A fast moving trough during the early morning hours of February 24th created a swath of 1-3 inches of snow in 6 hours for eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia. Isolated travel impacts were noted during the early morning Saturday commute.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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.
A fast moving trough during the early morning hours of February 24th created a swath of 1-3 inches of snow in 6 hours for eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia. Isolated travel impacts were noted during the early morning Saturday commute.
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 Feb 24, 4:28 AM EST, 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 428 AM EST Sat Feb 24 2024 .SYNOPSIS... Light snow south of Interstate 76 this morning will be followed by dry and seasonably cold conditions the remainder of the day. Temperatures will begin to moderate on Sunday. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Relatively light snow likely this morning along and south of a line running from Zanesville to Morgantown. A dusting as far north as I-76. Anything approaching an inch will be south of I-70. - Temperatures will be noticeably cooler today, but will begin to trend warmer Sunday. ______________________________________________________________ Snow this morning associated with a sfc low crossing south of the region will be confined to areas south of I-76 as it drops across the Middle Ohio Valley. The best focus for lift and moisture will remain off to the west and south of our forecast area, but accumulations of up to an inch or so will be possible during a brief intersection of upward motion and moisture in the dendritic growth zone south of I-70. Farther north, accumulations should be limited to a dusting on grassy surfaces. Cloud coverage will diminish this afternoon under increasing subsidence, leaving a sunny finish to the day. Despite this, cold advection in the wake of yesterday's front will result in minimal temperature increase during the day, with daytime highs in the 30s...between 20F and 25F cooler than observed Friday. && .SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/... KEY MESSAGES: - Temperatures back up to above normal temperatures along with mainly dry conditions. ______________________________________________________________ Dry conditions will continue through Sunday as surface high pressure crosses the region. Temperatures will rebound to several degrees above normal in southwesterly return flow. Cloud coverage will increase Sunday night with a weak shortwave. Temperatures continue to trend up Monday as the surface high departs, with most locations reaching the mid to upper 50s during the afternoon. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... KEY MESSAGES: - Above normal uncertainty / low confidence forecast with a great deal of model spread. - Above normal temperatures will continue with widespread rain chances returning midweek ahead of a strong cold front. _______________________________________________________________ The Tuesday/Wednesday forecast depends largely on the evolution of a western CONUS trough, which will be in the vicinity of the northern Rockies at 12Z Tuesday. All models swing this trough relatively rapidly eastward over the next couple of days, but with noticeable strength and timing differences. Cluster analysis seems to currently slightly favor a slower progression eastward, but for now, there is still a large amount of uncertainty in details. Despite this uncertainty, there remains decent confidence in well- above normal temperatures and good rain chances during the Tuesday- Wednesday period, given the presence of deep and moist southwesterly flow ahead of the trough. A strong frontal passage at some point also appears likely, perhaps on Wednesday. Along with the rain, strong wind gusts appear to be a decent possibility. Some model solutions point to a Great Lakes surface low path and a negatively- tilted 500mb trough, a pattern which is favorable for a widespread strong wind event in our region. Finally, depending on frontal timing, moisture, and the eventual shear/instability pattern, strong to potentially severe thunderstorms cannot be totally ruled out. However, this final threat currently appears more favorable to our west according to SPC and CSU machine-learning guidance. By Thursday, most model solutions have the 500mb trough axis to our east, leading to cooler weather and perhaps some lingering showers. For the gridded forecast, given the uncertainty, NBM guidance will be followed heavily during the extended period. && .AVIATION /10Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Brief patchy MVFR conditions expected at area terminals tonight in the wake of this evening's cold front, with highest probabilities still focused across the higher terrain and southern portion of the area (DUJ, LBE, MGW, ZZV). Fog remains unlikely. Light snow showers and associated reductions in visibility are possible from ZZV to MGW and south predawn to mid- morning Saturday as a shortwave and surface low cross to our south. Snow is most likely at ZZV, so maintained restrictions at that terminal in this TAF package. A slight southward shift in the best snow chances led to dropping VCSH from HLG, while uncertainty on the northern extent still precludes mention beyond VCSH at MGW. VFR should return areawide by Saturday afternoon. .Outlook... Widespread VFR will continue into Sunday followed by increasing clouds and chances for showers returning early next week. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && SYNOPSIS...88 NEAR TERM...88 SHORT TERM...88 LONG TERM...CL/88 AVIATION...Cermak/Rackley
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 302 AM EST Sat Feb 24 2024 OHZ039>041-048>050-059-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>022-029-031-073>078- WVZ001>004-250815- Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-Jefferson OH- Belmont-Mercer-Venango-Forest-Lawrence-Butler-Clarion-Jefferson PA- Beaver-Allegheny-Armstrong-Washington-Greene-Westmoreland- Higher Elevations of Westmoreland-Fayette- Higher Elevations of Fayette-Indiana-Higher Elevations of Indiana- Hancock-Brooke-Ohio-Marshall- 302 AM EST Sat Feb 24 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today 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. OHZ057-058-068-069-WVZ012-021-509>514-250815- Muskingum-Guernsey-Noble-Monroe-Wetzel-Marion-Monongalia- Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston- Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker- 302 AM EST Sat Feb 24 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Around 1 inch (locally 2 inches) of snow will be possible this morning with a crossing disturbance. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
An average of 2 inches of snow fell in 6 hours on the morning of February 24th.
An average of 2 inches fell across the county of Muskingum the morning of February 24th in 6 hours.
A range of 2-3 inches of snow fell in Guernsey county in 6 hours the morning of February 24th.
A range of 1-2 inches of snow fell in Tuscarawas County.
Based on other counties, an average of 2 inches of snow most likely fell in Noble County.
Based on other counties, an average of 2 inches of snow most likely fell in Monroe County.
Based on other counties, an average of 2 inches of snow most likely fell in Harrison County.
An average of 2 inches of snow most likely fell in Belmont County.
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, February 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: 1161767, 1161773, 1161774, 1161775, 1161776, 1161777, 1161778, 1161779.