Strong winds cause damage, power outages

 By the Mon Valley Independent

The winds whipped into the Mon Valley and across Southwestern Pennsylvania in the morning and afternoon hours Friday.

“Strong wind continues to impact the region, with ongoing reports of trees and wires down,” the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh tweeted around 11 a.m. Friday.

Around 10 a.m., NWS Pittsburgh, which placed the region under a wind advisory, said a wind gust of about 58 mph was recorded at Allegheny County Airport in West Mifflin. A morning report from the weather service showed a 43 mph wind gust in White Oak at 8:58 a.m. and a 41 mph gust in Belle Vernon at 6:39 a.m. .

NWS Pittsburgh advised area residents to avoid being outside in forested areas and around trees and branches, to remain in the lower levels of their homes during the windstorm, to avoid standing or sitting near windows and to use extreme caution when driving.

Officials in the Mon Valley spent the morning warning residents about wind storms.

“Don’t let the beautiful sky fool you! The wind is knocking down small trees, garbage cans, etc…,” Forward Township Police Department wrote in a Facebook post. “Hang tight Forward peeps!”

The White Oak Borough Office of Emergency Management took to social media to urge residents to prepare for power outages by having items such as flashlights and batteries at the ready.

“Now is the time to prepare for possible power outages and other impacts due to high winds,” White Oak OEM wrote on Facebook. “Don’t be left in the dark!”

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Saturday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.