A deepening area of low pressure moving eastward across the northern Great Lakes swept a strong cold front across western Pennsylvania during the late afternoon/early evening hours of the 9th.  This intensifying low produced a large area of strong low-level winds, both ahead of and behind the cold front, with winds between 70 - 80 MPH present just a few thousand feet off the surface by the mid-afternoon hours.  As showers formed during the day, these strong winds were occasionally brought down to the surface.  To further complicate matters, by the late afternoon hours enough instability was present to produce a line of severe thunderstorms along the main cold front as it entered western Pennsylvania.  This combination of strong gradient winds and severe thunderstorm winds produced widespread damage across the area, mostly in the form of downed trees and power lines.   These high winds continued after the cold frontal passage, downing trees and power lines, until the early morning hours of the 10th.  At that time, the surface low moved off into Quebec and the strong gradient winds finally diminished.  It is estimated that around 25,000 people were left without electricity in western Pennsylvania in the wake of this wind event.

High Wind in WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 to 10-MAR-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in VENANGO, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:15:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 20:00:00 to 09-MAR-02 20:15:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 20:15:00 to 10-MAR-02 02:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 25K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High winds blew a large tree onto a house in Glen Campbell.

High Wind in VENANGO, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:15:00 to 10-MAR-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in WESTMORELAND, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 20:00:00 to 10-MAR-02 02:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Three 4-by-9 foot windows were blown in by strong winds at a gas station on Route 982 near Youngstown.

High Wind in MERCER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 to 10-MAR-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in WESTMORELAND, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 to 09-MAR-02 20:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 18:45:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in CLARION, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 to 10-MAR-02 01:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in CLARION, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:15:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Butler 911 Center received over 100 reports of trees and/or power lines down.

High Wind in ARMSTRONG, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 to 10-MAR-02 01:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 50K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Strong winds blew the roof off of a mobile home in Elderton.

Thunderstorm Wind in MERCER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 18:45:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in LAWRENCE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 18:45:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in FOREST, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in FOREST, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 to 10-MAR-02 01:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in LAWRENCE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 to 10-MAR-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in ARMSTRONG, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in FAYETTE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 to 09-MAR-02 20:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in JEFFERSON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 20:00:00 to 09-MAR-02 20:15:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in GREENE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 to 10-MAR-02 01:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in GREENE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:30:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:45:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in JEFFERSON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 20:15:00 to 10-MAR-02 02:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in FAYETTE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 20:00:00 to 10-MAR-02 02:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:15:00 to 10-MAR-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in BEAVER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 to 10-MAR-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in BEAVER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 18:45:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

High Wind in ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:15:00 to 10-MAR-02 00:00:00 (EST)
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA
From 09-MAR-02 19:00:00 to 09-MAR-02 19:15:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 50K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Strong thunderstorm winds blew the roof off of a Pitcarin business.