Overnight storms in Western Pa. expected to bring severe winds, heavy rain

Winds up to 60 mph and hours of rainfall could uproot trees and cause flooding across the Pittsburgh area overnight Monday into Tuesday morning.

“This has the potential of being a higher-end event we see once every several years or so,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Jared Rackley.

Isolated large hail and tornadoes are secondary threats to the wind, which could reach 60 mph with gusts of 70 mph to 80 mph, he said. The weather service classifies wind over 58 mph as severe.

Signs still point to potentially significant/high-end severe weather late tonight into early Tuesday morning. Widespread damaging wind is the primary concern, but isolated large hail and a few tornadoes will also be possible with severe storms. pic.twitter.com/NHmDZRZ8gy

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) June 13, 2022

Meteorologist Pat Herald said rainfall will likely begin after midnight with a large shower settling in over the region. He said the rain is expected to last four to six hours, and it will be heavy at times.

“Low-lying, flood-prone areas are definitely at threat (of flooding),” Herald said Monday afternoon. “And in the urban areas around Pittsburgh, you’ll need to be careful.”

He said the worst of the wind and rain will occur in the pre-dawn hours – before most people are on the roads for their morning commutes.

Downed trees and power outages are likely. Rackley said residents should make sure they have ways of receiving weather alerts overnight.

After the potentially severe weather, near-record-breaking heat is in the forecast for Wednesday.

Rackley said a high of 94 degrees is expected. The record of 96 degrees was set in 1994.