Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 13, NWS State College, PA

June 7, 1988Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 7, 1988, 4:37 PM EDT for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 38 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 7, 1988, 4:37 PM EDT (20:37 UTC)
Expired
Jun 7, 1988, 5:15 PM EDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Cumberland 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 7, 5:01 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Cumberland, 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

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 135 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1988-06-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 23 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1988-06-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 117 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
23 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-230 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1736 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
117 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
87 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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 7, 1:40 PM EDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA.
130 PM EDT  TUE  JUN 7 1988

...THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY...

AT 125 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN HARRISBURG WAS
OBSERVING AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE FORMING IN
SNYDER COUNTY AROUND MCCLURE AND MIDDLEBURG.  THESE STORMS WERE
DEVELOPINMG RAPIDLY DURING THE PAST HOUR.

THESE STORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 45 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH JUNIATA COUNTY BETWEEN
130 PM AND 215 PM THIS AFTRNOON
RESIDENTS OF THE SNYDER AND JUNIATA COUNTY SHOULD BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
BRIEF BUT HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLE HAIL UNTIL
230 PM EDT.

WSO HAR LESHKO
Special weather statement, Jun 7, 1:42 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA.
130 PM EDT  TUE  JUN 7 1988

...THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY...

AT 125 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN HARRISBURG WAS
OBSERVING AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE FORMING IN
SNYDER COUNTY AROUND MCCLURE AND MIDDLEBURG.  THESE STORMS WERE
DEVELOPING RAPIDLY DURING THE PAST HOUR.

THESE STORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 45 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH JUNIATA COUNTY BETWEEN
130 PM AND 215 PM THIS AFTERNOON
RESIDENTS OF THE SNYDER AND JUNIATA COUNTIES SHOULD BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
BRIEF BUT HEAVY RAINS...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLE HAIL UNTIL
230 PM EDT.

WSO HAR LESHKO
Special weather statement, Jun 7, 2:22 PM EDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
215 PM EDT TUE JUN 7 1988

... VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN CLINTON COUNTY...

AT 210 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH EASTERN CLINTON COUNTY NORTHWEST OF
AVIS. THIS STORM WILL BE MOVING THROUGH AVIS AND RAUCHTOWN IN
CLINTON COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR AND MAY ALSO AFFECT JERSEY SHORE
AND OVAL IN NEARBY SECTIONS OF LYCOMING COUNTY.

THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF ANY DAMAGE AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER...IF YOU LIVE IN THESE AREAS YOU SHOULD STAY ALERT TO
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES.

WTB
Special weather statement, Jun 7, 2:56 PM EDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
250 PM EDT TUE JUN 7 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CLINTON...UNION...
NORTHUMBERLAND...AND SNYDER COUNTIES..

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM EDT THIS EVENING.  THE WATCH INCLUDES
CLINTON...UNION...NORTHUMBERLAND...AND SNYDER COUNTIES IN CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA.

AS OF 245 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH WESTERN AND SOUTHERN CLINTON
COUNTY.  ONE STORM WAS NEAR THE TOWN OF KEATING...THE OTHER NORTHWEST
OF ROSECRANS. ANOTHER STORM WAS LOCATED IN WESTERN UNION COUNTY NEAR
THE TOWN OF HARLETON.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 50 MPH
AND WILL BE MOVING ALONG THE CLINTON/CENTRE COUNTY LINE AND THROUGH
WESTERN UNION AND SNYDER COUNTIES BY 400 PM.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE DESIGNATED AREA.  CLINTON COUNTY EMA
REPORTED SOME HEAVY SHOWERS...BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF ANY
DAMAGE AT THIS TIME.

HOWEVER...IF YOU LIVE IN THESE AREAS YOU SHOULD STAY ALERT TO
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES.

WTB
Special weather statement, Jun 7, 3:09 PM EDT, 1 hour 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
250 PM EDT TUE JUN 7 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CLINTON...UNION...
NORTHUMBERLAND...AND SNYDER COUNTIES..

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM EDT THIS EVENING.  THE WATCH INCLUDES
CLINTON...UNION...NORTHUMBERLAND...AND SNYDER COUNTIES IN CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA.

AS OF 245 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH WESTERN AND SOUTHERN CLINTON
COUNTY.  ONE STORM WAS NEAR THE TOWN OF KEATING...THE OTHER NORTHWEST
OF ROSECRANS. ANOTHER STORM WAS LOCATED IN WESTERN UNION COUNTY NEAR
THE TOWN OF HARLETON.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 50 MPH
AND WILL BE MOVING ALONG THE CLINTON/CENTRE COUNTY LINE AND THROUGH
WESTERN UNION AND SNYDER COUNTIES BY 400 PM.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE DESIGNATED AREA.  CLINTON COUNTY EMA
REPORTED SOME HEAVY SHOWERS...BUT THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF ANY
DAMAGE AT THIS TIME.

HOWEVER...IF YOU LIVE IN THESE AREAS YOU SHOULD STAY ALERT TO
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES.

WTB
Special weather statement, Jun 7, 4:35 PM EDT, 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
430 PM EDT TUE JUN 7 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CLINTON...UNION...
NORTHUMBERLAND AND SNYDER COUNTIES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM EDT THIS EVENING. THE WATCH INCLUDES
CLINTON...UNION...NORTHUMBERLAND AND SNYDER COUNTIES IN CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA.

AT 415 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF
SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM NEAR STATE COLLEGE
IN CENTRE COUNTY SOUTHEAST TO HARRISBURG. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM
WAS LOCATED OVER PERRY COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST
AT 45 MPH WITH MOST OF THE ACTIVITY NOW OVER THE LOWER PORTION OF THE
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. ALTHOUGH THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS HAVE NOW
MOVED OUT OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THERE IS STILL THE POTENTIAL FOR
MORE THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTOR9M WATCH MEANS THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA.

IF YOU LIVE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA YOU SHOULD STAY ALERT TO
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES.

FJG

The office that day

Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 7, 3:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster52 min
Jun 7, 4:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPPerry54 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1988Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1988

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.