7:15 - 7:45
2
Cooperdale, OH
18
70
7:50 - 8:10
3
Mesopotamia, OH
25
425
5:05 - 5:20
4
Wheatland, PA-OH
75
425
6:30 - 7:35
5
Albion, PA-OH
23
375
4:59 - 5:17
6
Dorse, OH-PA
16
150
5:28 - 5:41
7
Meadville, PA
15
130
5:35 - 5:50
8
Linesville, PA
6
200
5:10 - 5:15
9
Middleton, OH
24
200
7:35 - 7:55
10
Big Beaver
63
250
8:10 - 9:05
11
Atlantic City, PA
63
350
5:40 - 6:30
12
Saegertown, PA
29
250
5:23 - 5:55
13
Centerville, PA
13
400
6:12 - 6:23
14
Corry, PA-OH
45
425
5:25 - 5:55
15
Tompson Run, PA
8
200
6:30 - 6:37
16
Emlenton, PA
8
30
7:56 - 8:03
17
Big Bend, PA
10
130
7:54 - 8:03
18
Tionesta, PA
48
800
6:30 - 7:10
19
Tidiouti, PA
27
800
7:30 - 7:55
20
Kane, PA
46
950
8:00 - 8:40
21
Lamont, PA
33
300
6:50 - 7:35
22
Busti, NY
21
175
6:25 - 6:45
23
Penn Run, PA
10
25
9:52 - 10:03
24
Moshannon State Forest, PA
105
1000
7:35 - 9:00
25
Watsontown, PA
34
850
6:25 - 10:15
26
Hollenback Twp, PA
16
400
10:45 - 11:00

The Toll of the Tornadoes on May, 31 1985

State

Number Killed

Number Injured

Homes Destroyed

Damage Price

Pennsylvania
65
707
1009
$376,367,000
Ohio
11
340
300
$150,000,000
New York
0
16
21
$4,000,000

The Fujita Scale of Wind Speed and Damage

Scale

Wind Speed (m/s)

Class

Type of Damage

F0
17 - 32
Light
Some damage to chimneys and television antennae; branches break off trees; crops heavily damaged; billborads damaged; shallow trees may be uprooted or broken; old, hollow trees snap and fall.
F1
33 - 49
Moderate
Mobile homes overturned; trees uprooted; shings and small parts of roofs blown away; windows broken; some tree snap; moving cars pushed off road.
F2
50 - 69
Considerate
Roofs torn off houses; weak structures and outbuilding destroyed; mobile homes flattened; railroad box cars pushed over; large trees snapped and uprooted; block structures and walls badly damaged; light missiles generated.
F3
70 - 92
Severe
Walls torn off well-constructed houses; Steel-framed buildings badly damaged; cars lifted off ground slightly and roll; houses with weak foundations begin to slide off and crumble; trains overrturned.
F4
93 - 116
Devastating
Well-constructed homes leveled; houses with weak foundations disintegrated; cars thrown tens of meters; trees debarked by flying debris; Heavy missile generated.
F5
117 - 142
Incredible
Strong homes lifted clear off foundations and disintegrated; Steel-reinforced concrete structures badly damaged; car size missiles thrown over 100 meters; trees completely debarked.
Table reference: Gregory S. Forbes