Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 7, NWS State College, PA

June 8, 1987Centre County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 8, 1987, 7:25 PM EDT for Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 65 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 8, 1987, 7:25 PM EDT (23:25 UTC)
Expired
Jun 8, 1987, 8:30 PM EDT
In force
65 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Centre County, PA

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 8, 7:35 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Centre, PA
Jun 8, 7:55 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Centre, PA

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 200 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 1987-06-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 20 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 1987-06-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 111 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
20 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-383 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1483 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
111 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
107 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KHAR 082325
SVRHAR
PAC027-090030-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
725 PM EDT MON JUN 8 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 830 PM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF
 
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA... CENTRE
                                                                         
RADAR SHOWS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES NORTHEAST OF STATE COLLEGE. 
THE STORM IS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH. 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM AND PEOPLE IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD
PREPARE FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND LIGHTNING.  SHOULD THE STORM APPROACH YOU...SEEK IMMEDIATE
SHELTER.  MOBILE TRAILERS ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS AND
SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
                                                                         
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE AREA.
 
PN

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 8, 4:04 PM EDT, 3 hours 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA.
405 PM EDT    MON  JUN 8 1987.

 ......VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS IN THE NORTHCENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF
       PENNSYLVANIA...

AT 4 PM EDT THE HARRISBURG WEATHER RADAR WAS OBSERVING A CLUSTER OF
VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM NEAR DUBOIS..EAST TO THE
EXTREME NORTHEAST CORNER OF CLINTON COUNTY. THESE STORMS HAVE THE
POTENTIAL OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR.
RESIDENST OF CENTRE AND CLINTON COUNTIES SHOULD BE ALERT FOR PASSAGE
OF THESE STORMS UNTIL AROUND 630 PM THIS EVENING.

END
WSO HAR CURLL
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 4:40 PM EDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
430 PM EDT MON JUN 8 1987

     ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF
CENTRAL AND NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
VALID UNTIL 1000 PM EDT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHCENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA.  THE WATCH INCLUDES
BRADFORD...TIOGA...SULLIVAN...LYCOMING...AND CLINTON COUNTIES.  LARGE
HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE
POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP IN AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD	 BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS

WTB
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 5:16 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
510 PM EDT MON JUN 8 1987

   ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND
NORTH CENTRAL PA...
   ...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH LYCOMING AND CLINTON
COUNTIES...

AT 505 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF VERY
HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN LYCOMING AND CLINTON
COUNTIES.  THE HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF
WILLIAMSPORT TO 10 MILES SOUTH OF LOCK HAVEN.  OTHER THUNDERSTORMS
WERE REPORTED IN TIOGA COUNTY.  ALL STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
SOUTHEAST AT 40 MILES PER HOUR.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL.  PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.  ALL PERSONS
SHOULD STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THEIR LOCAL RADIO OR
TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS.

WTB#
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 6:17 PM EDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
610 PM EDT MON JUN 8 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND
NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

... ANOTHER LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO TIOGA AND CLINTON
COUNTIES...

AT 605 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED THAT THE LINE OF
HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS THAT HAD EARLIER MOVED THROUGH SOUTHERN CLINTON
AND LYCOMING COUNTIES WAS MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN COLUMBIA AND
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTIES.  IT CONTINUED TO MOVE TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 40
MILES PER HOUR.

RADAR ALSO INDICATED A NEW LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
INTO WESTERN TIOGA COUNTY AND NORTHERN CLINTON COUNTY.  THE HEAVIEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CAMERON COUNTY NEAR
SINNEMAHONING.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES PER HOUR.

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.  PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD TAKE COVER IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES THEM.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM FOR
CLINTON...LYCOMING...TIOGA...BRADFORD AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES.  ALL
PERSONS SHOULD STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THEIR LOCAL RAEDIO
OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS.

WTB
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 6:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
610 PM EDT MON JUN 8 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND
NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

... ANOTHER LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO TIOGA AND CLINTON
COUNTIES...

AT 605 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED THAT THE LINE OF
HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS THAT HAD EARLIER MOVED THROUGH SOUTHERN CLINTON
AND LYCOMING COUNTIES WAS MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN COLUMBIA AND
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTIES.  IT CONTINUED TO MOVE TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 40
MILES PER HOUR.

RADAR ALSO INDICATED A NEW LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
INTO WESTERN TIOGA COUNTY AND NORTHERN CLINTON COUNTY.  THE HEAVIEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CAMERON COUNTY NEAR
SINNEMAHONING.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES PER HOUR.

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...DANGEROU
S
LIGHTNING.  PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD TAKE COVER IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES THEM.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM FOR
CLINTON...LYCOMING...TIOGA...BRADFORD AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES.  ALL
PERSONS SHOULD STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THEIR LOCAL RADIO
OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS.

WTB

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.