Severe Drought (D2) continued through December for several counties in Ohio. Conditions did improve by the end of the month with only a small area remaining by the beginning of January.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Severe Drought (D2) continued through December for several counties in Ohio. Conditions did improve by the end of the month with only a small area remaining by the beginning of January.
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 Nov 30, 9:09 PM EST, 2 hours 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 909 PM EST Sat Nov 30 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Scattered snow showers are possible over the ridges overnight. Otherwise cold temperatures will settle in for the long haul. Another round of snow showers is possible Sunday and Monday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH SUNDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Well below normal temperatures tonight and tomorrow. - Wind chills in the teens. - Snow for West Virginia ridges late tonight into Sunday ------------------------------------------------------------------- Update... The 00Z PIT sounding shows drying throughout the column, with satellite and surface obs showing most of the stratocu/flurries have eroded. Mid and high clouds will increase overnight ahead of the next approaching shortwave across IL/IN. This wave is still on track to bring some light snow showers to the higher terrain areas, especially across WV, overnight. Lowered overnight lows towards the lower end of guidance, with the temporary clearing and diminishing wind ahead of the next wave. Previous discussion... Upstream short wave trough over IL/IN has decent batch of warm advection snows (best seen around 850 mb per SPC MesoAnalysis) with it and those look on track to push through the far southern part of area late tonight into Sunday, resulting in 1-3" snows over the Preston/Tucker County WV area. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Well below normal temperatures with daily chances of snow showers, mostly north and east of Pittsburgh. ------------------------------------------------------------------- As the Quebec upper low wobbles it's way east, there is high confidence it elongates, leaving a trough axis in its wake, stretching from Labrador into the upper Great Lakes. This trough will begin to feel the influence of its parent low through the day Sunday, dropping southeast and bringing in a return of northwest boundary layer flow through at least the middle of next week. Surface cooling Sunday night combined with upper subsidence will act to keep boundary layer lapse rates sub-dry-adiabatic, though moisture trapped under a subsidence inversion in northwest flow will advect a stratocumulus deck south through the night. Given the upper forcing, low-level saturation, and a nearly 30 degree thermal gradient between Lake Erie and northwest Pennsylvania, snow showers could not be ruled out for most, but are expected to mostly be confined to north of I-80 in the lake-effect belt, and perhaps the ridges with orographic lift. Chances of snow showers increase into Monday with daytime heating destabilizing profiles. Combined with anomalously warm lake temperatures, 850mb moisture should be prevalent to allow for scattered to numerous snow showers downstream of Lake Erie as convective temperatures are reached (Pittsburgh and points north and east). Convective snow and near- freezing high temperatures may result in some low- visibility and surface accumulation periods in a relatively short span that may make some travel difficult. Short-fuse, convective snow products may be needed to cover the threat. Monday night and Tuesday may see a similar fate as the day prior, but shortwave forcing is less certain. The presence or timing of a shortwave ridge or trough could make conditions less favorable or similar respectively. Nonetheless, northwest flow and marginally unstable to unstable profiles continue, meaning show chances remain in the cards for now. Storm total snowfall from northwest flow is expected to remain limited but some areas see a better chance at accumulations than others. For the Pittsburgh metro, there is a 90% chance of less than an inch of accumulation at this time. Moving up to Oil City, there is a 75% chance of greater than 1" of accumulation, but a 90% chance of less than 3". Interestingly, however, there is a low probability (5%) maxima of >6" which may represent whether a snow band is able to maintain itself off of Erie. This remains low probability at this time, given a sub-optimal WNW fetch. Hopping down to the ridges, a gradual accumulation of a few inches is in the cards, with around 80% of guidance below 3". && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Another disturbance arrives mid-week, with additional snow chances, though forecast confidence still remains medium to low. ------------------------------------------------------------------- There is increasing confidence that a stacked low and reinforcing cold shot arrives late week. Surface low positioning remains quite uncertain with EPS, GEPS, and GEFS members; placement is centered in between Lake Huron and