The increasing pressure difference (gradient) between a rapidly intensifying low pressure system offshore and an arctic high pressure system moving east from the Great Lakes caused strong northwest winds to occur in Eastern Pennsylvania  on the 15th through the early afternoon. Some even higher and damaging winds occurred in the local Philadelphia area, the Lehigh Valley and higher terrain of the Poconos during the morning of the 15th. Peak wind gusts averaged 50 to 60 mph and knocked down or snapped trees and tree limbs. This caused downed wires and power outages. The high winds also stripped siding from homes and caused isolated property damage. The strong to high winds hampered road crews trying to keep roadways clear from the snow that fell on the 14th.  PECO Energy reported that 13,000 of its customers lost power. Pennsylvania Power and Light reported 1,600 of its customers in the Poconos lost power.  It also ushered into Eastern Pennsylvania one of the coldest air masses of the entire winter season.
In Philadelphia, the high winds toppled a 115-year-old/70 foot high steeple of a church on Cottman Avenue. The high winds also knocked a large limb into the bedroom of a house on School House Lane. Some flights were cancelled at the Philadelphia International Airport. In Delaware County, the high winds knocked down a huge tree that destroyed one home on Spruce Road in Newtown Square. It narrowly missed severely harming the family of four inside of the home. The mother had to be rescued and suffered minor injuries. SEPTA Regional Rail Service had delays and service was completely suspended between Lansdale (Montgomery) and Doylestown (Bucks County) because of downed wires. PECO Energy reported that most of the power outages in its service area were in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties.  All power was restored by the night of the 15th. Speed limits on Delaware River bridges in and around Philadelphia as well as on major interstates were reduced. In the Poconos, numerous trees were knocked down. Power outages were concentrated in Chestnuthill Township in Monroe County and Towamensing Township in Carbon County.
Peak wind gusts included 61 mph in Newtown Square (Delaware County), 59 mph in Bushkill Township (Northampton County), 57 mph in Lenhartsville (Berks County), 54 mph at the Philadelphia International Airport, 53 mph in Mount Pocono (Monroe County) and Oxford (Chester County), 52 mph in West Grove (Chester County), 49 mph in Reading (Berks County), 47 mph in Coatesville (Chester County) and Perkasie (Bucks County) and 44 mph in Doylestown (Bucks County).
The high winds were caused by the increasing pressure gradient (difference) between the rapidly intensifying offshore low pressure system and a high pressure system over the western Great Lakes.  The low pressure system deepened (intensified) from 996 millibars at 7 p.m. EST on the 14th to 978 millibars at 7 a.m. EST on the 15th, 972 millibars at 1 p.m. EST on the 15th and 962 millibars as it passed through Nova Scotia at 7 p.m. EST on the 15th.  The arctic high pressure system also was quite strong and averaged 1042 millibars while the highest winds were occurring.  The strong to high winds ceased on the afternoon of the 15th when the low pressure system was sufficiently east of Pennsylvania (and the high pressure system reached Michigan) for the strongest pressure gradient to move offshore.

Strong Wind in UPPER BUCKS, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 02:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 44.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in LOWER BUCKS, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 02:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN MONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 01:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in WESTERN MONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in WESTERN CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 46.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 45.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

High Wind in MONROE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 07:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 11:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

High Wind in CARBON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 07:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 11:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

High Wind in NORTHAMPTON, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 51.00 MG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

High Wind in PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 01:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

High Wind in DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 01:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 10:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Property damage: 200.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in BERKS, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 00:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 49.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in LEHIGH, PENNSYLVANIA
From 15-FEB-15 01:00:00 to 15-FEB-15 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS