Severe thunderstorm watch, including possible tornadoes, issued tonight for Pittsburgh area

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