Tornado watch issued through 9 p.m. Saturday for northwestern Pa. and beyond

Erie Times-News
·2 min read

The National Weather Service forecasting office in Cleveland has issued a widespread tornado watch that includes all of western Pennsylvania for Saturday through 9 p.m.

Which Pennsylvania counties are included in the tornado watch?

Counties in the watch area according to the weather service:

  • Erie

  • Crawford

  • Warren

  • Mercer

  • Venango

  • Forest

  • Allegheny

  • Armstrong

  • Beaver

  • Blair

  • Bradford

  • Butler

  • Cambria

  • Cameron

  • Centre

  • Clarion

  • Clearfield

  • Clinton

  • Columbia

  • Elk

  • Huntingdon

  • Indiana

  • Jefferson

  • Juniata

  • Lackawanna

  • Lawrence

  • Luzerne

  • Lycoming

  • McKean

  • Mifflin

  • Montour

  • Northumberland

  • Pike

  • Potter

  • Snyder

  • Sullivan

  • Susquehanna

  • Tioga

  • Union

  • Washington

  • Wayne

  • Westmoreland

  • Wyoming

Much of northern Ohio and the Southern Tier of New York also are included in the watch.

What is the weather forecast for Erie?

According to the weather service, showers and thunderstorms are likely Saturday around Erie, mainly after 5 p.m. Some storms could be severe, with large hail and damaging winds up to 70 mph. Some tornadoes are possible.

The high temperature will be near 81 degrees.

Showers and thunderstorms likely Saturday night, mainly before midnight. The low will be near 66.

Sunday is expected to be mostly sunny, with a high near 75 and winds from the west at 7 to 9 mph. The low will be near 63.

More: Storm delays opening kickoff between the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Browns

What does a tornado watch mean?

When a tornado watch is issued by the weather service it means tornadoes are possible in and near the watch area. "Review and discuss your emergency plans and check supplies and your safe room. Be ready to act quickly if a warning is issued or you suspect a tornado is approaching. Acting early helps to save lives. Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center for counties where tornadoes may occur. The watch area is typically large, covering numerous counties or even states."

Where can I get more weather information

Visit www.GoErie.com/weather for the latest AccuWeather forecast updates and radar images for your home area.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Tornado watch issued Aug. 12 for Erie PA by National Weather Service