Summary

A line of storms moved into Western Pennsylvania during the afternoon of April 3rd, 2006, and produced large amounts of small hail. A few reports of wind damage in large/damaging hail were received from Warren County (Northwestern PA), but all the rest of the hail was smaller than pennies - which is the threshold for severe/damaging hail.

The unusual thing about these storms is that they made copious amounts of small hail - as it covered the ground in many places in the Laurel Highlands and Allegheny Plateau.

Preliminary Damage Reports in Text format

Radar Images

Reflectivity plan view from 1901z with line of storms entering west-central PA

Reflectivity plan view from 2001z with line of storms producing lots of small hail

Note in the Reflectivity Cross sections below the amount of high returns in the mid/upper levels of the storms. The freezing level was around 10kft this day, and hail would be expected to form between the freezing level and the top of the storm - which were close to 25 or 30 kft this day. Those big returns were indicative of the great power returns from water-coated hail stones which are great reflectors of radar energy.

Reflectivity Cross Section through hail storm near DuBois, PA

Reflectivity Cross Section through hail storm

Reflectivity Cross Section through hail storm

Pictures of the Hail

Picture of the hail near Johnstown, PA
Hail near Johnstown, PA next to rain-gage ruler
Small hail piled up near Johnstown, PA