Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, hail and isolated tornadoes are expected to reach Pittsburgh late Thursday between 10 p.m. and midnight, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 3 a.m. Friday.
The primary threat will be damaging wind with speeds up to 70 mph, said Colton Milcarek, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh.
Hail up to the size of a pingpong ball and frequent lighting also are possible.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Maryland, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia until 3 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/zNuWSNumUW
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) July 20, 2023
The watch covers Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, as well as parts of Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the Pittsburgh, Monroeville and Plum areas until 10:15 p.m.
Flash flood warnings were issued for communities across the region, including northwestern Westmoreland County until 1:30 a.m. Friday.
Flash Flood Warning including New Castle PA, Grove City PA and Slippery Rock PA until 12:15 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/YDKyUvfFBr
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) July 21, 2023
Earlier warnings were issued for New Castle, Grove City and Slippery Rock until 12:15 a.m. Friday and Butler, Fernway and Beaver Falls until 12:45 a.m.
Flash Flood Warning including Butler PA, Fernway PA and Beaver Falls PA until 12:45 AM EDT pic.twitter.com/YlRT5PkFqh
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) July 21, 2023
The damaging wind threat is diminishing as the storms enter Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio, according to an update from the National Weather Service sent at 9:40 p.m.
Flood risk, however, is increasing, namely in Salem, New Castle and Butler. A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect there.
Milcarek said residents of the affected areas can get updates on the storm online at https://www.weather.gov/alerts and through the National Weather Service’s social media accounts.
A line of storms continues to move into northwestern PA/northern Ohio this evening. Damaging wind will be our main concern within this line. However, hail the size the a ping pong has been observed. Crawford County is experiencing power outages. pic.twitter.com/gHYpy7vj1G
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) July 20, 2023
