Officials assess damage after downburst in Berwick

BERWICK, COLUMBIA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — We now know that a downburst is what caused so much damage in parts of Columbia County.

Downbursts are powerful winds that descend from a thunderstorm and spread out quickly once they hit the ground.

The Berwick area really taking the brunt of the storm and on Thursday, the community began to clean up.

28/22 News had live team coverage on the clean-up efforts Thursday evening.

The National Weather Service was there to assess the damage and as you can see behind me from what’s left of this small business, the town of Berwick was hit big.

NWS State College meteorologists have confirmed a downburst occurred on Wednesday evening, June 26, 2024, in Columbia County.

Maximum wind speeds were estimated to be between 90 and 100 miles per hour.

“The wind started and the rain started to come and it just seemed to build and build and build,” said Berwick resident Joe Supon.

Cell phone video from a viewer showed just how strong the wind was, as the roof of a barn went airborne.

“So now, here in Berwick, it’s big cleanup time,” Supon said.

“It does look like we had what we call ‘straight-line type’ wind damage, or ‘down burst’ wind damage, a combination of the two with the storms that moved through Columbia County last evening,” NWS State College Warning Coordination Meteorologist Jonathan Guseman explained.

One of the spots hit the hardest by Wednesday’s weather is Bloomingail’s, a longtime antique and gift store.

“I’m heartbroken,” said Bloomingail’s owner, Gail Smith.

Smith ran her business along Martzville Road for more than 30 years.

“There’s no way I was gonna leave. I always said that you’ll have to drag me out of here I’m not going,” Smith added.

Smith says she got word of what happened Wednesday evening.

“They came to my house, my younger son and his wife, and they said ‘Mom, your store is gone’ and my reaction was ‘Gone? You mean the roof fell in?’ ‘No it’s gone,'” Smith continued.

But reality didn’t set in until she saw it for herself.

“I loved it so much, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I’m just, heartbroken,” Smith stated.

Smith says she is grateful for the support she has received after what happened to her store and for the customers she has had over the years.

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