Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry A large tree standing that had stood near the northeast corner of the Main Building at Warren State Hospital broke off and fell during Wednesday's thunderstorm.

Strong storms swept through Warren County on Wednesday.

While there were impacts all over, the worst of the damage seems to have been very localized on Warren State Hospital where numerous large trees were knocked down.

“We did have some storms moving through,” Meteorologist Aaron Tyburski of the National Weather Service in State College said. “They were pretty intense. … One of the things we look for is how that tree damage is. All being in a straight line is very indicative of a downburst or a microburst.”

“What happens is, a downward rush of air comes out of that thunderstorm,” he added. “It hits the ground, has nowhere to go, and is pushed out in all directions.”

With large trees uprooted, Tyburski said there had to be winds of 58 miles per hour, but that winds of 70 to 80 miles per hour were possible.

Along the southern end of Hospital Drive, one of the large trees lining the road, near the middle of the row, was uprooted while the others remain standing.

Many factors play into which trees are downed and which aren’t, Tyburski said, including the angles of the branches and the health of the trees.

One particular tree, about 5 feet in diameter, was broken off close to the ground right in front of the Main Building. The tree fell parallel to the front of the building, missing the structure.

Information about the age of that tree was not immediately available from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.