Unchained Preppers
General Category => Security & Survival => Topic started by: JohnyMac on July 05, 2025, 12:24:46 PM
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After Action Review: Severe Storm, July 3, 2025, Northeast Pennsylvania.
On Thursday, July 3, 2025, my AO experienced hot weather followed by a suspected microburst or EF-0 tornado around 1515 EDT. My wife and I had just gotten into the truck for last-minute Independence Day shopping when the storm hit. It began as a thunderstorm but quickly escalated to estimated 80 mph winds. My weather station, which caps at 50 mph, recorded that maximum, and reported 2.3 inches of rain. The storm subsided by 1545 EDT.
After the storm passed, I assisted Mrs. Mac into the house and used the local amateur radio repeater to gather information. I then assessed the damage outside:
> No electricity.
> Trees snapped like twigs, many uprooted with root balls exposed.
> Our two-track dirt township road was blocked by downed trees.
> Numerous trees were leaning on electrical lines.
> My neighbor lost live stock 50% of his fencing due to fallen trees.
> No damage to my house, outbuildings, or vehicles.
> No damage to my neighbor?s home, barn, or outbuildings.
My neighbor and I cleared trees from our township road out to the state dirt road. Looking south and north, we saw only downed trees and electrical wires. The utility pole at the corner of our township and state roads was snapped in half, with wires scattered.
I returned home and prepared dinner, grateful that our solar panels were intact and operational. I connected an analog telephone to report the downed pole (pole #XYZ) to our rural electric co-op, hearing a recording that 648 customers were without power. I left a message, flipped switches to power essentials like Starlink, and cooked dinner: Italian pork sausage links on grilled rolls with Italian gravy. We lit three Aladdin lamps, tuned the radio to Sirius, and used our propane stove, which requires no electricity due to its pilot light. We retired around 2200 EDT.
At approximately 1930 EDT, I spoke via the Broome County, New York's, main repeater with the RACES Emergency Coordinator. He reported that Johnson City and eastern Binghamton, NY were heavily impacted, with the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) calling it a microburst, though he suspected an EF-0 or EF-1 tornado. NOAA would assess the damage and make a formal determination after extensive review.
On July 4, I woke at 0500 EDT to assist with radio communications for a 5K and 10K run at the county seat by 0700 EDT. I lit the Aladdin lamps, brewed coffee using our Mr. Coffee maker, and showered (water pump and heater also solar-powered). Expecting road blockages, I was surprised to find a path truck wide cleared through the trees along the 4-mile mountain road to town, thanks to the volunteer fire company's efforts until midnight. I'll send them a thank-you card with a donation next week.
While many roads in our hamlet were blocked, I navigated to the south of town, where there was no damage, and reached the county seat about 30-miles away without issues. On my return, I picked up emergency supplies for neighbors. The storm's impact became clearer: downed trees, power lines, destroyed corn crops, gardens, and fruit trees, and many closed township and state roads. With delivering supplies the return to home took longer than expected.
A supervisor from the rural electric co-op visited to check on us and our neighbor, estimating power restoration by Tuesday, July 8, with intermittent service for two weeks as they reroute and replace lines. Later, we visited friends east of us, a normally 50-minute drive that took 1.5 hours due to detours. They had power. Back home, I lit four Aladdin lamps, turned on the Sirius radio, poured a glass of wine, and fell asleep in my La-Z-Boy, accidentally spilling the wine. Mrs. Mac quipped, "That's God's way of saying, go to bed."
We retired, and at 0600 EDT on July 5, our dog W3OOF woke me to go outside. I returned to bed and slept until 0920 EDT.
Hopefully this AAR helps you with your preps for an emergency that will happen.
73
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Great report, Johny. Mrs. Jackalope and I are glad to hear that you and Mrs. Mac have survived your ordeal. It must have been quite the storm. It?s always nice when your preps and plans come together. We?ll be thinking of you two.
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Thank you Jackalope and MrsJackalope. :thumbsUp: :cheers:
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Thanks for sharing your report and thankful that you were prepped, hopefully we will all be ready when catastrophe strikes. My heart breaks for the those enduring the destruction and loss due to the sudden floods in Texas, such terrible scenes and stories are coming out. Praying for those directly impacted and those that are helping.
On another note, my husband and I set up a field station yesterday, with changes to our gear since Field Day, we were pleased with the way everything worked. We were even able to tweak the antenna so that we could use every band. All the digital modes (WinLink, VarAC, Fldigi Suite, JS8Call, Spotter, CommStat, Kleopatra, and GtHsh) all worked on the Linux based Toughbook. Now, I want to type up the process, step by step, label all the cords, and learn how to tie a couple of knots, then deploy it all over and over again until I am comfortable and confident that I can do it without my husband's help, just in case I ever need to set it up alone.
Let's stay ready and prepped for anything!
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Such reports are so heartening, thank you. They reaffirm the personal, at-home value of self-sufficiency but even more, they highlight that being able to help others depends on being able to help yourself first. From islands of health and security can helping hands reach out.
All part of "no man is an island" - separately we fall, together we live.
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Felix, what you write is so true.
"But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: ?Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." Matthew 12:25
Yes Hope, the flood in Texas is heartbreaking. Great job on the field station. :pirateThumbUp:
By the way, our grid electric came back on at about 2000E hrs. yesterday.
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Glad to hear all is going well. I hope my plans come together when needed.
Nemo
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Here is the official report minus my location (REDACTED)from BINGO NOAA that was sent to me this morning.
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Binghamton NY
653 PM EDT Sat Jul 5 2025
0330 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NNW REDACTED 42.00N 76.00W
07/03/2025 REDACTED PA NWS Storm Survey
Widespread tree damage that was consistent
with 65 to 85 mph winds occurred throughout
the REDACTED and REDACTED, PA area
due to a long tracking supercell that caused
a large downburst. There were enhanced areas
of tree damage where local terrain effects
caused funneling of winds and eddies to
form. The winds were noticeably higher in
these areas, peaking at 90 to 100 mph. Some
locations where these more intense funneling
winds occurred were along REDACTED Road and
REDACTED Hill Road in REDACTED and in several
drainages aligning from northwest to
southeast with the storm motion. Also, near
REDACTED Street in REDACTED there were several
soft and hardwood trees snapped 20 feet
above the trunk. Finally, along REDACTED
Street in REDACTED, the cemetery
had several large pine trees snapped 15 feet
above the trunk and a large maple that was
snapped. The damage in these areas showed
signs of rotation likely was caused from
winds interacting with the terrain and
localized wind speeds up to 100 mph.
In short, a "microburst".
73
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Wow! Thanks for the AAR, JohnyMac! It's so good to see home preps coming in handy, what works and what does not. Being able to remain dry, and well fed makes a huge difference. The camp stove on top of the normal kitchen stove makes for some good meals, hot coffee and a sense of normalcy. That town of REDACTED, Pa. really got the stuffing pounded out of it! :hiding:
Note the trees snapped off 15 to 20 above ground. We had a couple of those 3 years ago during a 'wind event'. It looked like twisting the top off of giant broccoli. I was busy with the chain saw for a few days, but LOTS of good fire wood came from that :-)
Cheers & Beers :cheers:
~ Sir John Honeybucket