One late-evening severe thunderstorm tracked northeast across Tucker County, West Virginia and produced wind damage knocking down a large tree across a highway. Despite some MLCIN in place, MUCAPE values still reached up to 1000 J/kg and very high DCAPE values up to 1300 J/kg supported sufficient downdraft acceleration to result in tree damage.
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.
One late-evening severe thunderstorm tracked northeast across Tucker County, West Virginia and produced wind damage knocking down a large tree across a highway. Despite some MLCIN in place, MUCAPE values still reached up to 1000 J/kg and very high DCAPE values up to 1300 J/kg supported sufficient downdraft acceleration to result in tree damage.
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 May 18, 6:58 PM EST, 3 hours 10 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 758 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... On the whole, the forecast remains unchanged, except for higher confidence in an 8p to 2a arrival of storms in northwest PA and eastern Ohio Tuesday night. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Heat impacts for sensitive populations continue early this week, with temperatures up to the upper-80s to low-90s. 2) Conditional terrain/lake driven severe chances today, highest severe chances tomorrow evening for NW PA and east OH, and conditional severe threats Wednesday SE of Pittsburgh with departing front. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1... The 12Z surface analysis has the 587dm height line draped across the area, which generally suggests that upper 80s are most likely for highs today. A non-BC model like the LREF and HREF, generally agree, with the 25th-75th percentile spreads narrow and generally between 86F and 90F. With high confidence in mostly clear skies for most today, its possible these deterministic high tend toward the higher end of the non-BC distribution. So this would generally mean temperatures near-90, with some 90s possible with urban and river-valley terrain influence. Some "cooler spots" into the low-to-mid 80s are favored for high terrain and north of I-80. Highs today will be within a few degrees of record highs for all climate sites. The HREF only alludes to temperatures dropping into the mid-to- upper 60s, which will provide little chance for temperature recovery overnight. This will challenge a few "max-low temperature" records. Mean heights may drop slightly Tuesday with the beginning of a ridge breakdown. Additionally, more mid- moisture will also allow for more cloud cover. All in all, temperatures may be a degree or two cooler in areas that do not see rain, but cumulative heat stress continues. So upper-80s, are again favored for most. The NWS heat risk shows mostly a moderate risk Monday into Tuesday, whereby heat may generally impact the most sensitive populations. Make sure to stay hydrated or monitor for signs of heat illness if spending excessive time outdoors. KEY MESSAGE 2... All of the area will be under the northern periphery of the ridge axis today, with corresponding subsidence enforcing mid- level capping. While diurnal cumulus are developing, as we continue to mix into a dry layer (evidenced on 12Z sounding from 750mb to 600mb), we expect most vertical development to be limited. There's a couple exceptions that will need to be addressed. First will be the high terrain. With ridge-top convergence in mostly NE flow aloft, we coudn't rule out a storm firing in an environment of 1000-1200 DCAPE, which could certainty carry a conditional downburst wind threat in the low probability this happens. Consistently, the highest chance of development has been eastern Tucker County, but with NW flow aloft, the thought would be that the highest risk would be to the east for the forecast area. The second area would be a conditional threat of storm development on a lake breeze this afternoon. This is lower confidence, but should it occur, the same downburst threat is possible, with outflow potentially carrying development into NW Pennsylvania. Both threats are conditional on development (<30% chance), but should development occur, damaging wind risks would increase substantially. A ridge breakdown begins Tuesday, with afternoon storm development in western Ohio likely. The most likely timing of this appears late- day. There's a bit of a conditional risk from 20Z to 00Z, but the current thought is that capping will be too strong to let the environment utilize the ~1500 to 2500 MUCAPE for "bubble-up" convection in NW PA in the afternoon. Later, some combination of outflow from the Ohio convection on a pre-frontal trough and/or a lake breeze will make convection more likely in the 00Z to 06Z window. Since this timing is mostly after sunset, storms are expected to have a decaying trend as they enter the area, but they certainty could be strong enough to produce wind gusts up to 60mph, most likely for the I-80 corridor with DCAPE of 900 to 1000, with threats also possible into eastern Ohio. Convective intensity is expected to wain overnight as the parent cold front moves in, but some isolated showers/storms remain possible. Wednesday will bring more of a conditional severe threat southeast of Pittsburgh, with the main uncertainty being 1) frontal timing and 2) cloud cover. In a scenario with a slower front and limited cloud cover, recovery of instability and a limited severe threat is possible for northern WV and far SW PA. But should the front be faster or clouds complicate instability generation, severe threats are lower. Severe chances taper over the next week. && .AVIATION /00Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... Mid and upper level cloud cover will move into the region this evening from the convection that dissipates in Ohio. Expect mainly light and variable winds through the overnight. Some LLWS will also be possible at the terminals. By 14Z tomorrow, winds will be on the increase with gusts through the day up to 20 knots and evening some locations seeing some 30 knots gusts. Mid and upper level cloud cover will be increasing through the day. VFR conditions are anticipated but some terminals such as ZZV may see some restricted flight conditions by the end of the TAF period as the next round of convection will impact the region. Outlook... An upper shortwave and surface front will push a shower/thunderstorm axis east Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon. Initial restrictions will be tied to rainfall intensities with height falls not occurring until after frontal passage. High pressure and VFR returns by Thursday areawide before an active pattern feature multiple rain chances develops Friday into the weekend. && .PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...None. OH...None. WV...None. && DISCUSSION...Milcarek AVIATION...Shallenberger
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA 141 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 WVZ512>514-191745- Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker- 141 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. A brief window may exist for isolated strong thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures. PAZ007>009-013-015-191745- Mercer-Venango-Forest-Lawrence-Clarion- 141 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Although most areas are currently expected to remain dry, there is a low risk of thunderstorm development this afternoon into the evening. If storms can form, there is a low risk of isolated damaging wind gusts. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Isolated damaging wind gusts are possible in thunderstorms during Tuesday evening and early overnight ahead of a cold front. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures. OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ014-016-020>022-029-073-077- 078-WVZ001>004-191745- Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-Jefferson OH- Muskingum-Guernsey-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Butler-Jefferson PA-Beaver- Allegheny-Armstrong-Washington-Westmoreland-Indiana- Higher Elevations of Indiana-Hancock-Brooke-Ohio-Marshall- 141 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Hazardous weather is not expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Isolated damaging wind gusts are possible in thunderstorms during Tuesday evening and early overnight ahead of a cold front. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. PAZ031-074>076-WVZ012-021-509>511-191745- Greene-Higher Elevations of Westmoreland-Fayette- Higher Elevations of Fayette-Wetzel-Marion-Monongalia- Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston- 141 PM EDT Mon May 18 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. Milcarek
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 169 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:09 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Tree down near the intersection of Appalachian Highway and Northridge Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in West Virginia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, May 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: 1338521.