Preliminary EF1 Tornado Assessment Finds Tree and Power-Line Damage Near Houtzdale

A preliminary National Weather Service damage survey found that an EF1 tornado struck Whiteside, south of Houtzdale in Clearfield County, on the evening of Saturday, July 18, 2026.

The survey was conducted and issued on Sunday, July 19. It estimated peak winds of 110 mph, measured the path at about one mile long and found a maximum width of 400 yards. The survey recorded zero fatalities and zero injuries.

Damage corridor ran south of Houtzdale

The National Weather Service placed the start of the surveyed track about two miles south of Houtzdale near the northwest end of Gum Street. The path continued east-southeast across Morann Avenue, also identified as PA 153, and North Railroad Street before reaching Hale Road and extending toward Sonia Lane and Moshannon Creek. The survey placed the end of the track about two miles southeast of Houtzdale.

The dominant damage pattern involved trees and power lines rather than widespread building damage. The survey described pine trees snapped between Gum Street and Hemlock Street, extensive tree and power-line damage near North Railroad Street and Hale Road, and dozens to perhaps hundreds of trees knocked down or snapped in a forested area southeast of North Railroad Street and southwest of Hale Road.

Because the National Weather Service identified the surveyed area as Whiteside south of Houtzdale, the listed locations should not be read as a claim that all damage occurred within Houtzdale borough limits.

Survey documented limited structural damage

The survey reported minor damage to a few structures near Gum Street. Farther along the track, a single-wide mobile home and an adjacent vehicle were shifted slightly northeast. A chimney was torn from the side of a house near the intersection of North Railroad Street and Hale Road.

Many structures in the surveyed path had very minor damage. The survey also reported little to no damage to campers and a cabin at a camp near the forested area, despite extensive tree damage nearby. Observed damage became more sporadic after the circulation crossed Moshannon Creek.

Rating remains preliminary

The National Weather Service placed the tornado at the upper end of the EF1 range, using the observed tree-fall pattern and other damage indicators to support the 110-mph estimate. The agency cautioned that the information is preliminary and may change after final review and publication in NWS Storm Data.

Clearfield County Emergency Services and the Houtzdale Fire Company assisted with the survey. In a July 21 report, ABC23 independently cited the Houtzdale-area EF1 assessment, the 110-mph estimate and the absence of reported injuries. ABC23 also reported that emergency crews were continuing cleanup assistance in affected communities, but did not provide a detailed Houtzdale-specific work log.

Sources

• National Weather Service State College damage survey
• ABC23 report: Local Tornado Damage