Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms prompted a widespread flash flood problems across the Ohio River Valley on April 2nd to April 3rd. The synoptic pattern across the CONUS was a slow moving and deep elongated trough over the Great Plains phasing with a ejecting trough over the Midwest that created an area of converging moisture over eastern Ohio and western 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.
Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms prompted a widespread flash flood problems across the Ohio River Valley on April 2nd to April 3rd. The synoptic pattern across the CONUS was a slow moving and deep elongated trough over the Great Plains phasing with a ejecting trough over the Midwest that created an area of converging moisture over eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Overall, over a span of 4 days, four to five an half inches of rain fell across the region. Not only was small tributaries impact, but the main river reached moderate flood stage.
Along with flooding, there was a brief period of severe storms that tracked along eastern Ohio on the evening of April 2nd. A number of tornadoes touched down and were surveyed. Special soundings released by PBZ and ILN depict effective instability over eastern Ohio (1200J/kg to 1700J/kg), effective low-level shear (+50kts), and low-level helicity (300m2/s2) for rotating updrafts just before storms tracked through the area.
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 Apr 2, 5:05 AM EST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA Issued by National Weather Service Charleston WV 605 AM EDT Tue Apr 2 2024 .SYNOPSIS... There is an increased chance for severe thunderstorms tomorrow evening with a strong low pressure system. The threat for heavy rainfall also continues for the next 24 hours with multiple rounds of heavy rain possible. Cooler air returns late in the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Showers and thunderstorms continue overnight, with increasing flood potential during the early-morning commute ----------------------------------------------------------------- 600am Update: No changes currently needed to the forecast. Radar trends indicate a brief reprieve in shower activity is underway as overnight rainfall is now pressing eastward. Upstream in western Ohio is where the next batch of showers and storms is progged to arrive to our western flank here in the next few hours. A few river flood warnings were issued in Ohio this morning to account for impending rises into minor flood. Quick update to PoPs and QPF late this evening to reflect ongoing trends, otherwise, the forecast looks to be in good shape. Previous discussion... The threat for heavy rainfall increases early morning Tuesday as a stationary boundary, currently south of I-70, progresses north. The Flood Watch was expanded farther north this afternoon due to recent rainfall early this morning (0.75" to 1.0" measured) for counties that were not previously in the Watch (the watch now includes areas south of a line from Pittsburgh PA to New Philadelphia OH). Although there was no flooding this morning in these newly added counties, an additional 1 to 2 inches can occur with robust convection and/or training showers early Tuesday morning. Worst case scenario would be that a narrow axis of 3 to 4 inches of rain accumulates along the frontal boundary as it migrates northward slowly. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - - Large adjustment to the severe weather outlook was made for Tuesday in collaboration with our neighboring offices and the Storm Prediction Center - A rare Moderate Risk was issued for eastern Ohio and an Enhanced Risk was issued expanded into western PA (including Pittsburgh, PA). Tornadoes, large hail, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rainfall are expected - The peak period for severe storms is from 2pm to 11pm Tuesday ----------------------------------------------------------------- A major shift has been made to the convective outlook for Tuesday afternoon/evening in collaboration with neighboring WFOs and the Storm Prediction Center. A rare Moderate Risk has been added to eastern OH and Enhanced Risk was added for western PA (including much of Allegheny County PA) for the threat for tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts. What has prompted this adjustment is the potential for recovery in the wake of early-morning showers/storms in eastern OH. As a warm front lifts north towards Erie, a surge of low-lvl moisture will increase CAPE within a highly sheared environment. This combination will favor supercells within the warm sector as a strong low advances into the Ohio River Valley from the west. After 2pm, the joint probability of 40kt of 0-6km shear and 1000 J/kg of surface-based CAPE increases to 80-90% (especially for eastern OH). The probability significantly drops off northeast of Pittsburgh, where models suggest cloud coverage will remain and buoyancy will be limited. The probability of severe storms could increase farther east and north from the current most-likely outlook area if sufficient heating and moisture advance into west-central PA beyond where currently expected. A special RAOB will likely be launched Tuesday afternoon at PIT to get a sense of atmospheric changes in the wake of morning showers. Overall summary: confidence is high that strong wind shear will be available to organize storms. Destabilization in the wake of the morning showers/storms will be the potential limiting factor in storm severity Tuesday afternoon. The probability of severe weather decreases after midnight Wednesday after passage of a cold front. