Showers and thunderstorms began to form along a stationary boundary stationed near the Interstate 80 corridor in an environment with ample instability and shear. Steep low-to-mid level lapse rates allowed for severe thunderstorms to begin forming hail with multiple reports of quarter-sized hail in portions of Clearfield and Centre counties during the evening hours of March 22, 2026.
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.
Showers and thunderstorms began to form along a stationary boundary stationed near the Interstate 80 corridor in an environment with ample instability and shear. Steep low-to-mid level lapse rates allowed for severe thunderstorms to begin forming hail with multiple reports of quarter-sized hail in portions of Clearfield and Centre counties during the evening hours of March 22, 2026. Within severe thunderstorms, some instances of wind damage across Clearfield, Centre, and Clinton counties as thunderstorms continues to form along the aforementioned stationary boundary.
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 Mar 22, 2:45 PM EST, 43 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 345 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... * SPC has upgraded the severe weather outlook to Enhanced for this afternoon. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Severe thunderstorms possible this afternoon and evening across much of central Pennsylvania, highest chances south of the I-80 corridor. 2) Some icing potential Sunday night into Monday morning across portions of NE PA, slick spots possible for the Monday morning commute. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1: Severe thunderstorms possible this afternoon and evening across much of central Pennsylvania, highest chances south of the I-80 corridor. At 19z Sunday, a cold front stretched from NW PA into northern OH. Thunderstorms are just starting to fire up along the leading edge of a large area of clouds ahead of the cold front. South and east of the clouds, temps are in the upper 70s to low 80s with dewpoints in the mid 40s downwind of the Alleghenies. The SPC meso discussion issued 1902 UTC discusses an 80 pct chc of watch issuance. Given 50+ kts effective bulk shear and modest CAPE (a few to several hundred Joules MLCAPE), convection is likely to grow upscale into line segments. Storms will be fast moving, from west to east at 40+ kts, so it won't take much of a downdraft to produce a few severe wind gusts. Still could be some severe hail if any supercells develop, but thinking CAPE will be the limiting factor there given that dewpoints have trended lower than model guidance. There is also a nonzero tornado threat, though this threat is not as high as the wind/hail threat. One of the main negatives with respect to the tornado threat is LCLs between 1250-2500 m. In terms of rainfall, highest amounts appear likely along and south of the I-80 corridor - generally up to 1 inch. Not foreseeing much of a flood threat with this system given the low dewpoints and below normal precip in recent months. KEY MESSAGE 2: Some icing potential Sunday night into Monday morning across portions of NE PA, slick spots possible for the Monday morning commute. A transition to rain/snow and potentially some freezing rain or drizzle across the Poconos is possible based on recent model soundings/guidance Sunday night into Monday morning. Most recent HREF model guidance has trended slightly up with respect to probabilities of measurable ice accumulation across portions of Tioga, northern Lycoming, and Sullivan counties with a steep drop off further south/east where precipitation looks to end slightly quicker as temperatures continue to fall behind the cold frontal passage. This threat seems relatively marginal at this time and a transition to more rain/snow seems like the most plausible solution, with some potential for a quick measurable snowfall (below one inch) possible across portions of the northern tier. Comparing to recent events about a week ago, the drop in temperatures are not expected to be as rapid and winds will be slightly less gusty Sunday night into Monday compared to last week's event; however, cannot rule out with a fairly quick temperature drop that surfaces that remain wet with the cold frontal passage freeze and allow for isolated slick spots for the Monday morning commute. At this time, have introduced mentions in the HWO for the potential for a light glaze of ice across the Poconos with the freezing rain/drizzle; however, isolated slick spots could be possible across a larger area of central Pennsylvania Monday morning. && .AVIATION /18Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... VFR conditions will continue for much of the afternoon, though ceilings will gradually lower across northern PA as showers move in. Scattered thunderstorms should develop ahead of a cold front around 21-22Z and may bring gusty winds and possibly some hail to airfields south of I-80. Confidence in the exact placement of any thunderstorms is low. Winds outside of the storms will continue to gust to 20 to 30 knots. Ceilings lower to MVFR or IFR for most of Central PA behind the storms as another round of steady rain moves in from the west. Rain will exit to the east by sunrise and ceilings will slowly rise through the morning. There's a small chance that the rain ends as a few snow showers across north-central PA. Outlook... Tue...Mainly dry with VFR conditions. Slight chance of snow shower across northern PA late which could bring some restrictions. Wed...A few rain showers across northern PA. Thu...Rain with restrictions possible. Fri...Rain showers (possibly mixed with snow) coming to an end in the morning with improving conditions. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && WHAT HAS CHANGED...Colbert/Beaty KEY MESSAGES...Colbert/Beaty DISCUSSION...Colbert/Beaty AVIATION...Bauco
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 357 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026 PAZ004>006-010-011-046-053-058-059-064>066-232000- Warren-McKean-Potter-Elk-Cameron-Southern Lycoming-Columbia- Schuylkill-Lebanon-Adams-York-Lancaster- 357 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. PAZ012-017>019-024>028-033>036-045-049>052-056-057-063-232000- Northern Clinton-Clearfield-Northern Centre-Southern Centre-Cambria- Blair-Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata-Somerset-Bedford-Fulton-Franklin- Southern Clinton-Union-Snyder-Montour-Northumberland-Perry-Dauphin- Cumberland- 357 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 72 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov/StateCollege on the internet for more information about the following hazards. Severe Thunderstorm Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. PAZ037-041-042-232000- Tioga-Northern Lycoming-Sullivan- 357 PM EDT Sun Mar 22 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. There is a low potential for light freezing rain or freezing drizzle early Monday morning which could lead to some locations accumulating a glaze of ice. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The State College radar (KCCX), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:25 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees down on to wires on Berry Road approximately 2 miles north-northwest of Beech Creek.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked a tree onto North Street near Millheim.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees onto wires along Ingleby Road approximately 4 miles east-southeast of Millheim.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees onto wires along Pine Creek Hollow Road approximately 6 miles north-northwest of Weikert.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked multiple trees down across Drane Highway approximately 4 miles northwest of Osceola Mills.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees and wires down along Frog Hollow Road approximately 2 miles north-northeast of Osceola Mills.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees and wires down along High Street Extension in Unionville.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees down across Penns Cave Road approximately 4 miles southeast of Zion.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees down onto wires in Milesburg.
A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked a tree onto a parked car on Cricklewood Drive in State College.
A severe thunderstorm produced quarter sized hail near Hyde.
A severe thunderstorm produced quarter sized hail in Philipsburg.
A severe thunderstorm produced quarter sized hail in Park Forest.
A severe thunderstorm produced quarter sized hail in State College.
A strong thunderstorm produced dime to penny sized hail at the National Weather Service Office in State College.
A severe thunderstorm produced quarter sized hail approximately 1 mile south of State College.
A strong thunderstorm produced penny sized hail east of State College.
A severe thunderstorm produced quarter sized hail in Toftrees.
A severe thunderstorm produced quarter sized hail in Reedsville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, March 2026
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: 1317605, 1317606, 1317607, 1317608, 1317609, 1317610, 1317611, 1317612, 1317613, 1317633, 1317614, 1317615, 1317617, 1317622, 1317624, 1317626, 1317627, 1317628, 1317632.