Widespread thunderstorms developed across central Pennsylvania during the afternoon. Several of these storms became severe producing damaging winds and flash flooding.
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 CTP wrote it up.
Widespread thunderstorms developed across central Pennsylvania during the afternoon. Several of these storms became severe producing damaging winds and flash flooding.
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 State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 26, 10:14 AM EST, 3 hours 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1114 AM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 .SYNOPSIS... THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND WILL BE WARM AND HUMID WITH A WEAK COLD FRONT STALLED OUT OVER THE AREA. THIS FRONT MAY TRIGGER A FEW SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS INTO MONDAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION MIDWEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... CLOUD SHIELD ASSOCIATED WITH ONGOING MCS OVER THE GREAT LAKE STATES WILL IMPACT OUR NW COUNTIES OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. SHOWERS...SO FAR HOWEVER...ARE DISSIPATING BEFORE REACHING PA. OTHERWISE...SKIES WILL BE MOSTLY SUNNY OVER CENTRAL AND EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE REGION. A COLD FRONT THAT MOVED INTO PA LAST NIGHT IS IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING STATIONARY OVER CENTRAL PA. THIS BOUNDARY WILL HELP SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MOIST SFC AIR MASS. HOWEVER...DUE TO THE BUILDING RIDGE AND THE ADVECTION OF DRIER AIR...EXPECT COVERAGE OF PRECIPITATION TO REMAIN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. ANY SHRA/TSRA SHOULD DISSIPATE BY LATE EVENING WITH ANOTHER MILD TO WARM AND MUGGY NIGHT IN STORE. MAX TEMPS TODAY WILL RANGE FROM THE LOWER 80S UP NORTH TO THE MID TO UPPER 80S ACROSS THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY/... WEAK RIDGE BUILDING OVER THE CENTRAL US AND CANADA WILL ALLOW FOR NORTHWESTERLY FLOW...ALONG WITH A DECENT THICKNESS ADVECTION TO MAKE ITS WAY THROUGH THE AREA MIDDAY SUNDAY. CONVERGENCE ON A BOUNDARY COULD BRING PRECIPITATION ALONG THE NY AND PA BORDER. DEPENDING ON THE POSITION OF THIS BOUNDARY PRECIPITATION COULD BE POSSIBLE THROUGH CENTRAL PA. HAVE LEFT THIS OUT FOR NOW. BOUNDARY SHOULD MOVE OUT BY EARLY EVENING. TEMPS SHOULD BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S WITH OTHER WISE PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... SHORT RANGE NUMERICAL MODELS SHOW ACTIVITY FIRING UP EACH DAY THROUGH MEMORIAL DAY. ALL SHOW WARM MID LEVEL TEMPS SURGING INTO THE REGION BY MONDAY INTO EARLY TUESDAY...SUGGESTING THE CAP MIGHT BECOME HARD TO BREAK UNTIL SFC FRONT OR UPPER LEVEL WAVE APPROACHES LATER TUESDAY TO OVERCOME CIN. AS SUCH...CHANCES FOR RAIN WILL BE ON THE INCREASE TUESDAY AS THE COLD FRONT ENTERS THE REGION. GEFS/GFS/ECMWF ARE ALL PRETTY CLOSE ON TIMING BRINGING THE SYSTEM OFF THE EAST COAST BY EARLY WED. THIS IS USED TO MARK THE BEGINNING OF A PATTERN CHANGE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TROF/UPPER LOW ADVERTISED