Pa., all 67 counties declared 'storm ready' by National Weather Service

Pennsylvania is the latest state to receive StormReady status from the National Weather Service.

All 67 counties in the state have been designated StormReady, making Pennsylvania one of only six states to receive the title. The others are Rhode Island, Delaware, South Carolina, Hawaii and Florida.

StormReady means each county has:

• Established a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center.
• Created a system that monitors weather conditions locally.
• Promoted the importance of public readiness through community seminars.
• Developed a formal hazardous weather plan, including training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

It also means that each county has more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public.

“The better prepared we are at all levels of government, the better we’re able to work together to respond to the needs of the citizens we serve,” said Randy Padfield, director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

“With a diverse topography ranging from numerous river systems to the Appalachian Mountains, Pennsylvania’s primary weather challenges are flooding and winter storms,” said Barbara Watson, meteorologist-in-charge of the NWS Central Pennsylvania Forecast Office.

“We are pleased to recognize the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as StormReady, which means that each of the state’s 67 counties across 46,000 miles is prepared for hazardous weather with robust operations and communications plans,” Watson said.

The first counties to achieve StormReady status were Bradford, Cambria, Lehigh and Lycoming counties in November 2000. The final county was Forest County on Oct. 15, 2019.

Westmoreland County achieved StormReady status in 2007, and Allegheny County was named StormReady in 2005.

Within Westmoreland County, six entities also have been declared StormReady, including Hempfield Township, the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital and Excela Health Latrobe Hospital.