DISASTERS

National Weather Service confirms 3 tornadoes hit Pennsylvania; 1 ripped off school roof

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Debris is scattered around the Blue Mountain Seventh-Day Adventist Elementary School after a severe storm rolled through the area in Tilden Township, Pa. in Berks County on Thursday, July 9, 2015. (Jacqueline Dormer/The Republican-Herald via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

A classroom is exposed in the back of the Blue Mountain Seventh-Day Adventist Elementary School in Tilden Township, Pa., after a severe storm rolled through the area damaging the school building in Berks County on Thursday, July 9, 2015. (Jacqueline Dormer/The Republican-Herald via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

Ed Cale, head of maintenance at the Blue Mountain Seventh-Day Adventist Elementary School, in Tilden Twp., Pa., looks at the school as he stands surrounded by debris after a severe storm rolled through the area and damaged the school building in Berks County on Thursday, July 9, 2015. ( Jacqueline Dormer/The Republican-Herald via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

The National Weather Service has confirmed that three tornadoes touched down in Pennsylvania, including one that ripped off the roof of an elementary school.

The tornadoes were spawned by strong storms that struck central and eastern Pennsylvania on Thursday night.

Forecasters say a tornado with wind gusts of 105 mph and higher hit near Reading (REH'-ding), striking the Blue Mountain Adventist Elementary School in Hamburg and tearing through classrooms.

Another tornado with winds up to 110 mph touched down Thursday near Montoursville, snapping and uprooting trees and damaging outbuildings.

Forecasters say a third tornado with winds up to 85 mph touched down in Selinsgrove. It tracked along a creek and damaged trees and crops.