While no damage has been reported as of Friday afternoon, officials are urging residents to report any earthquake damage they may discover to their local municipalities.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has a guide with tips to spot damage caused by earthquakes.

FEMA recommends looking for the following things to spot earthquake damage in homes:

• Examine the outside of the building for collapse or obvious movement of the foundation.
• Check the ground for areas where it may have been shifted.
• Is the floor or roof pulling away or separated from building supports?
• Check for newer or bigger cracks in drywall, stucco or plaster. “Stair step” or “X” shapes in cracks are a clear indicator of earthquake damage.
• Does the floor feel bouncy, soggy or mushy when walking on it? That may indicate damage underneath the floor.
• Check for signs of cracks in the chimney’s mortar.
• Inspect stairs for stability.
• Check to see if windows or doors are newly jammed or blocked.
• Inspect crawlspaces, stairwells, basements and attics for exposed or cracked  beams, roof leaks or foundation leaks.
• Check connections at furnace and water heaters.
• Check for sewage and water line damage.

How common are earthquakes in eastern PA and why was the New Jersey earthquake felt so far away? 

While eastern Pennsylvania is not in the path of totality, residents will be able to see roughly 92% coverage during the eclipse that afternoon.

The event begins around 2:08 p.m. across the region, and the moon will cover about 92% of the sun around 3:23 p.m., according to NASA.

Gary Becker, the former planetarium director at Allentown School District in the Lehigh Valley who now teaches astronomy at Moravian University, estimated that it would last about 10 minutes.

Other than viewing the event during the brief total phase, which will not be visible here, it is not safe to view the eclipse without some sort of protection. Those who want to view it should be prepared and should wear special eclipse glasses or use other safe methods of viewing.

“This is a dangerous eclipse all the way through,” Becker said.

How to view the eclipse

Special glasses may be purchased to look at the eclipse. Eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses, according to NASA. It is not safe to look at the eclipse with sunglasses.

Experts also urge people to not look at the sun through a lens, telescope, binoculars or any other device while wearing eclipse glasses because the concentrated rays will burn the filter and cause eye injury, according to NASA.

Those who want to look at the eclipse may also do so through indirect methods, such as optical or pinhole projection. Those methods may be found at eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/projection.

The Pennsylvania attorney general’s office has warned residents that scammers have been selling fake glasses ahead of the eclipse. Viewing glasses have special filters that fake ones do not have. Authorities said the eclipse glasses should have the safety standard certification number ISO 12312-2 on the frame. Additional information may be found at eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety.

Any place where the sun is visible will be a good spot for viewing the eclipse, Becker said.

Some school districts across the region will be dismissing early ahead of the eclipse, while others are holding normal, full days.

What to expect in eastern Pennsylvania

The last visible solar eclipse in the region was in 2017 when 74% of coverage was visible in the area.

On Monday, colors outside should be a little warmer than usual, according to Becker. There will likely be warmer hues and sharper shadows, he added. It will have a “wonky look,” he said.

Weather should not be a factor. After several days of rain this week, Monday is expected to be clear. The National Weather Service said it should be sunny with a high of 60 during the eclipse.

This solar eclipse will have the most coverage visible in our area was nearly 100 years. Becker said there was 98% coverage during a solar eclipse in 1925.

The next total solar eclipse that will be viewable from the contiguous United States will be in 2044, according to NASA.

If you want a chance to experience a total eclipse from our region, though, you’re going to have to wait a lot longer. That won’t happen until May 1, 2079, when much of southeastern Pennsylvania will experience a total eclipse just after sunrise that day.

During a total eclipse, the sky becomes dark, like it is dawn, and the sun’s outer atmosphere will be viewable to those in the path of totality, NASA said.

In the United States, the path of totality for Monday’s eclipse goes from parts of Texas through Maine. The path of totality will largely avoid Pennsylvania outside the northwestern part of the state.

Parts of Pennsylvania in the path of totality

Crawford, Erie, Mercer and Warren counties will see the total eclipse about 3:20 p.m., according to NASA.

Becker, who has seen total eclipses before, said it’s a great experience when watching it with enthusiast groups. He compared the point of eclipse to when the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, and the cheers from fans that followed that.