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Colder and windy for the second half of the week with rain and snow showers - The probability of 2-3 inches of snow is high (between 60-90%) for eastern Tucker County Thursday into Friday. A Winter Weather Advisory may need to be issued ------------------------------------------------------------------- The front should cross the area by early Wednesday morning as the parent shortwave trough closes into an upper low across the Lower Great Lakes and Upper Ohio Valley region. Rain and snow showers are expected through at least Thursday as model ensembles indicate the low will persist across the region. A prolong period of snow along the ridges Thursday night into Friday may lead to accumulating snow for areas exceeding 3kft in elevation. The probability of 2 inches in eastern Tucker County is currently 90%; the probability of 4 inches is 60%. A Winter Weather Advisory may be issued in a later forecast period. The upper low should exit the region Friday, with dry weather returning as high pressure settles in for Saturday. && .AVIATION /10Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Showers and thunuderstorms will continue this morning as a surface wave tracks along a stationary front across the Upper Ohio Valley region. MVFR to occasional IFR conditions are expected. The surface boundary will lift north as a warm front today, with some improvement to MVFR through the day. Areas near FKL-DUJ will likely not see much improvement as the front may not be pulled that far northward. Additional showers and thunderstorms with IFR restrictions are likely by late afternoon in advance of a cold front. Some of these storms could be severe. Showers will linger tonight as the forward progress of the front slows, as the surface low deepens across the lower Great Lakes region. IFR is expected after FROPA, and this should continue through Wednesday morning. Outlook... Restrictions, gusty winds, and rain and snow showers are likely through Friday, under an upper low. VFR returns Sat under high pressure.&& .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS... NEAR TERM... SHORT TERM... LONG TERM... AVIATION...
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 445 PM EDT Mon Apr 1 2024 PAZ007>009-015-016-022045- Mercer-Venango-Forest-Clarion-Jefferson PA- 445 PM EDT Mon Apr 1 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Pennsylvania and western Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Several rounds of rain through Tuesday could result in localized areas of flooding Tuesday. A severe weather risk increases Tuesday afternoon through the late Tuesday night. Tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts are expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures. OHZ041-PAZ013-014-020-022-077-078-022045- Columbiana-Lawrence-Butler-Beaver-Armstrong-Indiana- Higher Elevations of Indiana- 445 PM EDT Mon Apr 1 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio, southwest Pennsylvania and western Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Isolated flooding could occur tomorrow with the passage of the warm front in the early morning hours. A severe weather risk increases Tuesday afternoon through the late Tuesday night. Tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts are expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. OHZ039-040-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ021-029-031-073>076-WVZ001>004- 012-021-509>513-022045- Tuscarawas-Carroll-Coshocton-Harrison-Jefferson OH-Muskingum- Guernsey-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Allegheny-Washington-Greene- Westmoreland-Higher Elevations of Westmoreland-Fayette- Higher Elevations of Fayette-Hancock-Brooke-Ohio-Marshall-Wetzel- Marion-Monongalia- Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston- Eastern Preston-Western Tucker- 445 PM EDT Mon Apr 1 2024 ...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio, southwest Pennsylvania, western Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flood Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Isolated flooding could occur tomorrow with the passage of the warm front in the early morning hours. A severe weather risk increases Tuesday afternoon through the late Tuesday night. Tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts are expected. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flood Watch. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. WVZ514-022045- Eastern Tucker- 445 PM EDT Mon Apr 1 2024 ...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flood Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Isolated flooding could occur tomorrow with the passage of the warm front in the early morning hours. A severe weather risk increases Tuesday afternoon through the late Tuesday night. Tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts are expected. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Flood Watch. A Winter Weather Advisory may need to be issued for accumulating snow Thursday into Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. SKH
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
608 AM EDT Tue Apr 02 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0606 AM Rain 1 E Day 41.18N 79.24W
04/02/2024 M1.07 inch Clarion PA Trained Spotter
24 hour rainfall total
&&
Event Number PBZ2402036
FLHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
741 AM EDT Tue Apr 2 2024
OHZ048-057-021230-
Coshocton OH-Muskingum OH-
741 AM EDT Tue Apr 2 2024
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN COSHOCTON AND MUSKINGUM
COUNTIES THROUGH 830 AM EDT...
