Showers and thunderstorms developed along a warm front across northern Pennsylvania in the afternoon and evening of the 22nd. With a tropical air mass in place, rainfall became very efficient especially over southern Armstrong and central Indiana counties in Pennsylvania.
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.
Showers and thunderstorms developed along a warm front across northern Pennsylvania in the afternoon and evening of the 22nd. With a tropical air mass in place, rainfall became very efficient especially over southern Armstrong and central Indiana counties in Pennsylvania. A nearly stationary set of storms produced 4-6 inches of rain across the area, with focus over Shelocta, in Indiana county. Several feet of rushing water over 422 lead to several water rescues as individuals were trapped in their vehicles. In addition, rail cars were swept off the tracks. Roadways remained closed through the morning of the 23rd, before yet another round of rain would fall. This event was estimated to be a 200-year flood, though this is unofficial at this time.
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 22, 9:28 AM EST, 2 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 1028 AM EDT Thu Jun 22 2017 .SYNOPSIS... Scattered showers and storms are forecast this afternoon. The remnants of Cindy make their way into our region tonight into Saturday. Heavy rain is possible Friday. Dry weather makes a return late Saturday with cooler weather Sunday. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... Showers and storms tracking along the Lake Erie shoreline will continue to be the primary impact today. Latest high resolution guidance tracks this area across northern sections this afternoon /during peak heating/. Dry mid levels make damaging winds the primary hazard. Delta theta-e values around -25 are below the freezing level so its going to take an icy core to get well above the 13KFT in order to attain severe levels. Rich low level moisture will yield downpours with any storm. The cluster of showers and storms this morning over southwestern PA produced nearly an inch of rain, illustrating how efficient the atmosphere is. Temperatures are on track with minimal changes. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY/... More substantial upper level energy will stream northward from the lower Ohio Valley tonight. These waves will follow the intensifying southwest flow aloft, as the remnants of TS Cindy move over the Lower Mississippi Valley. Deep moisture, tropical in nature, will also stream northward which will bring widespread rain and storms to the area late tonight through Friday night. Warm rain process will develop on Friday, creating a scenario for very efficient rainfall. As the rain overspreads the region, a surface cold front will move across the Upper Midwest, reaching Western Ohio by late in the afternoon. It is a good bet that rainfall will intensify late tonight and then ahead of the boundary Friday afternoon, so the eastward progression of the front will need to be monitored closely in future model runs. In addition to closely watching the progression of the front, where the remnants of TS Cindy go, once it phases in with the upper level flow, will also be critical. It will take all of Friday night for the front to exit to the east, meaning the risk for heavy rain will continue into early Saturday. Drier air sags through the area on Saturday behind the exiting front. This will allow for the area to finally start to dry out and cool down. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... A stark shift in the upper level pattern looks to occur by early next week. Model and ensemble projections all favor deep troughing settling over the region by that juncture. With this, much colder air aloft combined with northwesterly surface flow will mean temperatures well below normal with chances of showers as cold air aloft migrates through the region. && .AVIATION /14Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... VFR is expected through the period outside of possible scattered showers/thunderstorms mainly north of KPIT as a stalled frontal boundary lifts back to the north. .OUTLOOK... Widespread restrictions are likely Friday and Friday night with the encroachment of a cold front. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. OH...None. PA...None. WV...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 418 AM EDT Thu Jun 22 2017 MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023- 029-031-073>076-WVZ001>004-012-021-509>514-230830- 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- 418 AM EDT Thu Jun 22 2017 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. Showers and storms will overspread the area late tonight. Storms could produce locally heavy rainfall and increase the threat for flooding. A flood watch may be required. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. The threat for heavy rain will continue through Friday. A flood watch may be required. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.
The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:54 UTC.
6 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
State official reported large trees and wires down along Mile Long Hill Road.
State official reported trees and wires down on Cherry Run Road in Plumcreek Township.
Emergency management reported multiple water rescues ongoing on Route 422 in Armstrong Township. Rail cars were pushed off of tracks near Shelocta with parts of the tracks washed away.
State official reported multiple vehicles trapped on Route 56 in Brush Valley. Little Brush Creek was out of it's banks.
Local 911 reported that five fire departments in Armstrong county were responding to water rescues on Route 156 between 210 and Shelocta.
Emergency management reported that a man drowned as he attempting to clean debris from an overflow pipe in a pond near his home on Sportsman Club Road when the kayak he was in flipped and his legs were pulled into the pipe. Water then continued to rise, submerging the individual.
Local 911 reported a water rescue on Haggerty Lane.
Emergency management reported that US 119 was closed due to water over the roadway and that Brookside Dairy Farm on Old Route 56 was under water. Also, Two Lick Creek was reported out of it's banks.
Several roads remain closed per the local broadcast media around Shelocta due to flooding. These include 422 between route 56 and Five Points Road, Rearick Road, Anthony Run Road, and Old Route 56.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Indiana | 2017-06-22 | 30 | Male | In Water | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, June 2017
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: 711651, 711652, 711724, 711720, 711718, 711723, 711725, 711722, 711719.