The National Weather Service (NWS) in State College has officially confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in southern Perry County on Sunday evening, packing estimated peak winds of up to 100 mph.
The confirmation follows a comprehensive storm damage survey conducted after a volatile weekend of severe weather ripped through Central Pennsylvania, breaking a prolonged summer heatwave but leaving behind widespread damage and power outages.
According to the NWS public information statement, the tornado spun up quickly on Sunday, July 5, at approximately 7:14 p.m. EDT. The brief but intense tornado was on the ground for roughly four minutes before dissipating at 7:17 p.m.
Start Location: 4 miles west-southwest of Marysville (just north of Evergreen Drive)
End Location: 3 miles north of Wertzville (near Lambs Gap Road)
Path Length: 0.55 miles
Maximum Width: 300 yards
The NWS reported that the twister traveled in a south-southwest direction, primarily churning through heavily wooded areas.
“The tornado path started just north of Evergreen Drive and traveled south-southwest, breaking off and uprooting numerous trees,” the NWS survey summary stated. “The most concentrated damage was along Lamb’s Gap Road near the edge of the State Game Lands.”
The damage path ultimately came to an end less than 50 yards southwest of Lamb’s Gap Road. Despite the 100 mph winds and significant tree damage, local emergency management officials confirmed that there were zero injuries or fatalities reported in connection with the brief touchdown.
The tornado touchdown coincided with a frantic Sunday evening for local weather spotters, during which the NWS issued multiple radar-indicated Tornado Warnings across portions of Perry, Cumberland, and Dauphin counties.
The severe weather developed rapidly as a dense, unstable air mass collided with a cooling trend following days of extreme heat. While the Marysville-area tornado was relatively short-lived, the broader system of severe thunderstorms brought intense straight-line winds, heavy downpours, and localized flash flooding to the region.
Across the state, utility crews have been working around the clock to restore electricity. The severe weekend weather overall caused widespread utility damage, with PPL Electric reporting the system among the top 10 most impactful storm events in its history. Thousands of residents in rural Perry County and surrounding areas experienced power interruptions due to trees crashing down across roadways and onto active power lines.
Cleanup efforts along Lamb’s Gap Road and the surrounding state game lands are expected to continue through the week. Local authorities urge residents to remain cautious of hanging branches and downed trees in heavily wooded areas.