FOR THE MIDWEST...EVENTUALLY MOVING THROUGH PA AND THE REST OF THE NERN US. IF THINGS PLAY OUT AS EXPECTED...WE WILL HAVE A COUPLE OF DRY DAYS WED/THU WITH INCREASING CHANCES FOR RAINY COOLER WEATHER DEVELOPING BY THE END OF THE WEEK. TEMPS THRU MID WEEK WILL REMAIN ABOVE SEASONAL NORMS...BUT START TRENDING DOWN AFTER THE COLD FRONT MOVES BY ON WED. THE END OF THE WEEK WILL BE MARKEDLY COOLER AS THE UPPER LOW TREKS ACROSS THE REGION...WITH DAYTIME HIGHS BY FRIDAY SOME 10-15 DEG BELOW NORMAL. && .AVIATION /15Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... ANOTHER ROUND OF STRATOCU AND PATCHY FOG THIS MORNING...WITH THE MAIN AREAS BEING VICINITY OF MDT...LNS AND IPT. THE NORTHWESTERLY FLOW HAS ADVECTED DRIER AIR INTO THE REGION WHICH WILL STIFLE ANY STRATOCU ACROSS THE NORTHWEST...THOUGH A BRIEF PERIOD OF TRAPPED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE PRODUCING MVFR VSBYS IS POSSIBLE. IPT HAS ALREADY GONE MVFR AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 14Z. EXPECT ALL FOG/MIST TO BE DISSIPATED BY 15Z. AFTERNOON SHOWERS POSSIBLE ALONG A STATIONARY BOUNDARY THAT SHOULD SET UP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE. MOST OF THIS BOUNDARY HAS WASHED OUT AND THE INCOMING RIDGE SHOULD STIFLE ANY SIGNIFICANT CONVECTION SO CHANCES WILL BE SLIGHT. ELSE VFR CONDITIONS WITH AN EVEN WEAKER CHANCE FOR MVFR TO IFR STRATOCU/FOG/MIST TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. OUTLOOK... SAT-MON...MAINLY VFR. A CHC OF AN AFTERNOON OR EVENING SHOWER/STORM CAUSING LOCALIZED REDUCTIONS. TUE...MAINLY VFR. CHC OF SHOWERS AND STORMS LATE. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...LA CORTE NEAR TERM...CERU/GARTNER SHORT TERM...DEVOIR/CERU LONG TERM...DEVOIR/LA CORTE AVIATION...CERU/GARTNER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 325 AM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-270730- WARREN-MCKEAN-POTTER-ELK-CAMERON-NORTHERN CLINTON-CLEARFIELD- NORTHERN CENTRE-SOUTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN- JUNIATA-SOMERSET-BEDFORD-FULTON-FRANKLIN-TIOGA-NORTHERN LYCOMING- SULLIVAN-SOUTHERN CLINTON-SOUTHERN LYCOMING-UNION-SNYDER-MONTOUR- NORTHUMBERLAND-COLUMBIA-PERRY-DAUPHIN-SCHUYLKILL-LEBANON-CUMBERLAND- ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER- 325 AM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. 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 STATE COLLEGE PA
116 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012
PAZ017-261745-
CLEARFIELD PA-
116 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN CLEARFIELD COUNTY...
AT 113 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR LECONTES MILLS...
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND NICKEL SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. EXPECT INTENSE LIGHTNING FROM THIS STORM. DO NOT STAY IN THE
OPEN NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE
INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. THIS STORM WILL AFFECT
WOODLAND AND WALLACETON.
THIS WILL IMPACT I-80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 119 AND 134.
THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT ROUTE 322.