At 741 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 6 miles southeast of Utica to 7 miles southwest
of Lancaster. Movement was east at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Zanesville, Coshocton, New Concord, West Lafayette, South Zanesville,
North Zanesville, Dresden, Frazeysburg, Philo, Pleasant Grove,
Conesville, Gratiot, Fultonham, Plainfield, Norwich, Ruraldale,
Chandlersville, Bridgeville, Otsego, and Cannelville.
This includes Interstate 70 in Ohio near mile marker 143, and between
mile markers
145 and 170.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3995 8223 3995 8220 4023 8218 4024 8220
4028 8219 4030 8162 4022 8162 4022 8167
4015 8167 4015 8172 3993 8173 3993 8169
3976 8170 3977 8207 3982 8208 3982 8217
3991 8216 3991 8223
TIME...MOT...LOC 1141Z 261DEG 42KT 4016 8237 3963 8266
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
TCThe Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:45 UTC.
34 flash flood, 16 flood, 4 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
State Route 146 closed due to flooding. State Route 513 also impacted.
Report of flooded roadways in Senecaville, OH.
State Route 513 closed due to flooding along Seneca Fork and Wills Creek.
Route 22 closed due to flooding along Brushy Fork.
State Route 513 closed due to flooding along Salt Fork.
Route 22 closed due to flooding along Brushy Fork.
State Route 147 closed due to flooding along Beaver Creek.
State Route 265 closed due to flooding along Leatherwood Creek.
State Route 148 closed due to flooding on Captina Creek.
State Route 265 closed due to flooding along Leatherwood Creek.
State Route 146 closed due to flooding along Buffalo Creek.
State Route 258 closed due to flooding along Laurel Creek.
Interstate 70 Eastbound lane experiencing minor flooding.
State Route 9 closed due to flooding along Neffs Run and McMahon Creek.
State Road 148 was closed due to flooding.
State Road 147 was closed due to flooding.
State Road 146 and 821 was closed due to flooding.
State Road 660 closed due to flooding.
State Road 164 closed due to flooding.
State Road 26 was closed due to flooding.
State Road 564 and State Route 145 closed due to flooding.
State Road 260 was closed due to flooding.
State Road 821 closed due to flooding..
State Road 148 was closed due to flooding.
State Road 26 closed due flooding.
State Road 78 was closed due to flooding.
State Road 821 and 564 closed due to flooding.
State Route 265 closed due flooding.
State Road 152 closed due to trees and debris on the highway from flooding.
State Road 147 and 513 closed due to flooding.
State Route 724 and 260 closed due to flooding.
An NWS damage survey confirmed an EF-1 tornado with peak wind |speeds of 90 mph on the evening of April 2nd, 2024. The length of |the tornado was about 8.25 miles, with an estimated max width of |75 yards.
The path began north of Zanesville at the Parr Airport where a |hangar collapsed and tied-down aircraft were shifted. Across the |road from the airport, a portion of the roof was blown off a barn |and pieces were blown into the neighboring yard. Additionally, |several hardwood trees were snapped. The tornado continued |intermittently on the ground for another eight miles. Just a |quarter mile east on Dresden Road, another swath of hardwood trees|were snapped.
The second area of damage as the tornado likely lifted and |descended again farther east along Fairview Road where another |area of small tree trunks were snapped and a couple uprooted. Just|to the east and about 230 yards north of Fairview Road, numerous |softwood trees were snapped and uprooted. A small shed was also |destroyed and tossed a couple hundred yards to the east. This area|of damage had the strongest winds of 90 mph. Additional EF-0 |damage was noted along North River Road where a roof was lifted |off a single-wide manufactured home. The tornado then briefly |lifted as it crossed the Muskingum River.
