After a day of quiet and dry weather under a shortwave ridge, a cold front progressed from the northwest and brought a line of showers and thunderstorms. The evening (00Z) Pittsburgh sounding had mid level winds 40 to 50 knots, helping to fuel severe storms.
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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.
After a day of quiet and dry weather under a shortwave ridge, a cold front progressed from the northwest and brought a line of showers and thunderstorms. The evening (00Z) Pittsburgh sounding had mid level winds 40 to 50 knots, helping to fuel severe storms.
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 Jul 26, 7:30 PM EST, 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 830 PM EDT Thu Jul 26 2018 .SYNOPSIS... Showers and storms are likely this evening as a cold front crosses. The weekend will feature sunshine and temperature in the low 80s. Humidity and rain will return next week. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM FRIDAY MORNING/... Changes for the mid eve update mainly involved adjustments to POPs as convection has been slow to invade PBZ airspace. Nevertheless, showers and storm remain likely for areas north of PIT. The severe threat for downburst wind gusts continues, but is waning as boundary layer instability is fading with the sun. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... The cold front will advance ewd on Fri and may focus early- afternoon convection along the ridges, while low-level instability in the I-80 corridor supports brief coverage of showers in the afternoon. Storms along the ridges will shift ewd quickly into central PA, while the nrn showers will dissipate amid low-level dry air advection and building high pressure in the wake of the front. Surface high pressure is expected to build on the back side of the broad upper low Fri night through Sat night, with dry and cooler weather expected. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... High pressure will dominate the weather pattern on Sun, with seasonable warmth and little expected in the way of rain. An amplifying wrn-CONUS ridge and an entrenched Bermuda High will promote troughing in the central CONUS for much of next week. Ensembles show high consistency in deep swly flow developing from the Gulf Coast to wrn PA, suggesting deep moisture return early next week. As a result, increasing humidity, warmth and potential for heavy rain will remain in the realms of possibility Mon-Wed as shortwave troughs advance thru the swly flow pattern. && .AVIATION /01Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Showers and storms along the cold front will pass tonight. Loss of diurnal heating will result in a weakening of storms as they move southeastward, thus a VCTS mention was only carried as far south as PIT. Mixing in the boundary layer will be sufficient overnight to limit fog development, although some scattered MVFR/IFR cigs may be possible. Additional development is progged for tomorrow although coverage is too low for any SHRA inclusion at this time. A WSW wind shift is anticipated overnight with the boundary passage. Wind will remain 10kts or less tomorrow. OUTLOOK... No widespread IFR weather is forecast. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MD...None. OH...None. PA...None. WV...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 1251 PM EDT Thu Jul 26 2018 MDZ001-OHZ057>059-068-069-PAZ016-021>023-029-031-073>076-WVZ002>004- 012-021-509>514-271700- Garrett-Muskingum-Guernsey-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Jefferson-Allegheny- Armstrong-Indiana-Washington-Greene-Westmoreland-Westmoreland Ridges- Fayette-Fayette Ridges-Brooke-Ohio-Marshall-Wetzel-Marion-Monongalia- Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston- Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker- 1251 PM EDT Thu Jul 26 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western Maryland, east central Ohio, southwest Pennsylvania, west central Pennsylvania, northern West Virginia and northern panhandle of West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .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. OHZ039>041-048>050-PAZ007>009-013>015-020-WVZ001-271700- Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-Jefferson-Mercer- Venango-Forest-Lawrence-Butler-Clarion-Beaver-Hancock- 1251 PM EDT Thu Jul 26 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio, northwest Pennsylvania, west central Pennsylvania, western Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. A few severe thunderstorms capable of damaging wind gusts will be possible this afternoon and evening. .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. Kramar
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
802 PM EDT THU JUL 26 2018
PAZ008-270030-
Venango-
802 PM EDT THU JUL 26 2018
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WIND WILL AFFECT
NORTHERN VENANGO COUNTY...
At 802 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Sugarcreek, or
7 miles northwest of Franklin, moving east at 40 mph.
Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Oil City... Sugarcreek...
Hasson Heights... Rouseville...
Cooperstown... Pleasantville...
Utica... Oil Creek State Park...
Campers should consider seeking sturdy shelter until this storm
passes.
LAT...LON 4149 7951 4144 7952 4144 7948 4143 7948
4143 8000 4150 8000 4150 7998 4151 7998
4151 7996 4154 7994 4154 7993 4157 7989
4159 7985 4160 7985 4160 7983 4162 7983
4162 7951
TIME...MOT...LOC 0002Z 278DEG 34KT 4150 7990The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:12 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported tree limbs down on a hardwood tree along Birchwood Drive.
The general public reported an abundant amount of hail along Rutledge Road. Strong wind accompanied this storm.
The general public reported large tree limbs down along Crestview Drive; this storm also had 1 inch hail.
The public reported trees down along Delaware Road. Hail was also reported in this vicinity.
The public reported trees down along Delaware Road. Hail was also reported in this vicinity.
The public reported hail at least the size of quarters. A vegetable garden was destroyed and leaves on trees were shredded.
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, July 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: 774493, 774481, 774485, 774487, 774488, 774492.