the Hudson Bay by Thursday morning, with a larger cluster of members favoring the southerly solution. A more southern track would mean more forcing for snowfall, but exact totals could be governed more by shortwave timing, which again, has low predictability this far out. At this time, the greatest probability of accumulation with the system occurs Wednesday into Wednesday night. Chances of >3" of snow are generally .50% northeast of the Pittsburgh metro and into the ridges. There is a 30% chance of >6" in Jefferson (PA), Indiana, Forest, and Clarion Counties. Additionally, the arctic front may warrant watching for snow squall concerns. Uncertainty increases drastically after this wave passes through as some clustered ensemble attempt to reestablish ranging late week and through the weekend, while other continue to allow eastern troughing. The difference between these scenarios will drastically affect the forecast. While both clusters favor below average temperatures through the weekend, the key difference will be wind direction. In ridging, winds back more westerly, removing lake influence and with lower precipitation chances. Should troughing continue, northwest flow could mean continued lake enhanced snow, in the event that boundary layer flow orients 320 to 330 degrees, snow banding is possible off of an optimal Huron/Erie fetch, which is indicated by a sub-sect of long range guidance. The CPC 6-10 day outlook maintains a 75% to 85% chance of below average temperatures, while the 8-14 day outlook indicates a 60% to 70% chance of below average temperatures, which could mean a quite anomalously cool start to December, though the outlooks leans slightly warm to close out the month. && .AVIATION /02Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Drier air and developing zonal flow/flat ridging continue to clear the earlier stratocumulus deck. The last of these clouds will dissipate from FKL/DUJ by 02Z, along with any lingering flurries. Overnight, high clouds will overspread the area from the west in advance of the next shortwave trough lifting across the Ohio Valley. Slowly lowering and thickening clouds will arrive on Sunday, but there is high confidence that most terminals will remain VFR through the TAF period. MVFR conditions are most likely south of I-70, with 50% or greater confidence according to the HREF. At this time, MGW is the terminal that has the best chance of MVFR ceilings. At this time, it still appears that most snow will remain south and east of that terminal, although a few flurries will be possible during the morning as the shortwave crosses. Snow chances then slowly fade during the afternoon at MGW, with a return to low VFR ceilings likely. Outlook... Monday flow turns more northwest aloft and potential for Lake Effect snow showers to move into northern half of area increases, especially for KFKL and KDUJ where restrictions are possible. While flow remains northwest on Tuesday, rising heights and subsidence may limit snow shower potential as compared to Monday. Low pressure moving across the Great Lakes Wednesday and into Northeast Thursday likely to bring ceiling/visibility restrictions and perhaps snow and gusty winds with highest probabilities in the northern half of area. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...Milcarek NEAR TERM...Craven/WM SHORT TERM...Milcarek LONG TERM...Milcarek AVIATION...Craven/CL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 121 PM EST Sat Nov 30 2024 OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007-013-014-020>022-029-031- 073>076-WVZ001>004-012-021-509>511-011830- Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-Jefferson OH- Muskingum-Guernsey-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Mercer-Lawrence-Butler- Beaver-Allegheny-Armstrong-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- 121 PM EST Sat Nov 30 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. WVZ512>514-011830- Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker- 121 PM EST Sat Nov 30 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Light snow is expected to arrive late tonight. | .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Snow continuing Sunday morning likely resulting in 1 to 3 inches of snow with heaviest amounts in eastern Tucker County. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. PAZ008-009-015-016-077-078-011830- Venango-Forest-Clarion-Jefferson PA-Indiana- Higher Elevations of Indiana- 121 PM EST Sat Nov 30 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Pennsylvania and western Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Snow is likely Wednesday and could turn to Lake Effect Snow Showers on Thursday with accumulations possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. Craven
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
Severe Drought (D2) conditions continued through the month of December with precipitation continuing to run below average, with only minor improvements over central Ohio.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, December 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: 1229879, 1229880, 1229882, 1229883, 1229884, 1229885, 1229886, 1229887, 1229888.