Scattered thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front moving across western Pennsylvania. One of these storms became severe across Jefferson county.
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 thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front moving across western Pennsylvania. One of these storms became severe across Jefferson county.
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 May 18, 1:40 PM EST, 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 240 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 .SYNOPSIS... CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN UNSEASONABLY COOL AND UNSETTLED THROUGH MIDWEEK. IT WILL BE DRY WITH A GRADUAL WARMING TREND LATE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH MONDAY/... THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR MUCH OF THE AREA THERE WILL BE SCATTERED SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. INSTABILITY IS BEING PRODUCED BY CYCLONIC UPPER LEVEL FLOW AND CAA. SMALL, PULSE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED NUMEROUS SMALL HAIL REPORTS THIS AFTERNOON. STILL A LOW CHC FOR SHOWERS ON MONDAY IN UNSETTLED NORTHWEST FLOW PATTERN. TEMPERATURES WILL BE WELL BELOW NORMAL. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... MONDAY NIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY ANOTHER SHORTWAVE ROTATES THROUGH ON CYCLONIC FLOW. WHILE AT THE SURFACE A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TRACKS EAST BOUND THROUGH SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT UPPER LOW REMAINS OVER THE NORTHEAST WITH OUR UNSETTLED WX CONDS CONTINUING. TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... LARGE CLOSED LOW WILL SLOWLY TO MOVE EAST WITH HEIGHTS RISING LATE WEEK THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS UPPER LEVEL RIDGE SLOWLY COMES EAST. ONE MORE SHORTWAVE ROUNDS BASE OF CLOSED LOW FOR A LOW CHANCE OF SHOWERS THURSDAY. OTHERWISE COOL SURFACE HIGH WILL GRADUALLY MODERATE AND SHIFT SLOWLY EAST WITH DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES BACK TOWARD NORMAL BY SATURDAY. && .AVIATION /19Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... GENERAL VFR THROUGH TONIGHT WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDER THROUGH 00Z PRODUCING LOCAL MVFR CONDITIONS. MUCH THE SAME THROUGH THURSDAY WITH GENERAL VFR. SHORTWAVES IN NORTHWEST FLOW ON BACK SIDE OF CLOSED LOW WILL PRODUCE MORE IN THE WAY OF DIURNAL SHOWERS WITH LOCAL MVFR THROUGH WEDNESDAY. VFR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 430 AM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023- 029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-190830- GARRETT-TUSCARAWAS-CARROLL-COLUMBIANA-COSHOCTON-HARRISON- JEFFERSON OH-MUSKINGUM-GUERNSEY-BELMONT-NOBLE-MONROE-MERCER-VENANGO- FOREST-LAWRENCE-BUTLER-CLARION-JEFFERSON PA-BEAVER-ALLEGHENY- ARMSTRONG-INDIANA-WASHINGTON-WESTMORELAND-GREENE-FAYETTE-HANCOCK- BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL-MARION-MONONGALIA-PRESTON-TUCKER- 430 AM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MARYLAND...EAST CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON. THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP ALONG THIS BOUNDARY. IF STORMS DO DEVELOP...GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL IS POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 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 101 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 PAZ007>009-013>016-022-181800- ARMSTRONG PA-BUTLER PA-CLARION PA-FOREST PA-JEFFERSON PA-LAWRENCE PA-MERCER PA-VENANGO PA- 101 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 ...THUNDERSTORMS... THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... ARMSTRONG...BUTLER...JEFFERSON...VENANGO...FOREST...CLARION...MERCER AND LAWRENCE... AT 100 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN PITTSBURGH INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF SUGARCREEK TO 5 MILES WEST OF FREDONIA TO 24 MILES WEST OF FARRELL...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF SUGARCREEK TO 5 MILES WEST OF FREDONIA TO 20 MILES NORTH OF SALEM...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE... BALLTOWN...BROCKWAY...BROOKVILLE...CLARION AND CLEAR CREEK STATE PARK KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 150 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 PAZ007>009-013>016-022-181845- ARMSTRONG PA-BUTLER PA-CLARION PA-FOREST PA-JEFFERSON PA-LAWRENCE PA-MERCER PA-VENANGO PA- 150 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 ...THUNDERSTORMS... THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... ARMSTRONG...BUTLER...JEFFERSON...VENANGO...FOREST...CLARION...MERCER AND LAWRENCE... AT 146 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN PITTSBURGH INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF STEWART RUN TO 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF KENNERDELL TO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GROVE CITY TO 25 MILES WEST OF NEW CASTLE...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES WEST OF TIONESTA TO 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF KENNERDELL TO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GROVE CITY TO 14 MILES NORTH OF SALEM...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE... BALLTOWN...BRADYS BEND...BROCKWAY...BROOKVILLE AND CHICORA KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 209 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 PAZ014-021>023-030-181915- ALLEGHENY PA-ARMSTRONG PA-BUTLER PA-INDIANA PA-WESTMORELAND PA- 209 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 ...THUNDERSTORMS... THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... ARMSTRONG...ALLEGHENY...WESTMORELAND...INDIANA AND BUTLER... AT 203 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN PITTSBURGH INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER GIBSONIA...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE... APOLLO...CLYMER...GLADE MILLS...COOPERSTOWN AND CROOKED CREEK LAKE PARK KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 248 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 PAZ015-016-181945- CLARION PA-JEFFERSON PA- 248 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 ...THUNDERSTORMS... THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... JEFFERSON AND CLARION... AT 248 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN PITTSBURGH INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 3 MILES WEST OF BROOKVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE... BROOKVILLE...REYNOLDSVILLE...TROY...SUMMERVILLE AND ALASKA KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772.
The State College radar (KCCX), 95 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:15 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency management reported trees down on wires on South Main St in Brookeville, blocking the main access to Brookeville hospital.
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, May 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: 91047.