Widespread landslides during the 2018 wet year in Pittsburgh

The record 2018 wet year in Pittsburgh resulted in widespread landslides throughout the region, many of which caused considerable damage to residential property and transportation infrastructure. The wet year began with a series of storms including two relatively rare multiday winter rainstorms that resulted in both shallow and deep subsurface hydrologic conditions that reduced the critical rainfall threshold for instability. Landslide activity persisted from late February through September when heavy rainfall from the remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon affected the region. The presentation will summarize field observations at selected landslides, precipitation characteristics, and the available data on shallow soil moisture and bedrock groundwater levels.