Severe weather swept through the Philadelphia area Friday night, prompting tornado watches and warnings as well as flash flood alerts. The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch for Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs, effective until midnight, as storms with damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes threatened the region Heavy rainfall also raised the risk of flash flooding, especially in low-lying urban zones.
A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form but does not confirm one is present. Residents should stay alert, review safety plans, and monitor updates. A tornado warning, on the other hand, is issued when a tornado has been spotted or indicated by radar—immediate shelter is necessary.
Friday’s storms brought an EF-0 tornado to the area and left behind flooding in several neighborhoods The forecast called for more scattered storms and localized flooding into Saturday, with the main threats being damaging wind gusts and heavy rain Officials urge everyone to avoid flooded roads and seek sturdy shelter if a warning is issued.
