A crossing shortwave provided support in an unstable air mass to produce a line of thunderstorms across southern Pennsylvania during the afternoon. The strongest storm in Fayette County caused damage due to downburst winds.
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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 crossing shortwave provided support in an unstable air mass to produce a line of thunderstorms across southern Pennsylvania during the afternoon. The strongest storm in Fayette County caused damage due to downburst winds.
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 7, 10:02 AM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 1102 AM EDT Tue Aug 7 2018 .SYNOPSIS... Periodic shower and thunderstorm chances will continue until the passage of a Wednesday cold front. Dry weather is expected by Thursday afternoon with weak high pressure. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... Convection will continue to be limited heading into the afternoon with no apparent shortwaves just upstream in latest WV imagery and 12Z soundings for KPIT and upstream indicate convective temperatures in the mid 80s. Later this afternoon as weak wave will eventually begin to cross and trigger convection ...but coverage should be relatively low. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY/... Precip. will remain likely through Wednesday as another crossing shortwave holds up frontal progress and supports additional convection. Passage of that system will diminish the potential, and passage of the parent trough is projected to end it on Thursday. Short term temperatures will ease back to near the averages with decisive frontal passage. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... Broad upr troughing is still progged over the Ern CONUS through the weekend, with daily rain chances and near average temperature anticipated for the Upr OH Region. && .AVIATION /15Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... VFR is expected through much of the TAF period, though brief MVFR in fog is expected at BVI and DUJ. Tstms and brief restrictions are expected during the afternoon with building instability and another crossing shortwave. Maintained a VCTS mention, along with a tempo during the most likely time to see ts. Shower chances should continue tonight with the crossing wave. OUTLOOK... Periodic restrictions are likely through Wednesday with a crossing cold front. Restrictions are possible Fri aftn and Sat with low pressure. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. OH...None. PA...None. WV...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 302 AM EDT Tue Aug 7 2018 MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023- 029-031-073>076-WVZ001>004-012-021-509>514-080715- 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- 302 AM EDT Tue Aug 7 2018 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. Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected today with the encroachment of a cold front. There is a chance that an isolated storm or storm-cluster could produce damaging wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. 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. 15/07
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 1249 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2018 PAZ029-073-075-076-071730- Fayette Ridges-Westmoreland-Washington-Fayette- 1249 PM EDT TUE AUG 7 2018 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WIND WILL AFFECT EASTERN WASHINGTON...SOUTH CENTRAL WESTMORELAND AND NORTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTIES... At 1249 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Brownsville, or 11 miles northwest of Uniontown, moving east at 15 mph. Wind gusts up to 45 mph are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Connellsville... Mount Pleasant... Scottdale... Brownsville... South Connellsville... Perryopolis... Dunbar... West Brownsville... Roscoe... Everson... Fayette City... Allenport... LAT...LON 4001 7990 4009 7987 4016 7952 3997 7949 TIME...MOT...LOC 1649Z 264DEG 14KT 4004 7983 34
The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:06 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
County 911 officials reported that trees and wires were blown down along Laureldale Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, August 2018
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: 778617.