A tornado touched down in East Finley, Washington County
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — The National Weather Service has officially confirmed a tornado touchdown on Friday, May 16, 2025, in the East Finley area of Washington County, southwest of Pittsburgh. The storm occurred just before 3 p.m. between Birch Road and Elwood Day Road.
Classified as an EF0 tornado, the storm reached peak winds of 65 mph (about 105 km/h). It had a width of 75 yards (roughly 69 meters) and stayed on the ground for approximately 0.47 miles (around 750 meters). While no injuries or fatalities were reported, the storm caused tree damage in its path.
This tornado came in the wake of multiple severe weather alerts issued for the western Pennsylvania region earlier in the day.
Tornado frequency and regional risk analysis
Data from the National Weather Service indicates that over 70% of tornadoes occurring in western Pennsylvania fall into the EF0 or EF1 category, which typically results in limited structural damage but still poses significant risk to people and property.
A recent study by Home Gnome, based on FEMA data, analyzed nearly 950 U.S. counties with moderate to very high tornado risk. The assessment factored in tornado frequency, projected annual losses, average home age, and whether local building codes include tornado-resistant standards.
Thirteen Pennsylvania counties ranked among the top U.S. counties at highest tornado risk. These include:
Philadelphia (90), Montgomery (242), Delaware (310), Allegheny (370), Bucks (373), Chester (410), Berks (434), Lehigh (551), Northampton (728), Dauphin (730), Lancaster (743), Luzerne (766), and Lebanon (930).
Among these, Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, ranks 370th, reinforcing the area’s growing vulnerability.
Additional tornadoes recently confirmed across Pennsylvania
Besides the tornado in East Finley, at least four other twisters have been verified recently in Pennsylvania. Notably, a tornado in Schuylkill County inflicted damage on homes and even shattered windows at a local elementary school, underscoring the intensifying weather volatility in the state.
Extended forecast: Pittsburgh weather outlook through Saturday
Tonight (Tuesday, May 20): Expect scattered showers before 11 p.m., followed by possible thunderstorms. Cloudy skies, with lows near 56°F (13°C). East winds at 6–9 mph, and 70% chance of rain, with up to half an inch of precipitation.
Wednesday, May 21: Morning showers and thunderstorms, continuing through the day. High near 68°F (20°C) with southeast winds at 10 mph. Rainfall totals may approach 1 inch.
Wednesday night: Persistent showers and isolated storms until about 2 a.m., with a low around 53°F (12°C). Winds shift to southwest, around 8 mph, and rain chances remain at 90%.
Thursday, May 22: Widespread showers and possible afternoon thunderstorms. Temperatures will struggle to reach 60°F (16°C), with west winds gusting up to 21 mph. Rainfall mostly light.
Thursday night: A diminishing chance of rain before 2 a.m., under mostly cloudy skies. Expect lows near 47°F (8°C) and lighter rainfall amounts.
Friday, May 23: Afternoon showers likely, with partly sunny skies and highs near 59°F (15°C). Precipitation chances at 70%.
Friday night: Showers continue, especially before 8 p.m., then skies turning mostly cloudy, with lows around 44°F (7°C).
Saturday, May 24: A 30% chance of rain in the morning, otherwise partly sunny, with a high near 63°F (17°C).
The instability in atmospheric conditions signals a continued unsettled pattern for the Pittsburgh region, especially heading into the Memorial Day weekend.
