Pittsburgh Weather: Tornado Watch Issued, Storms Could Bring Lightning, Hail And Destructive Winds
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Stormy conditions are moving into western Pennsylvania.
At this point, the window for the severe weather is relatively broad starting at 2 p.m. and going through midnight.
A Areal Flood Warning is in effect until 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday for parts of Indiana, Butler, Allegheny, Westmoreland and Armstrong Counties.
KDKA's Ray Petelin reports that 4.65 inches of rain fell in Sarver, Pa. - enough to produce 55 inches of snow!
4.65" of rain fell in Sarver, PA today! (That is roughly the amount of water in 55" of snow, to illustrate how big of a deal that much rain is) #PAwx #Storm #Pittsburgh
— Ray Petelin (@RayPetelinWx) May 29, 2019
A Tornado Warning was issued for parts of Armstrong and Indiana Counties until 4:15 p.m.
Tornado Warning including Indiana PA, Homer City PA, Clymer PA until 4:15 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/EhpbggZj0X
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) May 28, 2019
Officials from Purchase Line School District say they are keeping children sheltered inside the school until the weather passes.
KDKA's Rachelle Mongiovi reported several streets in Butler County are currently under water.
HAPPENING NOW: Several roads in Butler County are underwater right now. This is part of Hansen Avenue. People I spoke with say they've never seen so many flooded roads in the area before @KDKA pic.twitter.com/ERAulcHf20
— Rachele Mongiovi (@4RacheleM) May 28, 2019
As if on cue, just before 2 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch for parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia through 10 p.m.
A Tornado WATCH is in effect until 10pm for the entire area. A watch means there are ingredients in the atmosphere that could lead to severe storm, and yes, tornado development. Should a tornado become an immediate threat, the National Weather Service will issue a warning. pic.twitter.com/nZ8CRqEe8n
— Ray Petelin (@RayPetelinWx) May 28, 2019
Hail that is the approximate size of a tennis ball was spotted in Venango County.
The watch is in effect for Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Fayette, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
According to trained weather spotters with the National Weather Service, hail the size of golf balls and several downed trees have already been reported in Mercer County.
Hail in Kittanning PA. pic.twitter.com/GpfP1qoMTY
— Austin Dunbar (@austindunbar) May 28, 2019
The National Weather Service has also issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana and Lawrence counties.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Indiana PA, Kittanning PA, Ford City PA until 3:45 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/BL1Tm6hjIG
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) May 28, 2019
The set-up for today has us between high pressure to the south, situated over Georgia and the Carolinas, with an upper low located over northern Ontario. The subtropical jet is parked right overhead.
Several dynamics are coming into play to make for a nasty set-up, including speed sheer aloft along with divergence of air aloft and convergence of air at the surface. This will likely cause a relatively narrow band of storms spanning from the west to the east. As storms fire along this line, they will move quickly from west to east. Lightning, large hail, destructive straight line winds and tornadoes will all be possible through the day today, but mainly starting after 2 p.m.
Break this morning. Storms this aft/eve. Unstable air, strong wind field, and efficient storm movement. This will sharply increase the risk for severe storms. Damaging wind gusts, large hail and yes even a tornado. Stay updated on the forecast and any watches/warning. pic.twitter.com/oP8euifgfG
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) May 28, 2019
Right now, the area is painted under an enhanced risk of severe weather. This is the third of five tiers, and generally indicates a low risk of tornadoes along with other severe weather being possible. We may hit high enough percentages to see a (rare for this area) moderate risk being issued for parts or Pennsylvania.
This is the first of three straight days where severe weather will be possible across the state and here in Western Pennsylvania. Buckle up.
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Highs today should hit the mid-80s before rain showers and storms arrive. Winds will gusty, coming out of the east at 7-17 with wind gusts around 30 mph. Highs will probably be reached around 3 p.m., just ahead of storms dropping in from the north.
Wednesday highs will fall to near 80 degrees. The 70s will be back for highs on Thursday, lasting into the weekend.
Over the next seven days, only one (Monday) is forecast to be dry.
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