Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1987
Tornado Warning 3, NWS Pittsburgh, PA
NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this tornado warning at Jun 30, 1987, 8:05 PM EDT for Allegheny County, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 55 min. 1 report 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 30, 1987, 8:05 PM EDT (00:05 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 30, 1987, 9:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 55 min
- Issued by
- NWS Pittsburgh, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Allegheny County, PA, Westmoreland 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 8:10 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Allegheny, 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 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 32 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 55 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -16 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 959 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 29 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 20 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 55 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- -0.0
- Supercell composite
- -0.6
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KPIT 010005 TORPIT PAC003-129-010100- BULLETIN BROADCAST IMMEDIATELY TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 0805 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1987 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING UNTIL 900 PM FOR THESE COUNTIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...ALLEGHENY WESTMORELAND AT 0805 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH POSSIBLY A TORNADO JUST SOUTH OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT IN THE PITTSBURGH SOUTH HILLS. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. THIS STORM WILL BE OUT OF EXTREME SOUTHERN ALLEGHENY COUNTY BY 825. IT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WESTMORELAND COUNTY BETWEEN NOW AND 9 PM. < IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES..GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY. COVER YOUR HEAD. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS..DOORS..AND OUTSIDE WALLS.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jun 30, 3:20 PM EDT, 4 hours 45 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA
244 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1987
DATE TIME EDT COUNTY/STATE CITY EVENT
6/29/87 510PM BEAVER, PA HOPEWELL TWP TREES DOWN, PORCH
(NEAR SOUTH HEIGHTS)TORN OFF A HOUSE
6/29/87 535PM HANCOCK, WV WEIRTON 1.75 INCH HAIL
6/29/87 610PM WASHINGTON,PA CECIL 1.25 INCH HAIL
6/29/87 615PM ALLEGHENY,PA SEWICKLEY HEIGHTS TREES AND POWER
LINES DOWN
6/29/87 630PM WASHINGTON,PA EIGHTY FOUR 1.75 INCH HAIL
6/29/87 650PM WESTMORELAND,PA SMITHTON GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
6/29/87 700PM WESTMORELAND, PA BURNSVILLE TREES AND POWER
(FINLEY TWP IN SW LINES DOWN
PART OF COUNTY)
6/29/87 800PM FAYETTE,PA EVERSON 1 INCH HAIL AND
TREES DOWN
6/29/87 835PM MARSHALL, WV NORTH OF MOUNDSVILLE TREES DOWN
6/29/87 915PM WASHINGTON, PA PARIS TREES DOWN,
ROOFS OF HOMES,
1.75 INCH HAIL
6/29/87 945PM ALLEGHENY, PA SOUTHERN SUBURBS TREES AND POWER
OF PITTSBURGH LINES DOWN
6/29/87 949PM BROOKE, WV COLLIERS TREES DOWN
6/29/87 1155PM BUTLER,PA SLIPPERY ROCK TREES DOWNSpecial weather statement, Jun 30, 3:44 PM EDT, 4 hours 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA 344 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1987 ...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND EASTERN OHIO... A FRONTAL SYSTEM PUSHING UNSTABLE AIR OVER THE OHIO VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON HAS CAUSED VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOPE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND EASTERN OHIO. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOPE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING HOURS AND WILL BE MONITORED CLOSELY. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES...POWER OUTAGES...HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS SOME OF WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FLOODING OF STREAMS...CREEKS...LOWLAND AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. IF THREATENING WEATHER APP%ROACHES...GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY OR IN THE EVENT OF RAPIDLY RISING WATERS MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND...REMEMBER DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. < END/COMEAUX
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 4:39 PM EDT, 3 hours 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA 434 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FROM INTERSTATE 80...SOUTHWARD TO THE WEST VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND BORDER... THE NATIONAL SEVERE STORM FORECAST CENTER IN KANSAS CITY HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA. VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA FROM MORGANTOWN EXTENDING EASTWARD INTO WESTERN MARYLAND NEAR CUMBERLAND AND EXTREME SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA OVER GREENE AND FAYETTE COUNTIES. ANOTHER AREA OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM WERE LOCATED OVER EASTERN OHIO FROM AKRON TO ZANESVILLE. ALL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. < OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE TRI-STATE AREA EXTENDING FROM LAKE ERIE TO PORTIONS OF EASTERN OHIO AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES...POWER OUTAGES...HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS SOME OF WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FLOODING OF STREAMS...CREEKS...LOWLAND AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. IF THREATEN_ING WEATHER APPROACHES...GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY OR IN THE EVENT OF RAPIDLY RISING WATERS MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND...REMEMBER DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. END/COMEAUX
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 6:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA 628 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FROM INTERSTATE 80...SOUTHWARD TO THE WEST VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND BORDER... VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER CAMBRIA...WESTMORELAND AND FAYETTE COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARDS SOMERSET AND CAMBRIA COUNTIES. A LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM FRANKILN PENNSYLVANIA TO JUST NORTH OF ZANESVILLE OHIO. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARDS BEAVER...BUTLER...CLARION...ARMSTRONG... ALLEGHENY AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA...AND TOWARDS HANCOCK AND BROOKE COUNTIES IN THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. ALL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. < OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE TRI-STATE AREA IN EASTERN OHIO AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. < SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES...POWER OUTAGES...HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS SOME OF WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FLOODING OF STREAMS...CREEKS...LOWLAND AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMED;IATELY OR IN THE EVENT OF RAPIDLY RISING WATERS MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND...REMEMBER DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. AS OF 615 PM THIS EVENING NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. END/COMEAUX
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 6:37 PM EDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA 635 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FROM INTERSTATE 80...SOUTHWARD TO THE WEST VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND BORDER... VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER WESTMORELAND AND FAYETTE COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARDS SOMERSET AND CAMBRIA AND BEDFORD COUNTIES. A LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM FRANKILN PENNSYLVANIA TO JUST NORTH OF ZANESVILLE OHIO. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARDS BEAVER...BUTLER...CLARION...ARMSTRONG... ALLEGHENY AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA...AND TOWARDS HANCOCK AND BROOKE COUNTIES IN THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. ALL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. < OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE TRI-STATE AREA IN EASTERN OHIO AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. < SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES...POWER OUTAGES...HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS SOME OF WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FLOODING OF STREAMS...CREEKS...LOWLAND AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...GO TO A SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY OR IN THE EVENT OF RAPIDLY RISING WATERS MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND...REMEMBER DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. AS OF 615 PM THIS EVENING NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. BEND/COMEAUX CORRECTION TO SECOND PARAGRAPH.
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 7:54 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA 742 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1987 AT 745 PM PITTSBURGH WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO ARMSTRONG WESTMORELAND AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES AND SOUTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY. THERE WAS ANOTHER VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF CAMBRIA AND BLAIR COUNTIES. MOVING INTO HUNTINGDON COUNTY. ANY OF THESE STORMS CAN PRODUCE HIGH WIND AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING PLUS BRIEFLY HEAVY RAIN AND LARGE HAIL. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BUTLER COUNTY HAS EXPIRED AND THE WARNING FOR ALLEGHENY COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 8 OCLOCK. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH OF IwNTERSTATE 80 UNTIL 10 OCLOCK. A WARNING MEANS SEVERE STORMS ARE HAPPENING NOW. A WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE STILL RIPE FOR SUCH STORMS TO FORM. GIORDANO/RUMBURG
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1987Every tornado warning in 1987Tornadoes 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.