A strong squall line associated with a cold front crossed through western Pennsylvania in the afternoon on the 1st. While most of the line remained sub-severe, a microburst over Neville Island caused the golf dome at Robert Morris University to collapse.
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 strong squall line associated with a cold front crossed through western Pennsylvania in the afternoon on the 1st. While most of the line remained sub-severe, a microburst over Neville Island caused the golf dome at Robert Morris University to collapse. In addition, an EF-1 tornado caused damage to parts of Ligonier Borough in Westmoreland 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 Jun 1, 2:08 PM EST, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 308 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION BY LATER THIS EVENING. IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT, THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON..SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL THEN STALL THIS WEEKEND NORTH OF THE GREAT LAKES, WHICH WILL KEEP COOL SHOWERY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY INTO MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/... PREFRONTAL BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THIS EVENING. HAVE INCLUDED THE MENTION OF GUSTY WINDS WITH THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF TORNADOES IN THE MOUNTAINS SOUTH AND EAST OF PITTSBURGH. WITH THE COLD FRONT PUSHING EAST OF THE RIDGES LATER THIS EVENING SHOWERS AND ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A LOW PRESSURE CENTER WILL STALL OVER CENTRAL ONTARIO PROVINCE SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE SLOWLY EXITING EAST THROUGH NEW YORK STATE LATE SUNDAY. THIS SCENARIO WILL CAUSE COOL SHOWERY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY THIS WEEKEND. ACCORDINGLY, TEMPERATURES UNDER THIS PATTERN CAN BE 5 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE WEEKEND, AS INDICATED BY BLEND OF GFS AND NAM MOS. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN UNSETTLED AS A CLOSED UPPER LOW SLOWLY SHIFTS EASTWARD OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL PERSIST FOR THE EACH DAY THROUGH FRIDAY. WHILE MOST OF THE HOURS OF THE DAY WILL BE DRY...WITH THE HEATING OF THE DAY AND UPPER LEVEL COLD POOLS PERSISTING SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. TEMPERATURES UNDER THE EXITING NORTHEASTERN CONUS TROF ARE FORECAST ABOUT 5 DEGREES UNDER THE SEASONAL AVERAGES. && .AVIATION /19Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SURFACE LOW WILL TRACK NORTHWARD ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH TONIGHT. THIS SYSTEM WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT EASTWARD ACROSS THE TERMINALS THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT. LINES OF SHOWERS AND SCATTERED EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CROSS THE REGION AHEAD OF THE FRONT THROUGH 00Z. BRIEF IFR RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY IN HEAVIER RAIN WITH STORMS. SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS ARE STILL POSSIBLE BEHIND THE COLD FRONT THIS EVENING...AND MVFR CEILINGS ARE FORECAST TO LINGER THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. .OUTLOOK...SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY... A CLOSED UPPER LOW WILL MEANDER SLOWLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST EARLY NEXT WEEK. RESTRICTIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN SCATTERED SHOWERS THROUGH TUESDAY. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 140 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-029- 031-WVZ001>004-012-021-022-021745- 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-GREENE-HANCOCK-BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL-MARION- MONONGALIA- 140 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND AND A CHANCE OF LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. MDZ001-PAZ073>076-WVZ023-041-021745- GARRETT-WESTMORELAND-WESTMORELAND RIDGES-FAYETTE-FAYETTE RIDGES- PRESTON-TUCKER- 140 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 ...TORNADO WATCH 332 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MARYLAND...SOUTHWEST 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. TORNADO WATCH. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL WITH A CHANCE OF ISOLATED TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .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
251 PM EDT FRI JUN 01 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0249 PM HEAVY RAIN NEW PHILADELPHIA 40.49N 81.45W
06/01/2012 M1.00 INCH TUSCARAWAS OH TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
EVENT NUMBER PBZ1200490
RGSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
320 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012
OHZ050-059-PAZ020-021-029-031-WVZ001>004-012-021-022-012000-
ALLEGHENY PA-BEAVER PA-BELMONT OH-BROOKE WV-GREENE PA-HANCOCK WV-
JEFFERSON OH-MARION WV-MARSHALL WV-MONONGALIA WV-OHIO WV-
WASHINGTON PA-WETZEL WV-
320 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012
...A LINE OF GUSTY SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT
BROOKE...EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN BELMONT...HANCOCK...
MARSHALL...NORTHWESTERN MARION...NORTHWESTERN
MONONGALIA...OHIO...SOUTHEASTERN JEFFERSON...SOUTHERN
BEAVER...WASHINGTON...WESTERN ALLEGHENY...WESTERN GREENE AND WETZEL
COUNTIES...
AT 316 PM EDT...A LINE OF GUSTY SHOWERS EXTENDED FROM WEIRTON SOUTH
TO MOUNDSVILLE...MOVING EAST NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHWESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA AT 40 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE SHOWERS. BRIEF HEAVY
RAIN COULD POND WATER ON ROADS AND COULD QUICKLY FILL DITCHES.
SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WINDSOR HEIGHTS... WHEELING... WEST LIBERTY...
WELLSBURG... WARWOOD... VALLEY GROVE...
TRIADELPHIA... SHERRARD... ROCKLICK...
MOUNDSVILLE... MCMECHEN... LONE OAK...
THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
I-279 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 6 AND 13.
I-470 IN WEST VIRGINIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 0 AND 3.
I-376 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 39 AND 66.
I-70 IN WEST VIRGINIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 14.
I-70 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 0 AND 24.
I-79 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 21 AND 49.
PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772.
LAT...LON 3949 8031 3960 8086 4061 8058 4070 8023
4058 8001
98SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 401 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 PAZ013-014-020-012030- BEAVER PA-BUTLER PA-LAWRENCE PA- 401 PM EDT FRI JUN 1 2012 ...A SHOWER WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN BEAVER... NORTHWESTERN BUTLER AND SOUTHEASTERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES... AT 400 PM EDT...A SHOWER WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTH OF FOMBELL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS SHOWER. HEAVY RAIN WILL POND WATER ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... ZELIENOPLE... FOMBELL... ELLWOOD CITY... MCCONNELLS MILL... MORAINE STATE PARK... SLIPPERY ROCK... THIS WILL IMPACT... I-79 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 84 AND 104. PLEASE REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772. LAT...LON 4117 7997 4111 7981 4074 8014 4084 8034 98
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
403 PM EDT FRI JUN 01 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0403 PM HEAVY RAIN MERCER 41.23N 80.24W
06/01/2012 M1.00 INCH MERCER PA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
EVENT NUMBER PBZ1200491
RGThe Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 6 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:08 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh confirmed that a microburst occurred on Neville Island in Allegheny county. The microburst caused the collapse of the golf dome at the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center. In addition, several trees were blown down in the surrounding area.
The National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down near Ligonier in Westmoreland county on June 1st. The tornado initially touched down a quarter mile east of the Borough of Ligonier and traveled northeast causing sporadic damage over a path of approximately 5 miles before lifting east of the Champion Lakes golf course.
The most intense damage occurred to a house on Robb Road, where the entire roof was blown off. The width of the tornado at this location was approximately 100 yards. Another mile or two north, along route 711 and Stanislaw Farms, 10-20 trees were snapped at the truck or uprooted. Three stationary vehicles were moved three to six feet.
Sporadic snapping and uprooting of trees was observed until reaching the Antiochian Village. There, 14 cabins sustained minor damage, mainly from snapped trees landing on roofs. Approximately 27 structures and 2 businesses experienced some level of damage. Insured damages were estimated to be near 3 million dollars.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Pennsylvania, 2012Warnings in Pennsylvania, June 2012
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: 390791, 390625.