The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed that two landspout tornadoes touched down in central Berks County during separate storms on Sunday, May 4. One was observed over Blue Marsh Lake, and the other traveled through rural areas between Mohrsville and Shoemakersville.
According to a preliminary damage survey released Monday afternoon, the first tornado formed around 2:11 p.m. over the northern end of Blue Marsh Lake within the Blue Marsh National Recreation Area. Video shared on Facebook. Classified as an EF-U, or “unknown” rating, the tornado was brief and caused no known damage. It was caught on video by observers and is believed to have remained entirely over water or in an inaccessible area.
Later in the day, a second tornado—classified as an EF-0—developed near Mohrsville just before 6 p.m. and traveled 1.7 miles before dissipating southeast of Shoemakersville. It reached peak winds of approximately 65 mph and had a maximum width of 35 yards. While no injuries were reported, the tornado caused minor tree damage and left visible swirl marks in fields along its path…