“It’s like someone has just done something miraculous like that,” he said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said various state entities are prepared for the eclipse and the travel it may cause Monday.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will be keeping traffic lanes open heading to and from Erie on Interstate 79, according to a news release from Shapiro’s office. State police will also be removing disabled vehicles from interstates in the region. Troopers will be posted at each exit to keep traffic moving.

Those gathered at rest stops to view the eclipse will be asked to go elsewhere.

PennDOT launched a webpage, 511pa.com/eclipse24/, to help guests find routes to their destinations during the event.

The TSA said in a news release that 103 firearms were were detected at airport security, an increase from 82 found in 2022.

Lehigh Valley International Airport only had one such incident in 2023, and there were no incidents like that in 2022. But the amount of guns caught by TSA at Philadelphia International Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport set records, according to the release.

The TSA caught 45 guns in Philadelphia and 43 in Pittsburgh, breaking the records of 44 and 35, respectively.

The increase in guns caught by security follows a trend seen nationally, according to the TSA. Last year there were 6,737 guns caught at airport security checkpoints throughout the country, an increase from 6,542 in 2022.

The amount caught last year is more than seven times what was caught in 2008. That year there were 926 guns found at security checkpoints nationwide, according to the TSA. It’s been increasingly steadily since then, TSA data shows.

Firearms have been caught at checkpoints at Lehigh Valley International Airport 22 times since 2017, according to the TSA.

Those caught with firearms at checkpoints can face criminal charges as well as civil penalties from the TSA, according to the release.

Travelers with the necessary permits can legally travel with firearms in checked bags if the guns are unloaded and packed in a locked, hard-side case. Ammunition must be in its original box in the hard-side case, next to the firearm, according to the release.

Paul Muschick: How many guns were found at Lehigh Valley airport last year? The answer may surprise you

What had been dubbed “Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen,” by the National Hurricane Center has now formed into Tropical Storm Ophelia off the mid-Atlantic coast.

Ophelia had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, according to the hurricane center’s 2 p.m. advisory Friday. The storm was centered 150 miles southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina, and was forecast to make landfall Saturday morning.

The system’s center is expected to move inland over eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia and near the Chesapeake Bay through Sunday, Mike Brennan, the hurricane center’s director, said in a livestreamed briefing on Friday.

Regardless of its status, the storm was expected to have the same impacts for our region, the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey, noted in its most recent storm briefing.

Rain, along with strong winds, will hit the area Friday night and continue into Sunday, according to the weather service.

The main concerns from the storm are the potential for localized flooding in urban areas or areas near creeks and streams, and the strong wind gusts, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Brudy.

Forecasters are anticipating rainfall amounts of between 2 and 3 inches for the region from Friday into Sunday.

“It’s likely going to fall over more of a prolonged period,” Brudy said.

The highest chance of rain, he said, is Saturday. Occasional rain is likely to start moving north into the region by morning, with a round of heavy rain possible later in the day, according to the weather service’s storm briefing.

Rain and wind are expected to taper off Sunday night, but there is a possibility the rain will continue into Monday.

Officials are not expecting any flash flooding for the area. Brudy said while there is a possibility for heavy rain this weekend, it likely will not be prolonged hours of intense, heavy rainfall.

The Celtic Classic, an annual Celtic festival in Bethlehem, kicks off Friday. Organizers said on social media that the event is being held rain or shine, however its tartan parade scheduled for Saturday has been canceled.

The threat and confidence of impacts from the weekend coastal storm have increased. Widespread coastal flooding, strong to damaging winds, and locally heavy rain are expected. View our latest briefing package for details: https://t.co/04fTTyWc3M #NJwx #DEwx #MDwx #PAwx pic.twitter.com/PgUDxu09DU

— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) September 21, 2023

Rain won’t be the only threat from the storm. Wind gusts of up to 50 to 60 mph are possible along the coast in New Jersey and Delaware.

While the gusts won’t be quite as high inland, they could still reach 30 to 40 mph in the Lehigh Valley. Downed trees and power lines, along with power outages, are possible, although will be more likely closer to the coast, according to the storm briefing.

