Storms Leave Thousands Without Power
A line of thunderstorms that produced gusty winds as they moved south across the Lehigh Valley blew down trees and toppled wires Sunday, leaving thousands of residents in the dark while the area is under an extreme heat warning.
According to PPL’s Outage Center map, nearly 1,200 customers in neighborhoods along Rt. 378 in Lower Saucon and Upper Saucon township are currently without electricity. The area includes the University Heights neighborhood atop South Mountain, where customers should have power restored by 9:30 p.m. Sunday, according to the company.
Other significant power outages were reported:
• Along Springtown Hill Road in Lower Saucon Township: 64 customers, estimated restoration of power by 11:30 p.m. Sunday.
• In the village of Springtown and Springfield Township: 1,076 customers, estimated restoration of power by 10 p.m. Sunday.
• Along Rt. 309 between Coopersburg and Quakertown (including Melody Lakes): approximately 650 customers, estimated repair timeframe not yet available.
• In Richland and East Rockhill townships, southeast of Quakertown: 2,396 customers, estimated restoration of power by 10 p.m. Sunday.
The severe weather arrived mid-morning without much warning, as events like the Saucon Valley Farmers Market in Hellertown were under way. Many vendors at the weekly market opted to break down early due to threatening skies, frequent rumbles of thunder, occasional flashes of lightning and intermittent rain that reduced foot traffic by around 11 a.m.
The strong winds arrived shortly after noon, as a line of thunderstorms trained southeast across Allentown and Bethlehem toward upper Montgomery and Bucks counties. In places like South Bethlehem and Fountain Hill, little rain fell, but the winds gusted at 30 to 40 mph or more for over an hour, bringing down tree branches and knocking over garbage cans.
Sunday’s National Weather Service forecast called for highs in the low 90s. As of 4 p.m. Sunday, the temperature at Lehigh Valley International Airport was 86 degrees, with a heat index of 94 due to high humidity levels.
Intense heat is forecast to begin Monday, when the highs will be in the upper 90s and heat indexes will be in the range of 108 degrees, according to the NWS. A code orange air quality alert has also been issued for Lehigh and Northampton counties for Monday.
A code orange air quality alert means that air pollution concentrations may become unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly and people with heart disease, asthma or other lung diseases. Due to the level of ozone in the air, those individuals should limit their time outdoors and avoid strenuous activity, according to the warning statement.
To report a power outage to PPL, visit PPLelectric.com or text “Outage” to TXTPPL (898775). To check on the status of an outage, text “Status” to TXTPPL.
⚠️ Storm alert ⚠️
— PPL Electric Utilities (@PPLElectric) June 19, 2025
We're expecting strong winds, lightning and rain to move across our territory this afternoon into the evening hours. We've activated our storm response plans and are ready to respond to any outages. Visit our website for tips to prepare and stay safe. pic.twitter.com/6JPGjgIY7u
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