National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Severe Thunderstorms In the Central U.S. and Heat This Weekend

Severe thunderstorms overnight may produce damaging winds, large hail, tornadoes, and flooding over parts of the Plains into the mid-MS Valley. On Sunday, scattered severe thunderstorms capable of damaging wind gusts are expected across the Mid-Atlantic vicinity. Hazardous heat will continue in the South, Southwest and central California this weekend building across the Pacific Northwest Sunday. Read More >

This tornado touched down in the extreme northeast corner of Trumbull County, OH in Kinsman Township. The storm was on the ground in Ohio for only a few hundred yards. The storm damaged some farm buildings and downed trees. The tornado then traveled through Jamestown (Mercer County, PA), moved through Atlantic, Cochranton (both Crawford County, PA), Hannaville, Cooperstown, a trailer park eight miles north of Franklin, and Cherry Tree (all Venango County, PA), to three miles south of Tionesta (Forest County, PA). There were 23 deaths; five in Atlantic, three in Cochranton, five in Cooperstown, one at the trailer park, two at Cherry Tree, and seven at Tionesta. About 371 homes were damaged or destroyed. A mobile home park just west of Atlantic was completely destroyed. The small town of Atlantic was practically totaled.  Just east of Atlantic, a communications tower was toppled by the tornado.  Within three days, it was quickly replaced with a temporary tower.
Source: NCDC Storm Data: May 1985; Volume 27, Number 5

Tornado near Cochranton, PA
Source: Steve Marshall, original photographer unknown
 

 

Tornado near Jamestown, PA
Source: Steve Marshall, original photographer unknown

Tornado near Atlantic, PA
Source: Steve Marshall, original photographer unknown

Atlantic Post Office Before and After Tornado
Source:  Erie Times-News

Source:  Killer Tornados - Published by The Area Shopper

Source:  Killer Tornados - Published by The Area Shopper