The tornado descended again and damage resumed along Church Hill |Road where several hardwood trees were snapped and uprooted along |with roof damage to a barn. Farther to the east along Adamsville |Road, a larger swath of softwood trees were snapped and uprooted |with EF-1 damage observed and winds estimated at 88 mph. Farther |to the east, another two locations of damage were noted with |hardwood trees snapped and uprooted along Piper Road and again on |Knipe road where a home also suffered partial roof loss.
An NWS damage survey confirmed that an EF-0 tornado, with winds |peaking near 85 mph, tracked through central Muskingum County on |the evening of April 2, 2024. The length was about 1.21 miles and |the max width was estimated to be 50 yards. This tornado was |associated with the same circulation that initially produced a |tornado about 2 miles north of North Zanesville, OH near the Green|Valley Golf Club.
Weak tornado damage was noted along Bethel Road and New Hope |Road, with a few trees snapped and roof damage to outbuildings. |All the structures that were damaged were in open fields.
The tornado lifted around 8:51 pm. However, there was a new |circulation in Guernsey County, OH along Cowden Road that produced|EF-1 damage.
An NWS damage survey confirmed that an EF-1 tornado, with winds |peaking near 100 mph, tracked through north central Guernsey County|on the evening of April 2, 2024. The length of the tornado was |about 1.30 miles and the max width was estimated to be about 75 |yards. This tornado was associated with the same circulation that |initially produced 2 tornadoes in Muskingum County. One tornado in|Muskingum County was surveyed near North Zanesville, OH (EF-1) and|the other tornado was surveyed in Highland Twp (EF-0).
Peak intensity was reached as Cool Springs Road meets Cowden |Road, where a number of trees were snapped and/or uprooted. The |tornado caused minor structure damage to a barn before crossing |over a mobile home. The mobile home had partial roof damage, where|insulation was lofted into a tree. Numerous trees were snapped |and/or uprooted near the mobile home. After passing the mobile |home, the tornado lifted along a hillside.
State Route 715 was closed due to high water.
State Road 60 due to high water.
State Road 265 and 285 closed due to flooding.
State Route 2658 closed due to flooding.
State Route 541 closed due to flooding.
State Route 800 closed due to flooding.
State Route 646 closed due to flooding.
An NWS damage survey confirmed that an EF-1 tornado, with winds |peaking near 105 mph, tracked through southeastern Muskingum |County on the evening of April 2, 2024. The length was about 0.59 |miles with an estimated max width of 150 yards.
Tree damage was first observed just south of Coon Ridge Road and |Wonderland Road inside the Blue Rock State Forest. The tornado |continued north where it crossed Coon Ridge Road, entered a field,|and resulted in the loss of metal roofing panels of a barn. It |then re-entered the forest, making a turn to the northeast before |causing a sizable blowdown of snapped and uprooted trees in a |ravine. This is where peak intensity and maximum width were |reached. The tornado then quickly lifted before just before |crossing Coon Ridge Road.
State Route 212 closed due to flooding.
State Route 212 closed due to flooding.
State Route 206 was closed due to high water.
State Route 513 closed due to flooding.
State Route 331 closed due to flooding.
State Route 151 closed due to flooding.
State Route 60 closed due to flooding in both directions.
Left lane of I-70 closed due to flooding near US-40/Zanesville, OH.
State Route 146 closed due to flooding.
State Route 800 closed due to flooding.
State Route 145 closed due to flooding.
State Route 724 closed due to flooding.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Ohio, 2024Warnings in Ohio, April 2024
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: 1172168, 1172169, 1172170, 1172173, 1172174, 1172175, 1172176, 1172180, 1172918, 1172183, 1172188, 1172203, 1172204, 1172205, 1172834, 1172835, 1172837, 1172838, 1172839, 1172841, 1172842, 1172843, 1172844, 1172848, 1172849, 1172852, 1172856, 1172857, 1172858, 1172859, 1172862, 1171421, 1171419, 1171420, 1172867, 1172868, 1172874, 1172875, 1172876, 1172877, and more.