NWS confirms July 18 tornadoes across Pennsylvania
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed multiple tornadoes struck Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 18, 2026, including an EF-1 near Houtzdale, two EF0s in Westmoreland County, and an EF-2 in Huntingdon County. No deaths or injuries were reported in the Clearfield survey. Flooding and tree damage drove cleanup into the following week.
Key Takeaways
- NWS State College rated a Houtzdale-area tornado EF-1 with 110 mph peak winds along a 1-mile path.
- Two separate EF0 tornadoes touched down in Derry Township, Westmoreland County, just after 5 p.m.
- Reports citing the NWS also confirmed an EF-2 tornado in the Huntingdon County area.
- Flash flooding washed out roads and a bridge in Derry Township; Clearfield County saw extensive tree damage and no injuries.
What did the NWS confirm near Houtzdale?
According to an NWS State College damage survey issued July 19, an EF-1 tornado occurred in Whiteside, south of Houtzdale in Clearfield County, on the evening of July 18.
Estimated peak winds reached 110 mph. The path stretched about 1.00 mile and widened to as much as 400 yards. The tornado began at 8:16 p.m. EDT and ended at 8:18 p.m. EDT. Fatalities and injuries were listed as zero.
Surveyors documented extensive tree and power-line damage along Morann Avenue (PA-153), N Railroad Street, and Hale Road, with mostly minor structural impacts, including a shifted mobile home and a chimney ripped from a house.
Where else did tornadoes touch down on July 18?
CBS Pittsburgh reported that the NWS confirmed two EF0 tornadoes in Derry Township, Westmoreland County, just after 5 p.m. One track ran along Red Cut Lodge Road near Latrobe. The other was confirmed along Rod-Gun Road, Matson Road, and Carey Lane near Ligonier Township.
NWS meteorologist Matthew Kramer said both appeared weaker, near the 70 mph range, and looked like two distinct circulations rather than one continuous track. CBS also noted a tornado touched down in Jefferson County that day.
Separately, WTAJ reported that the NWS confirmed an EF-2 tornado in the Huntingdon County area from the same severe-weather event.
Why does this outbreak matter for residents?
In Westmoreland County, storm cells also dumped heavy rain that caused flash flooding, washing out part of Green Thumb Road and the Laughlin Farm Road Bridge over Story Run. Cleanup continued into Monday.
Kramer told CBS that before Saturday the Pittsburgh NWS coverage area had recorded about 19 tornadoes this season, with the weekend storms potentially pushing the tally past 22 or 23—well above a normal year of around six.
For readers tracking outdoor training, recovery sleep, and other routines covered in our Longevity & Biohacking coverage, the takeaway is practical: stay weather-aware when severe thunderstorms and tornado threats return, as the NWS urged ahead of additional storm chances.