Pittsburgh, Pa. – Severe thunderstorms could sweep across Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia through 8 p.m. Saturday, bringing the threat of damaging winds, hail, and lightning to more than 30 counties across the region.
According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh and State College, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 471 now includes major metro areas such as Pittsburgh, Wheeling, Zanesville, and Harrisburg. Storms are likely to intensify through the evening hours, with wind gusts over 60 mph and isolated hail possible.
In Pennsylvania, alerts stretch from Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties to central zones including Centre, Cambria, and Columbia. Ohio counties under watch include Belmont, Muskingum, and Monroe. In West Virginia, Wheeling, Moundsville, and New Martinsville are also at risk. Cities like Johnstown, State College, and Williamsport could see fast-moving cells impacting travel and power lines.
Residents are urged to secure loose objects, avoid travel during heavy downpours, and charge mobile devices in case of outages. These storms may be capable of brief but intense bursts of wind similar to last June’s derecho.
Storm coverage is expected to taper off by late evening, but additional watches may be issued if instability lingers overnight.
