A cold front moved into a very warm and humid air mass the afternoon the the 12th. Scattered severe thunderstorms developed ahead of and along the front across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia.
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 cold front moved into a very warm and humid air mass the afternoon the the 12th. Scattered severe thunderstorms developed ahead of and along the front across eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia. One fatality occurred in Butler county, Pennsylvania when a large tree fell on a mobile home.
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 12, 7:18 AM EST, 8 hours 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 818 AM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL BRING INCREASING SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... WITH 815AM UPDATE...ONLY CHANGE WAS TO INCREASE CLOUD COVER ACROSS NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES AND NEAR MORGANTOWN...WHILE DECREASING CLOUD COVER ELSEWHERE. MAINLY DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE DAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE BUT WARM AIR ALOFT AND LACK OF A TRIGGER SHOULD LIMIT THIS POTENTIAL. A COLD FRONT SHOULD BEGIN TO APPROACH THE AREA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED. INCREASING SHEAR AND PROGGED INSTABILITY SEEM SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN A CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A ZZV-PIT-DUJ LINE...THOUGH PARAMETERS ARE MARGINAL. WEAKER SHEAR AND DIMINISHING INSTABILITY SOUTH OF THIS LINE SHOULD ALLOW FOR A WEAKENING TREND IN ANY STORMS AS THEY ADVANCE FURTHER ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. DISCOUNTED THE NAM INSTABILITY VALUES AS IT INITIALIZED TOO HIGH ON SURFACE DEWPOINTS...WITH ECMWF/GFS SOLUTIONS LOOKING MORE REASONABLE. HIGHS SHOULD CONTINUE AROUND 10 DEGREES ABOVE AVERAGE. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO CONTINUE A SLOW SOUTHWARD PUSH THROUGH THE REGION SATURDAY BEFORE STALLING ACROSS SOUTHERN PA AND WEAKENING. THIS WILL KEEP PERIODIC SHOWER/STORM CHANCES INTO THE WEEKEND AS IT LIFTS BACK NORTH AGAIN SUNDAY AS THE UPPER FLOW TURNS SW. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE CROSSING THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF A SOUTHEAST CONUS UPPER HIGH WILL PRECIP CHANCES FOR MONDAY. ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED USING THE LATEST GFS MOS AND SREF NUMBERS. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL FEATURE PERSISTANT WARMTH...HUMIDITY...AND PRECIP CHANCES AS THE EASTERN CONUS RIDGE IS CARVED VIA SHORTWAVE PASSAGE AND FRONTAL ENCROACHMENT. THE ONLY MAJOR CHANGES TO THE ONGOING PROGNOSIS WAS TO INCREASE POPS TO LIKELY NUMBERS ON MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY OVER SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES GIVEN RECENT CONSISTENCY IN MODEL WORLD FRONTAL PROGRESSION. QUESTIONABLE SOUTHWARD PROGRESSION...AS PER GFS AND ECMWF DIFFERENCES...OF THE FRONT REQUIRED CHANCE POP MAINTENANCE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION /12Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... OTHER THAN PREDAWN FOG...WHICH WAS IFR FORECAST AT FKL AND DUJ WHERE RAIN OCCURRED...VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREDOMINATE UNTIL THE APPROACH OF A COLD FRONT THIS EVENING. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WIND IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN ADVANCE OF THAT FEATURE TODAY...WITH GUSTS TO 20 TO 25 KT AS MIXING DEEPENS. CONDITION DETERIORATION CAN BE ANTICIPATED THIS EVENING WITH IFR VISIBILITY IN THUNDERSTORMS. .OUTLOOK.../FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... RESTRICTION CHANCES WILL INCREASE AS A COLD FRONT SLIDES TOWARD THE REGION ON MONDAY NIGHT. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...NONE. OH...NONE. PA...NONE. WV...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 125 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015 MDZ001-PAZ008-009-014>016-021>023-029-031-073>076-WVZ012-021>023-041- 131730- GARRETT-VENANGO-FOREST-BUTLER-CLARION-JEFFERSON PA-ALLEGHENY- ARMSTRONG-INDIANA-WASHINGTON-GREENE-WESTMORELAND-WESTMORELAND RIDGES- FAYETTE-FAYETTE RIDGES-WETZEL-MARION-MONONGALIA-PRESTON-TUCKER- 125 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015 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. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ALTHOUGH HAIL UP TO ONE INCH WILL BE POSSIBLE...DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT. .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. OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007-013-020-WVZ001>004-131730- TUSCARAWAS-CARROLL-COLUMBIANA-COSHOCTON-HARRISON-JEFFERSON OH- MUSKINGUM-GUERNSEY-BELMONT-NOBLE-MONROE-MERCER-LAWRENCE-BEAVER- HANCOCK-BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL- 125 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 290 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .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
329 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0635 PM TSTM WND DMG DENTON 40.83N 79.18W
06/11/2015 INDIANA PA NWS STORM SURVEY
NWS STORM SURVEY INDICATED AN ENHANCED AREA OF
SCATTERED TREE AND LIMB DAMAGE BETWEEN BARNARD AND
DENTON. WIND SPEEDS ESTIMATED AT 70 MPH.