LAT...LON 4095 7811 4094 7811 4095 7813 4096 7814
4095 7814 4096 7816 4094 7815 4092 7818
4091 7822 4088 7823 4084 7836 4108 7842
4113 7829
FORECASTER: GARTNER/RXRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 141 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 PAZ012-018-019-045-261815- NORTHERN CENTRE PA-NORTHERN CLINTON PA-SOUTHERN CENTRE PA- SOUTHERN CLINTON PA- 141 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTH CENTRAL CLINTON AND CENTRAL CENTRE COUNTIES... AT 135 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR BALD EAGLE STATE PARK...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH...PENNY SIZE HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND A SHORT PERIOD OF VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. THIS STORM WILL AFFECT BEECH CREEK...HOWARD AND LAMAR. THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA INTERSTATES... I-80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 159 AND 174...I-99 NEAR MILE MARKER 85. THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...ROUTE 220... ALTERNATE ROUTE 220...STATE ROAD 26. LAT...LON 4096 7744 4087 7771 4112 7783 4119 7761 FORECASTER: RXR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 146 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 PAZ012-017-018-261815- CLEARFIELD PA-NORTHERN CENTRE PA-NORTHERN CLINTON PA- 146 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 ...A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN CENTRE...SOUTHEASTERN CLEARFIELD AND WEST CENTRAL CLINTON COUNTIES... AT 142 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM PINE GLEN TO WOODLAND...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND NICKEL SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. EXPECT FREQUENT LIGHTNING FROM THESE STORMS. DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT WALLACETON...MOSHANNON AND BRISBIN. THIS WILL IMPACT I-80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 119 AND 148. THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...ROUTE 322...STATE ROAD 350. LAT...LON 4097 7788 4074 7843 4100 7853 4123 7798 FORECASTER: RXR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 211 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 PAZ049-050-052-261900- NORTHUMBERLAND PA-SNYDER PA-UNION PA- 211 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN SNYDER... SOUTHERN UNION AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTIES... AT 209 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM LINNTOWN TO PENNS CREEK...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND INTENSE LIGHTNING. DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THESE STORMS...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND FILL POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THE RAIN WILL CAUSE RAPID RISES ON SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT LEWISBURG...WINFIELD...KRATZERVILLE...NORTHUMBERLAND AND HUMMELS WHARF. THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...STATE HIGHWAY 147... ROUTE 11...ROUTE 11/15...ROUTE 15...ROUTE 522...STATE ROAD 45...STATE ROAD 61. LAT...LON 4061 7690 4086 7728 4101 7712 4090 7662 FORECASTER: GARTNER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
234 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012
PAZ017-018-261930-
CLEARFIELD PA-NORTHERN CENTRE PA-
234 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CLEARFIELD AND
NORTHWESTERN CENTRE COUNTIES...
AT 225 PM EDT...A SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN
CLEARFIELD COUNTY. STORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. THIS
STORM WILL AFFECT BRISBIN...HOUTZDALE...MOSHANNON...PHILIPSBURG AND
BLACK MOSHANNON STATE PARK.
THIS WILL IMPACT I-80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 116 AND 143.
THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...ROUTE 219...ROUTE
322...STATE ROAD 350.
LAT...LON 4120 7808 4116 7803 4093 7797 4075 7858
4095 7880
FORECASTER: CRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
235 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012
PAZ017-018-261930-
CLEARFIELD PA-NORTHERN CENTRE PA-
235 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT CLEARFIELD AND
NORTHWESTERN CENTRE COUNTIES...
AT 225 PM EDT...SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN
CLEARFIELD COUNTY. STORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. THIS
STORM WILL AFFECT BRISBIN...HOUTZDALE...MOSHANNON...PHILIPSBURG AND
BLACK MOSHANNON STATE PARK.
THIS WILL IMPACT I-80 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 116 AND 143.
THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...ROUTE 219...ROUTE
322...STATE ROAD 350.
LAT...LON 4120 7808 4116 7803 4093 7797 4075 7858
4095 7880
FORECASTER: CRThe State College radar (KCCX), 20 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:35 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down several trees from Bellefonte and Milesburg northeast to around Howard and Bald Eagle State Park. Minor structural damaged was observed in some areas due to the downed trees.
Nickel size hail reported near Linden.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph damaged a roof at an industrial complex near Sheppton in East Union Township.
Heavy rain from slow moving thunderstorms produced flash flooding over the northeastern-third of the county or along and east of Routes 209/309. The McAdoo area experienced some of the worst flooding with 31 homes affected. A railroad crossing was also washed out. Widespread flooding was reported in Schuylkill Township in and around the Tuscarora area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, May 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: 375024, 375023, 375025, 375036.