Very moist and unstable conditions were across the region on the backside of an upper level ridge. Scattered thunderstorms developed in the afternoon with isolated damage 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 PBZ wrote it up.
Very moist and unstable conditions were across the region on the backside of an upper level ridge. Scattered thunderstorms developed in the afternoon with isolated damage 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 Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 11, 2:59 PM EST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 359 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A front will bring widespread rain Saturday into Sunday along with slightly cooler temperatures. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/... An upper level shortwave has triggered scattered showers and thunderstorms this afternoon, generally north and west of Pittsburgh. High-resolution models suggest that activity may diminish this evening to the northwest, but develop around the Morgantown area around that time. Have gone with only slight chance pops after midnight due to lack of a forcing mechanism. Friday is looking to set up in a similar fashion to today, with another shortwave yielding another round of scattered showers and thunderstorms. Have gone with a minimal area of numerous thunderstorms, which may need to be expanded later but did not have enough confidence at this time. The heat index will rise into the mid and upper 90s once again. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A change in pattern will come over the weekend with a front that should enter into the region on Saturday, linger for much of the next 24 hours, and finally start to sink south on Sunday. During the 48 hour period there could be a fairly decent gradient of precipitation over the region, with higher totals northwest and lower totals southeast. Current thinking are totals ranging from a third of an inch near Deep Creek Lake up to nearly 2 inches in Mercer County. While Saturday will remain as hot and humid as it has been, temperatures should drop a few degrees on Sunday as the front makes progress to the south. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... While an upper ridge will begin to build by the start of the work week, there will still be shortwaves moving over the ridge. As a result, the pattern will go back to being unsettled through the week with diurnal trends in precipitation coverage. Temperatures will remain slightly cooler with highs in the low to mid 80s. Adjusted Superblend guidance was used for much of the forecast. && .AVIATION /19Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... VFR may be marred by scattered convection this afternoon and evening. VCTS mention will be used once again given minimal confidence in shower/storm placement. Fog potential for tonight will depend on residual mid level cloudiness and which terminals receive rain today. .OUTLOOK /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Periodic restrictions are likely through the weekend as a series of disturbances generate convection in the warm, moist airmass. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. OH...None. PA...None. WV...None. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 440 AM EDT THU AUG 11 2016 MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023- 029-031-073>076-WVZ001>004-012-021-509>514-120845- GARRETT-TUSCARAWAS-CARROLL-COLUMBIANA-COSHOCTON-HARRISON-JEFFERSON- MUSKINGUM-GUERNSEY-BELMONT-NOBLE-MONROE-MERCER-VENANGO-FOREST- LAWRENCE-BUTLER-CLARION-BEAVER-ALLEGHENY-ARMSTRONG-INDIANA- WASHINGTON-GREENE-WESTMORELAND-WESTMORELAND RIDGES-FAYETTE- FAYETTE RIDGES-HANCOCK-BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL-MARION-MONONGALIA- RIDGES OF EASTERN MONONGALIA AND NORTHWESTERN PRESTON-PRESTON- EASTERN PRESTON-WESTERN TUCKER-EASTERN TUCKER- 440 AM EDT THU AUG 11 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MARYLAND...EAST CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. HIGH RAINFALL RATES MAY CAUSE ISOLATED FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. 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
221 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016
OHZ057-111900-
MUSKINGUM-
221 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016
...A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN MUSKINGUM
COUNTY...
AT 219 PM EDT...A THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER SOUTH
ZANESVILLE...OR NEAR ZANESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ZANESVILLE...SOUTH ZANESVILLE...NORTH ZANESVILLE...PHILO...
PLEASANT GROVE...CANNELVILLE...CHANDLERSVILLE...HIGH HILL...
BRIDGEVILLE...DUNCAN FALLS...EAST FULTONHAM AND BLUE ROCK STATE PARK.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 IN OHIO BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 149 AND
165.