&&
EVENT NUMBER PBZ1501772
BOOKBINDERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
414 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015
OHZ039-048-057-058-122100-
MUSKINGUM-GUERNSEY-COSHOCTON-TUSCARAWAS-
414 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MUSKINGUM...
COSHOCTON...WESTERN GUERNSEY AND TUSCARAWAS COUNTIES...
AT 413 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM NEAR SHREVE TO 9 MILES NORTH OF DRESDEN TO HARBOR
HILLS...AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND DIME SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ZANESVILLE...NEW PHILADELPHIA...DOVER...COSHOCTON...CAMBRIDGE...
UHRICHSVILLE...NEWCOMERSTOWN...DENNISON...STRASBURG...NEW CONCORD...
WEST LAFAYETTE...SUGARCREEK...SOUTH ZANESVILLE...NORTH ZANESVILLE...
DRESDEN...FRAZEYSBURG...GNADENHUTTEN...TUSCARAWAS...BOLIVAR AND
BALTIC.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
INTERSTATE 70 IN OHIO NEAR MILE MARKER 143...AND BETWEEN MILE
MARKERS 145 AND 179.
INTERSTATE 77 IN OHIO BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 45 AND 95.
THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 3995 8223 3995 8220 4023 8218 4045 8213
4044 8168 4063 8167 4067 8146 4065 8132
4057 8132 4056 8130 4026 8134 3989 8165
3976 8176 3977 8207 3982 8208 3982 8217
3991 8216 3991 8223
TIME...MOT...LOC 2013Z 266DEG 41KT 4069 8197 4025 8208 3993 8245
34SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
500 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015
PAZ007>009-013-122145-
VENANGO-MERCER-LAWRENCE-FOREST-
500 PM EDT FRI JUN 12 2015
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MERCER...VENANGO...
FOREST AND NORTHERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES...
AT 454 PM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH
WAS MOVING INTO MERCER...LAWRENCE...VENANGO...AND FOREST COUNTIES IN
NORTHWEST PA.
WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG
THIS LINE OF STORMS. STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR
LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV
OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NEW CASTLE...HERMITAGE...SHARON...OIL CITY...GROVE CITY...FRANKLIN...
SHARPSVILLE...MARIENVILLE...GREENVILLE...SUGARCREEK...FARRELL...NEW
WILMINGTON...OAKWOOD...NEW CASTLE NORTHWEST...TIONESTA...MERCER...
PULASKI...HASSON HEIGHTS...BESSEMER AND STONEBORO.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
LAT...LON 4161 7896 4151 7896 4140 7954 4088 8051
4149 8052 4149 8000 4162 7983
TIME...MOT...LOC 2054Z 240DEG 48KT 4147 7971The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 129 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:58 UTC.
34 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency management reported trees down.
Emergency management reported trees and power lines down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees and power lines down.
A large tree branch over 2 feet in diameter fell into a mobile home, killing a 31 year old male inside.
Emergency management reported trees and power lines down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
The public reported trees down.
The public reported tree tops snapped and blown onto a house.
The public reported Route 65 closed due to a tree down.
The public reported a large tree down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
The public reported large tree limbs down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
A trained spotter reported trees and power lines down near Sligo.
A trained spotter reported multiple trees down south of Clarion.
Emergency management reported power lines down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees down.
Emergency management reported trees down.
Emergency management reported trees and power lines down.
Emergency management reported trees down.
Emergency management reported trees down.
Emergency management reported trees and power lines down.
The public reported numerous trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Emergency management reported trees and wires down.
Park Service reported trees down at Ohiopyle State Park.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind, Butler | 2015-06-12 | 31 | Male | Mobile/Trailer Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, June 2015
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: 585098, 585077, 585069, 585078, 585096, 585068, 585070, 585079, 585071, 585073, 585074, 585072, 585075, 585081, 585076, 585080, 585082, 585085, 585086, 585101, 585083, 585084, 585092, 585099, 585093, 585102, 585087, 585094, 585088, 585089, 585100, 585090, 585091, 585095.