Scattered thunderstorms developed ahead of an approaching cold front over Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania during the early afternoon of August 12, 2023, and progressed eastward across central Pennsylvania through the late afternoon and evening hours. Sporadic wind damage (and one hail report) was observed with some of these storms, and there were two brief tornadoes in Cambria County.
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 CTP wrote it up.
Scattered thunderstorms developed ahead of an approaching cold front over Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania during the early afternoon of August 12, 2023, and progressed eastward across central Pennsylvania through the late afternoon and evening hours. Sporadic wind damage (and one hail report) was observed with some of these storms, and there were two brief tornadoes in Cambria County.
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 State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 12, 12:51 PM EST, 11 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 151 PM EDT Sat Aug 12 2023 .SYNOPSIS... Another round of strong to severe storms targets central Pennsylvania this afternoon into tonight. Another brief break in the weather is expected Sunday before more showers and storms arrive later Monday into early Tuesday. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... Storms beginning to take shape across the area with tornado watch now in place for locations north of the turnpike. Main focus remains next round of strong to severe convection for later today. SLGT risk upgraded to ENH for most of northern and central PA as a few lines TSRA are expected to cross the Western and Central Mtns late Sat afternoon and evening. Latest 00Z model 0-1 KM EHIs indicate a rather high potential for rotating updrafts and even a few weak tornadoes across the NE quadrant of our CWA with values in the 2-3.5 M2/S2 range. Heavy rain/flash flooding is not a major concern at this point. Main threats are for localized strong/damaging wet microbursts from mini bows/bkn-s signatures in line segments, triggered by descending rear inflow jets, with an isolated tornado possible (5%) && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM SUNDAY/... Strong storms last through mid to late evening as cold front doesn't push through the NW Mountains until late tonight. Showers and isold storms will accompany the front overnight before moving out by early morning Sunday, with a more comfortable air mass arriving. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... Relatively dry air associated with the frontal passage on Saturday will allow for a brief period of clearing across much of central PA for Sunday morning into Monday AM. Seasonable temperatures are expected to carry throughout this brief period, with high temperatures expected to be in the upper 70s across the northern tier and upper 80s across southern zones. Surface low pressure will track west of PA through the eastern Great Lakes Monday PM into Tuesday AM. The severe threat continues to be dependent on destabilization, where the highest possibility remains in the warm sector of the approaching frontal boundary. The progression of this surface low is the biggest uncertainty at this time, as recent guidance has suggested that movement will become generally slower just north of the PA/NY border. Slower progression has potential to bring heavier rainfall across all of CPA, especially across southern tier where anomalously high pwats are coupled with the best forcing. Heavier rainfall on Monday has already been tagged in the WPC ERO with a Slight (2/4) risk across the southern tier where aforementioned forcing and moisture is expected to be the most impactful while the rest of CPA has been tagged with a Marginal (1/4) for flash flooding. Rainfall is expected to taper off Wednesday into Thursday evening as an anomalously strong ridge builds over the area before a shortwave trough brings PoPs back up into Friday. && .AVIATION /18Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Tornado watch covers all airfields except KMDT and KLNS. SHRA and TSRA will develop across the CWA through the afternoon and evening. Being isolated at this point, just added VCTS to any one site as any one storm would affect an airfield for a short time. Expect the activity to wind down after 00Z with just some lingering -SHRA. Some MVFR is possible overnight in BR...more toward sunrise. Outlook... Sun...Generally VFR conditions outside of spotty lingering -SHRA. Mon...Predominantly VFR, with scattered SHRA/TSRA developing late across the S/W and overspreading the remainder of the area Monday night. Tue...Lingering -SHRA poss, mainly N/W. Wed...Predominantly VFR. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SYNOPSIS...Lambert/Martin NEAR TERM...Tyburski SHORT TERM...DeVoir/Martin LONG TERM...NPB AVIATION...Tyburski
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 407 AM EDT Sat Aug 12 2023 PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-130815- Warren-McKean-Potter-Elk-Cameron-Northern Clinton-Clearfield- Northern Centre-Southern Centre-Cambria-Blair-Huntingdon-Mifflin- Juniata-Somerset-Bedford-Fulton-Franklin-Tioga-Northern Lycoming- Sullivan-Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-Union-Snyder-Montour- Northumberland-Columbia-Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill-Lebanon-Cumberland- Adams-York-Lancaster- 407 AM EDT Sat Aug 12 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Showers and thunderstorms are expected on Saturday afternoon and evening, some of which may produce strong to locally damaging winds, hail and locally heavy rainfall. An isolated tornado or two will be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
139 PM EDT Sat Aug 12 2023
PAZ004-005-121830-
McKean PA-Warren PA-
139 PM EDT Sat Aug 12 2023
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT WARREN AND NORTHWESTERN MCKEAN
COUNTIES THROUGH 230 PM EDT...
At 138 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 12 miles southwest of Jamestown to near Warren
to 24 miles northeast of Oil City. Movement was east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Warren, Sheffield, Columbus, Youngsville, Russell, Spring Creek,
Scandia, Lottsville, Ludlow, Marshburg, Grand Valley, Warren South,
Garland, Kinzua Dam, Chapman State Park, Tidioute, Sugar Grove,
Starbrick, Clarendon and Bear Lake.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Very heavy rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
Persons in campgrounds should consider seeking sturdy shelter until
these storms pass.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for north central
Pennsylvania.
&&
LAT...LON 4197 7961 4197 7960 4200 7946 4200 7883
4188 7867 4168 7897 4169 7961
TIME...MOT...LOC 1738Z 269DEG 23KT 4199 7942 4189 7928 4175 7950
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
LambertThe Buffalo radar (KBUF), 137 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:02 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees onto State Route 62 south of Irvine.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree and wires along US Route 220 northeast of Picture Rocks.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees along with some larger limbs south of Unityville.
A severe thunderstorm produced quarter-sized hail south of Unityville.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees in Millville.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees and larger limbs near Cameron Road in Lumber Township.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 70 mph snapped or uprooted a wide swath of trees near Duman Lake along Route 271 to the north of Belsano.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 70 mph snapped or uprooted multiple trees along Stevens Road north of Colver.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 70 mph snapped or uprooted dozens of trees along Syberton Road outside of Loretto.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 70 mph snapped or uprooted a swath of trees along Iceplant Road north of Cresson.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees along Gallitzin Road north of Cresson.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down power lines along and across Route 53 near Ashville.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a large tree along Route 36 to the eat of Ashville.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked a tree down across Jade Avenue in Lakemont.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked a tree down across Creek Road southwest of Reinholds. The tree was truck by a car after laying across the road with no injuries reported on scene.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked a tree down across Holtzman Road west of Reinholds.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, August 2023
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: 1128637, 1128638, 1128639, 1120304, 1128640, 1128641, 1128788, 1128790, 1128794, 1128795, 1128796, 1128792, 1128793, 1128642, 1128643, 1128644.