Storms rip through region, bringing flash flooding and toppling trees
Pavilion at Star Lake floods during concert
Ferocious thunderstorms and torrential downpours Thursday night turned The Pavilion at Star Lake into an actual lake.
Videos circulating on social media show concertgoers wading through shin-high water as severe storms moved through Western Pennsylvania and dropped significant rainfall on the outdoor concert venue in northern Washington County and elsewhere across the region
Amanda Balsama Brookman of Houston, Pa., who attended the Rufus Du Sol concert with her niece Kaitlyn Balsama, said it was surreal watching rushing water pour in like a river into the lower bowl seating area of the concert venue, leaving standing water in the aisles. She said even the trip to Star Lake itself was treacherous, but she and her niece were happy to see the band perform.
无毛视频淲e honestly didn无毛视频檛 think it would happen,无毛视频� Balsama Brookman said of the concert. 无毛视频淔rom our journey driving there with lightning and trees down everywhere to them delaying the show and making us take cover several times. It was crazy, but the show went on to a packed venue.无毛视频�
Kaitlyn Balsama, who grew up in Washington County and now lives in Phoenix, has been to 60 concerts at Star Lake, but had never seen anything like what she witnessed Thursday night.
无毛视频淚t was pretty wild. This was by far the craziest (concert),无毛视频� Balsama said. 无毛视频淚t was like a rushing river. It was shocking.无毛视频�
She said attendees were ushered under the pavilion for protection from the storm, but it began flooding with the water rising in the aisles nearly up to people无毛视频檚 knees, while the grassy hillside turned into a muddy and soggy mess.
无毛视频淚t ended up receding, but I was nervous as (the rain water) was flowing in,无毛视频� Balsama said. 无毛视频淚 didn无毛视频檛 know what was happening. It took a while to recede.无毛视频�
Concertgoers waiting for Rufus Du Sol to perform were instructed to shelter in place as the storms moved through and the concert at the outdoor amphitheater was delayed.
无毛视频淒ue to lightning in the vicinity of the venue, we are now asking fans to seek shelter,无毛视频� Star Lake said on a social media post and in alerts to those in attendance. 无毛视频淔or those seated under the pavilion, please shelter in place. If you are on the lawn, please follow staff instructions to shelter in place in your area. If outside of the gates, return to your vehicles and remain in the parking lot until further notice.无毛视频�
At 9:19 p.m., the concert venue posted an update saying that the show would resume soon.
无毛视频淚 feel like they handled it very well,无毛视频� Balsama Brookman said of Star Lake无毛视频檚 event staff. 无毛视频淚 was nervous because of the flooding and the rain was coming in sideways under the pavilion. I was certain it would be canceled but also heard they never cancel shows so I was hopeful (about) that.无毛视频�
Thursday night无毛视频檚 storms toppled trees, brought down power lines, caused sporadic flooding and led to widespread damage throughout the region.
Thousands were left without power, and school districts delayed or canceled classes. Among the closures were Canon-McMillan and Chartiers-Houston school districts, a result of power outages and blocked roads.
In North Strabane Township, the fire department responded to calls for fallen trees, downed wires, and property damage, and responded to mutual-aid calls in hard-hit Cecil Township.
North Strabane Township Public Safety Director Mark Grimm said a driver became stuck in floodwater on Morganza Road, and a home in Magnolia Ridge was struck by lightning. Grimm said the township was keeping a close eye on Chartiers Creek along Linden Road, which was nearing flood level.
The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh issued several flash flood warnings Thursday night into Friday morning across the region, and a flash flood watch remained in effect until Saturday morning. The weather service also issued a tornado warning Thursday night in northeastern Fayette County after radar spotted a thunderstorm moving southeast at 40 mph near Mount Pleasant in Westmoreland County.
No tornadoes had been confirmed as of Friday morning, as weather service teams were still collecting storm reports and evaluating whether there were any areas they would need to survey, said Bill Modzelewski, a meteorologist with the NWS Pittsburgh office.
Northern Washington County received the most rainfall in the three-county area, with 3.8 inches recorded northeast of Canonsburg, Modzelewski said. Radar estimates suggested parts of northwestern Fayette County near Perryopolis could have received around 2.5 inches.
The storms also caused widespread power outages. As of Friday morning, more than 7,400 customers were without power across Washington, Greene and Fayette counties. But aside from reports of downed trees, 911 coordinator Jodie Victor said Fayette County had received few reports of damage.
Additional thunderstorms that had the potential of bringing heavy rain and damaging winds swept through the area again on Friday.
Staff writer Garrett Neese contributed to this story.