Allegheny County’s Twitter handle fired off hundreds of tweets Sunday as the agency tried to keep up with the seemingly endless happenings around the county ranging from downed trees blocking roadways to power lines down to buildings collapsing to telephones catching fire.
The National Weather Service reported winds as high as 53 miles per hour near the Pittsburgh International Airport.
The region was under a high wind warning until 7:45 p.m., when the NWS downgraded the conditions to a wind advisory. The advisory will remain in effect until 7 a.m. Monday.
A wind advisory, according to the NWS, means wind speeds greater than 30 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph. The high wind warning meant the region would experience wind gusts of up to 60 mph.
No township was immune to the throes of the region’s high winds.
Baldwin Borough: Report of wires down and a pole nearly down at 3000 block of Vernon Avenue.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
Penn Hills: Wire down on an unoccupied vehicle – 7800 block of Mark Drive.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
Collier: Tree and wires down at 1000 block of Gregg Station Road.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
Allegheny County reported wires and trees down in dozens of locations including Pittsburgh, East and West Deer, Fox Chapel, Indiana, Plum, O’Hara West Deer, Springdale Township, Kennedy, Shaler, Hampton, Harrison, Mt. Lebanon, Baldwin, Reserve, Richland, Jefferson, McCandless and Verona, among others.
Around 9 p.m. there was a report of a downed tree entrapping someone in a vehicle at the intersection of Squaw Run and Dorseyville roads.
Swindburne Street in Pittsburgh closed around 7 p.m. between Greenfield and Parkview avenues due to a landslide. Many others in the city were closed due to downed trees and power lines.
A downed tree in Baldwin ripped a gas line out of the ground around 4 p.m. on the 200 block of Joseph Street.
Baldwin Borough: Downed tree ripped gas line out of the ground. Wires also down – 200 block of Joseph Street. Responders are at the scene; utilities have been notified
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
As of 6:20 p.m., the county reported five fires related to the high winds in Pittsburgh, Ross and Hampton townships.
Pittsburgh: Top of telephone pole on fire – N. Negley Avenue at Hampton Street.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
Ross: Wires down on 700 block of Jefferson Drive w/report of brush fire.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
Hampton: Tree and wires down w/brush fire – 2400 block of Royalview Drive.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
Pittsburgh: Top of telephone pole on fire – N. Negley Avenue at Hampton Street.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
High winds can topple large trees. Here’s a fallen tree at Alder and Spahr in #Pittsburgh’s Shadyside.
Our @CityPGH Forestry Division is working hard to keep up with damage. Let us know, call 911 if a tree is blocking a roadway. pic.twitter.com/1dVnGvydgM
— Pittsburgh Public Works (@PGHDPW) February 24, 2019
Boyce Park in Plum closed partially early Sunday but closed fully by 2 p.m.
Due to high winds, Boyce Park skiing and tubing will close for the day at 4:30 pm today, February 24. The slopes will resume normal operating hours on Monday, February 25, weather and conditions permitting. For details, visit https://t.co/H93QdGSg0F pic.twitter.com/57LZjGs9Og
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
A building in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood on Second Avenue was reported to have been collapsing around 2 p.m.
Pittsburgh (Hazelwood): Building on 5200 block of 2nd Avenue collapsing.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 24, 2019
A Pittsburgh nonprofit, 412 Food Rescue, tweeted to its followers that it needs help saving the food at East Liberty’s Trader Joe’s grocery store after it lost power.
We are trying to save all the food at Trader Joe’s in #EastLberty! Dan and #biggreen to the rescue! We may need help unloading in Homewood! Pallets of eggs, dairy, salads and so much good food! Raise your hands if you can help! #foodrescue pic.twitter.com/nQu1PJXQIg
— 412 Food Rescue (@412FoodRescue) February 24, 2019
