Tornado touchdown in Ottsville damages campers

The National Weather Service in Mt. Holly, N.J., Thursday confirmed that a tornado touched down in Tinicum Township at 9:51 p.m. May 19.

The EF 1 tornado had an estimated wind speed of 95 miles per hour. There were no injuries reported; however three camping trailers were significantly damaged by fallen trees, the NWS said in a public information statement.

According to the NWS, a storm survey team determined the tornado “briefly touched down” over the Beaver Valley Campgrounds near Ottsville. It tracked from southwest to northeast across the property for approximately ¼ mile with a maximum path width of about 100 yards. The tornado was on the ground for approximately one minute, and dozens of trees were uprooted, with several “snapped in a manner consistent with tornadic winds.”

The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes from EF0 (weakest) to EF5 (violent). An EF1 tornado is considered weak, with wind speeds of 86 to 100 miles per hour.