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
LAT...LON 4006 8186 3981 8173 3977 8200 3977 8206
3979 8208 3982 8207 3982 8209 3992 8217
TIME...MOT...LOC 1819Z 247DEG 7KT 3987 8203
34SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 225 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016 PAZ007-111900- MERCER- 225 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016 ...A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN MERCER COUNTY... AT 225 PM EDT...A THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GROVE CITY... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THIS STORM WAS NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF INTERSTATES 79 AND 80. RAINFALL AT RATES IN EXCESS OF TWO INCHES PER HOUR ARE OCCURRING WITH STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... GROVE CITY...MERCER AND JACKSON CENTER. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS... INTERSTATE 79 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 112 AND 122. INTERSTATE 80 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 13 AND 26. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL DROP VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AND MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. LAT...LON 4112 8017 4118 8029 4129 8017 4119 8001 TIME...MOT...LOC 1825Z 224DEG 6KT 4118 8020 15
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 332 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016 PAZ007-008-013-014-112000- VENANGO-MERCER-LAWRENCE-BUTLER- 332 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016 ...A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN MERCER... SOUTHWESTERN VENANGO...NORTHWESTERN BUTLER AND NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES... AT 331 PM EDT...A THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GROVE CITY... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... GROVE CITY...SLIPPERY ROCK...MERCER...HARRISVILLE... PLAIN GROVE TOWNSHIP...CLINTONVILLE...HARLANSBURG...JACKSON CENTER... BARKEYVILLE AND VOLANT. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS... INTERSTATE 79 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 106 AND 121. INTERSTATE 80 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 12 AND 35. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. IN ADDITION...VISIBILITY MAY BE REDUCED TO ZERO. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. LAT...LON 4102 8019 4117 8032 4137 8001 4114 7982 TIME...MOT...LOC 1931Z 237DEG 16KT 4114 8018 34
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
500 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016
PAZ020-021-WVZ001-112145-
ALLEGHENY-BEAVER-HANCOCK-
500 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN BEAVER...WESTERN
ALLEGHENY AND SOUTHEASTERN HANCOCK COUNTIES...
AT 459 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER NEW
CUMBERLAND... OR NEAR WEIRTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MOON TOWNSHIP...MIDLAND...INDUSTRY...SHIPPINGPORT...NEW MANCHESTER...
HOOKSTOWN...FRANKFORT SPRINGS...PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT...
RACCOON CREEK STATE PARK...HANOVER TOWNSHIP AND TOMLINSON RUN STATE
PARK.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 376 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 42
AND 53.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
LAT...LON 4049 8023 4047 8036 4048 8036 4048 8052
4045 8052 4044 8056 4053 8061 4069 8035
TIME...MOT...LOC 2059Z 242DEG 15KT 4050 8055
34SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
529 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016
PAZ007-008-013-014-112215-
VENANGO-MERCER-LAWRENCE-BUTLER-
529 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MERCER...SOUTHWESTERN
VENANGO...NORTHWESTERN BUTLER AND NORTHERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES...
AT 527 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED
ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR BRISTOLVILLE TO NEAR NEW CASTLE
NORTHWEST. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NEW CASTLE...HERMITAGE...SHARON...GROVE CITY...SHARPSVILLE...
GREENVILLE...FARRELL...SLIPPERY ROCK...NEW WILMINGTON...OAKWOOD...
NEW CASTLE NORTHWEST...MERCER...PULASKI...STONEBORO...HARRISVILLE...
WEST MIDDLESEX...PLAIN GROVE TOWNSHIP...CLARK...
WHEATLAND AND JAMESTOWN.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
INTERSTATE 79 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 105 AND 128.
INTERSTATE 80 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 0 AND 36.
INTERSTATE 376 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 4 AND 13.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY
CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. IN ADDITIONA...VISIBILITY MAY BRIEFLY
DROP TO ZERO. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
LAT...LON 4149 8039 4114 7973 4097 8032 4109 8052
4149 8052
TIME...MOT...LOC 2127Z 250DEG 21KT 4136 8084 4104 8031
34SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
546 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016
PAZ020-021-029-112230-
WASHINGTON-ALLEGHENY-BEAVER-
546 PM EDT THU AUG 11 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN BEAVER...
NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON AND NORTHWESTERN ALLEGHENY COUNTIES...
AT 545 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR IMPERIAL...OR
8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MOON TOWNSHIP...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ROSS TOWNSHIP...MCCANDLESS TOWNSHIP...MOON TOWNSHIP...
FRANKLIN PARK...ALIQUIPPA...HAMPTON TOWNSHIP...ROBINSON TOWNSHIP...
ECONOMY...KENNEDY TOWNSHIP...AMBRIDGE...WEXFORD...CORAOPOLIS...
BADEN...SEWICKLEY...HARMONY TOWNSHIP...IMPERIAL...EMSWORTH...
BEN AVON...LEETSDALE AND CONWAY.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
INTERSTATE 79 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 63 AND 75.
INTERSTATE 279 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 8 AND 13.
INTERSTATE 376 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 45 AND 59.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
LAT...LON 4067 8015 4067 8014 4057 7998 4036 8034
4044 8046 4072 8021
TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 223DEG 19KT 4046 8036
34The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:51 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Local media reported trees and power lines were down in Oakland Township.
Local media reported trees and power lines down.
Emergency management reported the Sugar Creek Ambulance Station flooded.
Emergency management reported trees down.
Trees were reported down at the Post Office.
The Department of Highways reported trees down on Spaulding Road.
The Department of Highways reported trees down on Johnsonburg Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, August 2016
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: 647941, 647942, 647940, 647943, 647944, 647945, 647946.