A stationary front stationed along the Allegheny Front and into south-central Pennsylvania provided ample lift in an unstable and highly sheared environment during the afternoon and evening hours of May 1, 2025. Scattered thunderstorms began to form during the late afternoon hour where peak heating led to destabilization along the Allegheny Front, with increased moisture pushed under…
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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 CTP wrote it up.
A stationary front stationed along the Allegheny Front and into south-central Pennsylvania provided ample lift in an unstable and highly sheared environment during the afternoon and evening hours of May 1, 2025. Scattered thunderstorms began to form during the late afternoon hour where peak heating led to destabilization along the Allegheny Front, with increased moisture pushed under southeasterly flow from the Chesapeake Bay. Numerous tree damage was reported from these thunderstorms in Clearfield, Centre, and Somerset counties with more widespread damage observed in Cambria County. In Cambria County, numerous trees were knocked down in Johnstown with more extensive damage in the vicinity of Chest Springs, where a one-story wood storage building was completely destroyed, along with a roof lifted off of a barn.
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 May 1, 3:03 PM EST, 2 hours 22 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 403 PM EDT Thu May 1 2025 .SYNOPSIS... * Clusters of showers and thunderstorms this afternoon into early tonight * Rounds of showers and thunderstorms continue mainly during the afternoon and evening Friday and Saturday * Blocky pattern becoming established by the end of the weekend could produce significant/beneficial rainfall through early next week && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Isolated to scattered convection has formed over western PA as of 18Z. 20Z MRMS shows a couple of decent cores over the Laurel Highlands into the NW mtns, but so far activity has largely struggled to maintain intensity as it expands east northeast into a less favorable environment characterized by decreasing boundary layer moisture. There has been a recent uptick in storm coverage and intensity mainly to the west of US 219 along with some repeated cell development from Somerset County into western MD. Overall, risk of severe storms drops off significantly to the east of the Allegheny Front and the main threat may tilt toward locally heavy rainfall into the evening. HREF data suggests clusters/lines of storms could merge/train over the same areas and result in localized rainfall amounts of 2+ inches - particularly over the south central ridge and valley region. FFG values increase quickly with eastern extent with locations along the Allegheny Front being more susceptible to potential flooding issues. Showers weaken and decrease in coverage later tonight into early Friday morning. It will be a very mild first night of May with low temps 55-65F or +15 to +25 degrees above the historical average. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... While large scale lift decreases on the margin Friday with only a glancing influence from a lead shortwave trough ejecting quickly northeastward from the Great Lakes to the Saint Lawrence Valley -- diurnal convection may pose a risk for locally strong to damaging winds based on favorable thermodynamic profiles and steep low level lapse rates. This potential may be enhanced over the southeast portion of the area near sfc lee trough where max temps are fcst to reach the low 80s. Blocking pattern sets up into the weekend with a vertically stacked low in the lower OH Valley. Rain is expected to extend to the northeast along an frontal zone extending into New England. The quality of buoyancy is uncertain given potential for cloud cover, but airmass will remain seasonably moist with some pockets of heating to the east of the higher terrain supportive of a marginal risk of a few stronger storms with isolated damaging wind threat. This period will remain mild relative to climo with the largest departures from normal in the overnight min temps +10-20F. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Blocky pattern with closed low lifting very slowly to the northeast from the Ohio Valley will maintain a strong wet pattern signal over the area through midweek. Initially, rainfall should be beneficial particularly over the southeast zones/LSQV where D1/D2 drought conditions have persisted for some time. WPC has indicated a marginal risk of excessive rain with some potential for repeated rounds of rain capable of producing localized flooding risk in urban and poor drainage areas. Models show the upper low feature finally starting to accelerate to the northeast as it interacts with the northern stream flow, which should result in drier conditions toward midweek. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... Thunderstorm clusters will impact KBFD and KJST this afternoon and expand eastward to the KAOO/KUNV/KIPT corridor later this evening. Outside of brief IFR restrictions in +RA, expect flight cats to remain VFR to MVFR through tonight into Friday. Fri...Scattered showers with some restrictions possible. Sat-Mon...Periods of rain and sub-VFR conditions likely. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SYNOPSIS...Steinbugl NEAR TERM...Steinbugl SHORT TERM...Steinbugl LONG TERM...Steinbugl AVIATION...Steinbugl
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 329 AM EDT Thu May 1 2025 PAZ027-028-035-036-041-042-045-046-049>053-056>059-063>066-020730- Mifflin-Juniata-Fulton-Franklin-Northern Lycoming-Sullivan- Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-Union-Snyder-Montour- Northumberland-Columbia-Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill-Lebanon-Cumberland- Adams-York-Lancaster- 329 AM EDT Thu May 1 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. PAZ004-005-010-011-017-020730- Warren-McKean-Elk-Cameron-Clearfield- 329 AM EDT Thu May 1 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds 60 mph or greater and large hail exceeding 1 inch in diameter are possible this afternoon and evening. Locally heavy rain over one inch is also possible. An isolated weak, short-lived tornado is also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. PAZ006-012-018-019-024>026-033-034-037-020730- Potter-Northern Clinton-Northern Centre-Southern Centre-Cambria- Blair-Huntingdon-Somerset-Bedford-Tioga- 329 AM EDT Thu May 1 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Strong to severe thunderstorms with gusty winds, localized heavy rain over one inch and small hail are possible this afternoon and evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. Lambert
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service State College PA 400 PM EDT Thu May 1 2025 PAZ004-012100- Warren- 400 PM EDT Thu May 1 2025 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH 430 PM EDT... A series of strong thunderstorms will lift northeastward across Warren County. The first is just south of Warren, and the second will move into the far northwest corner of the county shortly. You may experience * Wind gusts up to 55 MPH. * Hail up to nickel size. * Very heavy rainfall. If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. The storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from your National Weather Service.
The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:23 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked wires down near the intersection of Scullton Road and Hilltop Drive approximately 4 miles west-northwest of Casselman.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees and wires down across Scullton Road near the intersection with Whipkey Dam Road, blocking most of the roadway.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked a tree and wires down near the intersection of Clay Hill Road and Four Seasons Road approximately 1 mile northwest of Boswell.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees and wires down in the 600 block of Eisenhower Boulevard approximately 1 mile south-southeast of Belmont.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees and wires down near the intersection of Diamond Boulevard and Susan Drive in Southmont.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 70 mph knocked down numerous trees on the west and south side of Johnstown.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked wires down onto a Pennsylvania State Police cruiser.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 70 mph destroyed a one story wood storage building in the 1100 block of Columbia Street in Allegheny Township north of Loretto.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 70 mph blew the roof off of a barn in the 1100 block of Schoolhouse Road east of Chest Springs.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees and wires down along the 3700 block of Glendale Boulevard south of Coalport.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked multiple trees and wires down along State Route 350 south of Philipsburg between Sleepy Hollow Road and Miller Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, May 2025
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: 1252355, 1252358, 1252360, 1252364, 1252365, 1252368, 1252370, 1252374, 1252377, 1252378, 1252380.