The strongest winds will occur mid-morning through early afternoon Saturday, according to the weather service.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be dry. Here is the extended forecast from the National Weather Service:

Saturday: Rain. High near 60. Breezy, with a northeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Saturday night: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 55. Breezy, with a northeast wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a northeast wind 15 to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Sunday night: Showers likely, mainly before 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Monday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 67.

Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Shapiro’s office said in a news release that Browne, who had been nominated by the governor, officially took the title after having been the acting secretary since January.

Brown spent 28 years in the General Assembly representing Lehigh and Northampton counties. He first represented the 131st District as a member of the state House of Representatives, before serving the 16th District in the State Senate.

Browne, a Republican, lost the Republican primary last year. to Jarret Coleman, who eventually won the general election for the position.

“I’m extremely grateful to have been nominated by Governor Shapiro to lead the Department of Revenue,” Brown said in the release. “In my short time leading the Department, I have been deeply impressed by the many dedicated professionals in our agency who work every day to ensure that we do our part to fund essential programs and services for all Pennsylvanians. We strive to administer the Commonwealth’s tax laws and revenue programs as fairly and efficiently as possible. We recognize the importance of this work and the key role that we play in the Governor’s vision of offering freedom and opportunity for the people of Pennsylvania.”

Outgoing Pa. state Sen. Pat Browne on his 28 years of lawmaking: ‘Hopefully, I made a difference’

Browne officially took the position after the state Senate failed to vote on his nomination. According to the state constitution, if the Senate fails to act on a nominee within 25 legislative sessions, the nominee will take the office as if the Senate had approved the nomination.

Val Arkoosh, a Democrat, also became human services secretary Thursday as a result, and Republican Al Schmidt became secretary of state.

Outside of his representative experience, Browne is also a certified public accountant.

However, rainfall is expected in the area Thursday through the weekend. Shapiro said 12 hours of dry weather are necessary to complete the paving and striping process.

Fortunately, Pocono Raceway, in Tunkhannock, was able to lend a hand. With the raceway’s next race roughly a month away, officials there had no immediate need for its jet dryer, which is used to keep the tracks dry for the races.

To rebuild I-95 on time, we need 12 hours of dry weather to complete the paving and striping process.

With rain in the forecast, we reached out @PoconoRaceway for help — and they're bringing their jet dryer to Philly to help dry this section of I-95 and keep us on schedule.

— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) June 22, 2023

On Thursday morning, the raceway sent some of its crew, along with the jet dryer, to Philadelphia to help out.

“Anything we can do to help the commonwealth or the residents of, it’s a big deal for us,” Pocono Raceway President Ben May said.

May said he received a call from Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll, whom he had known from when Carroll was a state representative in Luzerne County. Carroll, knowing that the raceway had the jet dryer, asked if they could lend it to the repair efforts along the interstate.

May agreed to help. The jet dryer, which is on a truck, shoots heat at a specific area of asphalt. May said it does not take very long to dry.

“It does do a tremendous job as compared to a broom or any type of brush truck,” May said.

He said the truck will be there until the job is done. Anything the governor’s office needs for the project, they will help with.

“They’ve done a heck of a job getting that road to the point it is,” May said.

The section of I-95, which collapsed June 11, is still on track to reopen this weekend.

Following federal regulations, those trying to get a Real ID must present proof of Social Security number. PennDOT said it is now accepting options beyond a Social Security card.

The new forms include a W-2 form, an SSA-1099 form, a non-SSA-1099 form or a pay stub with the applicant’s name and full Social Security number on it.

Real ID is a federal law that affects how states issue licenses and ID cards if they are going to be used for federal purposes, such as boarding a domestic flight or entering a federal building that requires ID, according to PennDOT.

A federally acceptable ID must be used for these purposes starting May 7, 2025.

Pennsylvania residents are not required to get a Real ID. PennDOT still issues standard driver’s licenses and photo IDs.

Those who wish to get a Real ID can do so by bringing the necessary documents for verification to any driver license center. Documents include an original or certified copy of a birth certificate, a proof of Social Security number, two proofs of current Pennsylvania address and proof of all legal name changes.