Scattered severe thunderstorms and isolated flash flooding occurred along a stalled frontal boundary across western Pennsylvania.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PBZ wrote it up.
Scattered severe thunderstorms and isolated flash flooding occurred along a stalled frontal boundary across western Pennsylvania.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 23, 9:10 AM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 1010 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION TODAY...WITH SHOWERS DIMINISHING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION THURSDAY...BRINGING DRY AND SEASONABLY COOL CONDITIONS. THE NEXT FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... THE SURFACE COLD FRONT IS CROSSING EASTERN OH/NW PA CURRENTLY...WITH SHOWERS EXITING THE EASTERN RIDGES...AND THE PARENT UPPER LOW NUDGING EAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES. FOR THIS AFTN...RESIDUAL INSTABILITY TO THE EAST OF THE COLD FRONT COULD RESULT IN REDEVELOPMENT OF SHWRS/TSTMS ACROSS THE RIDGES...SO WILL KEEP POPS SCATTERED EAST OF PITTSBURGH THIS AFTN/EVENING. TO THE NORTH...A WAVE ROTATING AROUND THE UPPER LOW COULD PROVIDE ENOUGH LIFT/INSTABILITY TO GENERATE A FEW SHWRS/TSTMS NORTH OF PITTSBURGH THIS AFTN/EARLY EVENING. FROM PITTSBURGH SOUTH AND WEST...EXPECT LITTLE IF ANY PRECIP. PRECIP WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH FOR ALL AREAS TONIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRY WEATHER FOR THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT WITH NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO BE IN DECENT AGREEMENT BRINGING THE NEXT FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS THE REGION SATURDAY...WITH PERHAPS A SECONDARY COLD FRONT FOR SUNDAY. WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS FOR SAT/SUN. SOME DIFFERENCES FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH THE GFS SHOWING YET ANOTHER WAVE CROSSING THE AREA...AND THE ECMWF SHOWING THE FEATURE DEPARTING TO THE SOUTH. WILL KEEP MINIMAL RESIDUAL CHANCES FOR MONDAY...WITH DRY CONDITIONS FOR TUESDAY. NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL PREVAIL FOR THE LONG TERM. && .AVIATION /14Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... SHOWERS ARE EXITING THE RIDGES...WITH LOW CLOUDS AND MVFR/IFR PERSISTING BEHIND THE PRECIP SHIELD. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE TO VFR FOR MOST AREAS THIS AFTN AS THE COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PUSH SLOWLY EASTWARD LATER TODAY AND VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AS ATMOSPHERE DRIES OUT. PATCHY EARLY MORNING FOG COULD CAUSE VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS. ANOTHER FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY RAISING THE CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE MVFR CONDITIONS. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 504 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 MDZ001-PAZ008-009-014>016-021>023-029>032-WVZ021>023-041-240915- GARRETT-VENANGO-FOREST-BUTLER-CLARION-JEFFERSON PA-ALLEGHENY- ARMSTRONG-INDIANA-WASHINGTON-WESTMORELAND-GREENE-FAYETTE-MARION- MONONGALIA-PRESTON-TUCKER- 504 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MARYLAND...NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING THUNDERTORM WINDS AND A CHANCE OF LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007-013-020-WVZ001>004-012- 240915- TUSCARAWAS-CARROLL-COLUMBIANA-COSHOCTON-HARRISON-JEFFERSON OH- MUSKINGUM-GUERNSEY-BELMONT-NOBLE-MONROE-MERCER-LAWRENCE-BEAVER- HANCOCK-BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL- 504 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 911 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 MDZ001-WVZ023-041-231530- GARRETT-PRESTON-TUCKER- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...OAKLAND MD...GRANTSVILLE...KINGWOOD... TERRA ALTA...PARSONS...DAVIS...THOMAS 911 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO CROSS PRESTON...GARRETT...AND TUCKER COUNTIES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS MORNING. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF ONE HALF TO LOCALLY ONE INCH IS POSSIBLE. TRAVELERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPID REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY...AND FOR PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 1148 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 PAZ014-015-021-022-029>032-WVZ003-004-012-231700- BUTLER-CLARION-ALLEGHENY-ARMSTRONG-WASHINGTON-WESTMORELAND-GREENE- FAYETTE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BUTLER...ZELIENOPLE...CLARION... PITTSBURGH METRO AREA...KITTANNING...FORD CITY...LEECHBURG... FREEPORT...APOLLO...WASHINGTON...CANONSBURG...DONORA... CALIFORNIA...CHARLEROI...MONONGAHELA...MCMURRAY...GREENSBURG... NEW KENSINGTON...JEANNETTE...LATROBE...MONESSEN...WAYNESBURG... FAIRDALE...UNIONTOWN...CONNELLSVILLE...OHIOPYLE...WHEELING... MOUNDSVILLE...NEW MARTINSVILLE 1148 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 A LINE OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AT 20 MPH EXTENDING FROM ARMSTRONG COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH TO WETZEL COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE PITTSBURGH METRO AREA. EXPECT BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS TO 30 MPH...AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING STRIKES.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 1159 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 PAZ014-015-021-022-029>032-WVZ003-004-012-231700- BUTLER-CLARION-ALLEGHENY-ARMSTRONG-WASHINGTON-WESTMORELAND-GREENE- FAYETTE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BUTLER...ZELIENOPLE...CLARION... PITTSBURGH METRO AREA...KITTANNING...FORD CITY...LEECHBURG... FREEPORT...APOLLO...WASHINGTON...CANONSBURG...DONORA... CALIFORNIA...CHARLEROI...MONONGAHELA...MCMURRAY...GREENSBURG... NEW KENSINGTON...JEANNETTE...LATROBE...MONESSEN...WAYNESBURG... FAIRDALE...UNIONTOWN...CONNELLSVILLE...OHIOPYLE...WHEELING... MOUNDSVILLE...NEW MARTINSVILLE 1159 AM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AT 20 MPH EXTENDING FROM ARMSTRONG COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH TO WETZEL COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA...INCLUDING THE PITTSBURGH METRO AREA. EXPECT BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH...AND PEA SIZED HAIL.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 103 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 PAZ015-016-021>023-029>032-WVZ012-022-231815- CLARION-JEFFERSON PA-ALLEGHENY-ARMSTRONG-INDIANA-WASHINGTON- WESTMORELAND-GREENE-FAYETTE-WETZEL-MONONGALIA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLARION...PUNXSUTAWNEY...BROOKVILLE... REYNOLDSVILLE...BROCKWAY...PITTSBURGH METRO AREA...KITTANNING... FORD CITY...LEECHBURG...FREEPORT...APOLLO...INDIANA... WASHINGTON...CANONSBURG...DONORA...CALIFORNIA...CHARLEROI... MONONGAHELA...MCMURRAY...GREENSBURG...NEW KENSINGTON... JEANNETTE...LATROBE...MONESSEN...WAYNESBURG...FAIRDALE... UNIONTOWN...CONNELLSVILLE...OHIOPYLE...NEW MARTINSVILLE... MORGANTOWN 103 PM EDT WED JUL 23 2008 A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AT 20 MPH EXTENDING FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH TO WETZEL COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA. THE STRONGER STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND DIME SIZED HAIL. RAINFALL OF ONE HALF TO ONE INCH IS LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS...PRODUCING SIGNIFICANT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:24 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency management reported flash flooding along RT 130/the Tri-Boro highway extending from the Springhill Bridge to Patton ST. Numerous roads closed.
A trained spotter reported several trees down at Yellow Creek State Park.
Emergency management reported trees down south of Big Run.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, July 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 126176, 126177, 126179.