The National Weather Service in State College has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for our area until 8:15 PM. It adds that the storm is capable of producing quarter-size hail and damaging winds of 60 to 70 miles per hour.
Locations impacted will include Tamaqua, Hometown, Pottsville, Mount Carmel, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah, Minersville, Mahanoy City, Frackville, St. Clair, Kulpmont, Ashland, Orwigsburg, McAdoo, Pine Grove, Port Carbon, Tremont, Girardville and others.
This includes Interstate 81 between mile markers 91 and 139.
Click HERE to view the interactive “moving” map via Weather.com.

The alert reads:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR… NORTHEASTERN DAUPHIN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA… NORTHWESTERN LEBANON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA… SOUTHEASTERN COLUMBIA COUNTY IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA… SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA… SOUTHEASTERN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA…

* UNTIL 815 PM EDT

* AT 716 PM EDT… DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR BEURYS LAKE… AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… POTTSVILLE… TAMAQUA… MOUNT CARMEL… SCHUYLKILL HAVEN… SHENANDOAH… MINERSVILLE… MAHANOY CITY… FRACKVILLE… ST. CLAIR… KULPMONT… ASHLAND… ORWIGSBURG… MCADOO… PINE GROVE… PORT CARBON… TREMONT… GIRARDVILLE… MARSHALLTON… WILLIAMSTOWN AND HOMETOWN.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 81 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 91 AND 139.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

THE THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE DAMAGE. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER… PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING.

PREPARE FOR LARGE HAIL. STAY SAFE INDOORS. CONSIDER MOVING AUTOMOBILES INTO A GARAGE.

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM… AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.

IN ADDITION TO OTHER THREATS… CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY. LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES LEADING KILLERS. REMEMBER… IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER… YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

THIS STORM HAS ALREADY MADE WIND DAMAGE ONE MILE SOUTH OF SELINSGROVE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.