Weekend forecast: Damaging wind, thunderstorms in Western Pa.

This weekend could be gusty and wet, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters on Friday warned people of severe thunderstorms and damaging winds expected to hit Western Pennsylvania this weekend.

The National Weather Service in Moon said isolated severe thunderstorms were possible Friday afternoon, with damaging wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph.

“We’re looking for the winds to really start picking up here toward mid-afternoon,” said meteorologist Lee Hendricks.

Come sunset, the majority of strong winds should have passed through the area, Hendricks said.

Hendricks said the high winds are due to the intensity of a storm system approaching from the west. The same system was responsible for producing the winter storm that this week dumped several inches of snow on parts of the Midwest.

“The center of the storm will actually pass pretty much across Michigan and skip us. We don’t have any of the direct effects of it,” Hendricks said. “We aren’t getting all of the cold air associated with it, but we’re still going to be getting sufficient enough to give us some thunderstorms this afternoon, and the winds.”

Severe thunderstorms are possible again Sunday with crossing low pressure, according to the weather service. A different storm system coming from the Gulf Coast is expected to generate winds of up to 30 mph on Sunday, Hendricks said.

“Those will persist through the evening on Sunday night,” Hendricks said.