A powerful cold front moved across the Ohio Valley on the evening of the 11th as strong low pressure moved north across the Great Lakes. A convective line along the cold front produced widespread damage across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland with thunderstorm wind gusts of 60 to 70 MPH and a peak wind gust of 92 MPH at Allegheny 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.
A powerful cold front moved across the Ohio Valley on the evening of the 11th as strong low pressure moved north across the Great Lakes. A convective line along the cold front produced widespread damage across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia, and Garrett county Maryland with thunderstorm wind gusts of 60 to 70 MPH and a peak wind gust of 92 MPH at Allegheny County Airport near Pittsburgh. High winds gusting over 60 MPH behind the front in a strong pressure gradient produced wind damage across the entire region into midday on the 12th. In all across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia and Garrett county Maryland over one half million homes and businesses were without power at some point during the storm.
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 Feb 11, 6:20 PM EST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
620 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS EVENING
WITH SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL
OCCUR AS THE FRONT APPROACHES AND AFTER IT PASSES. HIGH PRESSURE
WILL BRING CLEARING FOR THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
HAVE UPDATED TO INCLUDE SVR WATCH AND TO ADJUST POPS TO CURRENT
ACTIVITY. ALSO ADDED MENTION OF SEVERE FOR THIS EVENING.
STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 00Z
AND 04Z FROM WEST TO EAST. VERY STRONG LOW LEVEL WINDS MAY PRODUCE
WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 KNOTS WITH CONVECTION AHEAD OF THE
FRONT AND IN SYNOPTIC GUSTS BEHIND THE FRONT. WINDS ALOFT REMAIN
STRONG INTO THURSDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE THEY BEGIN TO WEAKEN
THURSDAY EVENING. MUCH COLDER AIR WILL PUSH IN BEHIND THE FRONT
THURSDAY. DRIER AIR BEHIND THE FRONT WILL ALSO REDUCE THE RISK OF
SHOWERS.
&&
.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
COLDER TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BRING SOME
LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS TO THE NORTH AND THE RIDGES EAST OF
PITTSBURGH WITH LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS EXPECTED INTO FRIDAY
MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE DISTRICT FRIDAY WILL
BRING AND END TO THE SNOW SHOWERS AND PROVIDE DRY WEATHER AND
CONTINUED CHILLY TEMPERATURES.
&&
.LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
SURFACE LOW WILL MOVE EAST OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST BY SUNDAY.
WILL KEEP CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS SATURDAY NIGHT INTO
SUNDAY. MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED MONDAY AND TUESDAY UNDER
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE. NEXT SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE MID MS
VALLEY BY WEDNESDAY SPREADING SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS INTO
OUR FORECAST AREA BY MIDWEEK.
TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO BE NEAR NORMAL THROUGH THE PERIOD.
&&
.AVIATION /23Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
SURFACE LOW OVER ILLINOIS WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND MOVE
NORTHEAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES TONIGHT...WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT
SWEEPING ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY EARLY TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS FRONT ALONG WITH THE
POTENTIAL FOR WIND GUSTS OVER 40KT IN CONVECTION.
STRONG WEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST IN STRONG PRESSURE
GRADIENT BEHIND THE FRONT LATER TONIGHT THROUGH THE END OF THE TAF
PERIOD WITH GUSTS REACHING 50 KT AT TIMES. MVFR CEILINGS AND
VISIBILITIES SHOULD PREVAIL LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING IN
NUMEROUS RAIN SHOWERS.
SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH BY THURSDAY
AFTERNOON...WITH VFR CONDITIONS DEVELOPING AND CONTINUING THROUGH
FRIDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN.
NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL TRACK EAST ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AND
BRING SCATTERED RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE MVFR/IFR
RESTRICTIONS FOR SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT.
GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS HIGH
PRESSURE RETURNS.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN WELL ABOVE FREEZING UNTIL
THURSDAY NIGHT...THUS SNOW MELT WILL CONTINUE. WATER EQUIVALENT
IN THE SNOW PACK ALONG THE I-80 CORRIDOR AND IN THE RIDGES IS
STILL ON THE ORDER OF 1 INCH WITH SOME HIGHER AMOUNTS REMAINING ON
THE RIDGES. IN ADDITION, APPROXIMATELY AN INCH OF RAINFALL IS
PROJECTED OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
SO...ADDITIONAL RISES ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS MAY BE EXPECTED
THIS WEEK WITH CONTINUED ICE MOVEMENT AND POSSIBLE ICE JAMS. AREA
WATERWAYS AND ACTUAL PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS WILL HAVE TO BE
MONITORED CLOSELY THIS WEEK.
&&
.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR MDZ001.
OH...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR OHZ039>041-
048>050-057>059-068-069.
PA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR PAZ007>009-
013>016-020>023-029>032.
WV...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY FOR WVZ001>004-012-
021>023-041.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 245 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009 MDZ001-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-029>032-WVZ021>023-041-121200- GARRETT-MERCER-VENANGO-FOREST-LAWRENCE-BUTLER-CLARION-JEFFERSON PA- BEAVER-ALLEGHENY-ARMSTRONG-INDIANA-WASHINGTON-WESTMORELAND-GREENE- FAYETTE-MARION-MONONGALIA-PRESTON-TUCKER- 245 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MARYLAND...NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH PRIMARY THREAT BEING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. WVZ001>004-012-121200- HANCOCK-BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL- 245 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009 ...TORNADO WATCH 18 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING... ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-121200- TUSCARAWAS-CARROLL-COLUMBIANA-COSHOCTON-HARRISON-JEFFERSON OH- MUSKINGUM-GUERNSEY-BELMONT-NOBLE-MONROE- 245 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009 ...TORNADO WATCH 18 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING... ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL OHIO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. HIGH WIND WARNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HIGH WIND WARNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
740 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0730 PM TSTM WND DMG WASHINGTON 40.17N 80.25W
02/11/2009 WASHINGTON PA LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN
&&
TGREENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
746 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0635 PM TSTM WND DMG WOODSFIELD 39.76N 81.12W
02/11/2009 MONROE OH LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN WITH SEVERAL POWER OUTAGES.
&&
TGREENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
759 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0755 PM TSTM WND GST FARMINGTON 39.81N 79.57W
02/11/2009 E60 MPH FAYETTE PA TRAINED SPOTTER
ACCOMPANIED BY DIME SIZED HAIL
&&
TGREENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
801 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0753 PM TSTM WND GST WEST MIFFLIN 40.36N 79.87W
02/11/2009 M92 MPH ALLEGHENY PA ASOS
RECORDED AT KAGC
&&
TGREENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
802 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0753 PM TSTM WND GST 3 E MORGANTOWN 39.63N 79.90W
02/11/2009 M60 MPH MONONGALIA WV ASOS
RECORDED AT KMGW
&&
TGREENPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
806 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0750 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 SE DAVIS 40.68N 79.08W
02/11/2009 INDIANA PA PUBLIC
TREES DOWN
&&
TGREENThe Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 142 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:09 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The AWOS site at Oakland, Maryland measured a wind gust to 51 KTs.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maryland in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, February 2009
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: 153975, 153995.