Alert archive / New Jersey / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 10, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

May 22, 1988Gloucester County, Salem County, New Jersey

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 22, 1988, 6:36 PM EDT for Gloucester County, Salem County, New Jersey. It was in force for 54 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 22, 1988, 6:36 PM EDT (22:36 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 1988, 7:30 PM EDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Whole counties

Counties Gloucester County, NJ, Salem County, NJ

The radar

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

The nearest sounding before it

Atlantic City In, NJ (KACY), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 68 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, Atlantic City In, NJ at 12:00Z on 1988-05-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 445 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Atlantic City In, NJ at 12:00Z on 1988-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 5 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 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
445 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-17 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
557 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
5 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
43 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 KPHL 222239 COR
SVRPHL
NJC033-015-222330-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA PA
636 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 1988

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 730 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES

   IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF NEW JERSEY
      NORTHERN SALEM...WESTERN GLOUCESTER

AT 630 PM EDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER WESTERN
GLOUCESTER COUNTY OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY NEAR GIBBSTOWN
MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR

 HAIL UP TO 1 INCH AND STRONG WIND GUSTS WERE REPORTED OVER THE
 PAST HOUR AS THIS THUNDERSTORM MOVED THROUGH EXTREME
 SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

 THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM AND PEOPLE IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD BE
PREPARED FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND LIGHTNING. SHOULD THE STORM APPROACH YOU...SEEK IMMEDIATE
SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES ARE MOST VULNERABZLE TO HIGH WINDS AND
SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

 HEAVY RAINS WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM MAY CAUSE FLOODING
 OF ROADS AND UNDERPASSES.

 NPC

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, May 22, 3:31 PM EDT, 3 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA
321 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 1988

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL BUCKS COUNTY AND OVER
   NORTHERN PHILADELPHIA COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA...

AT 315 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
OVER CENTRAL BUCKS COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA.  SPOTTERS FROM FURLONG AND
FROM WARINGTON REPORTED HEAVY RAIN AND PEA SIZE HAIL AS THE STORM
PASSED.  RADAR SHOWED A SECOND STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTHERN
PHILADELPHIA COUNTY.  A SPOTTER FROM THE GLENSIDE/WILLOW GROVE AREA
REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN AND PEA SIZE HAIL WITH THIS STORM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 10 TO 20 MPH AND WILL MOVE INTO
MERCER AND NORTHERN BURLINGTON COUNTIES IN THE NEXT HOUR.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL PRODUCE HEAVY DOWNPOURS...SMALL HAIL AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  RESIDENTS OF BUCKS...PHILADELPHIA...MERCER AND
BURLINGTON COUNTIES SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THESE STORMS.  SEEK SHELTER
IMMEDIATELY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.                   GRW
Special weather statement, May 22, 3:41 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
335 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 1988
...THUNDERSTORMS DUMPING HEAVY RAIN AND DROPPING SMALL HAIL...
...SOME MOVING TOWARD THE NEW JERSEY COASTAL WATERS...

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MATURED OVER EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND PARTS
OF NEW JERSEY. WILLOW GROVE NAS IN SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA REPOR
TED HEAVY RAIN...WITH PEA SIZED HAIL IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA.
RADAR SHOWED QUITE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN IN
A TRACK THAT BEGINS IN CARBON COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA AND  EXTENDS
SOUTHEAST COVERING MOST OF LEHIGH...BUCKS...MONTGOMERY...NORTH
ERN CHESTER AND PHILADELPHIA COUNTIES.

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RECENTLY DEVELOPED OVER OCEAN COUNTY IN JER
SEY AND CHANCES ARE THEY WILL REACH THE COAST BEFORE TOO LONG.
RADAR SHOWED ONE JUST NORTH OF TOMS RIVER.

ANY ONE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING  HEAVY
RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. JAE
Special weather statement, May 22, 4:13 PM EDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
ABPA-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALLENTOWN PA
405 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 1988

...HEAVY THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN BERKS COUNTY...

AT 405 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AND SEVERE WEATHER
SPOTTERS INDICATED A VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORM NEAR KUTZTOWN IN EASTERN
BERKS COUNTY. THIS STORM IS PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. THE STORM IS MOVING EASTSOUTHEAST AT 20
MPH AND WILL MOVE INTO NORTHERN MONTGOMERY AND WESTERN BUCKS COUNTIES
IN THE NEXT HOUR.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN EASTERN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. THESE
STORMS WILL MOVE EASTSOUTHEAST INTO LEHIGH COUNTY IN THE NEXT HOUR.

PEOPLE LIVING IN NORTHERN MONTGOMERY AND WESTERN BUCKS COUNTIES SHOULD
SEEK SHELTER WHEN THE HEAVY THUNDERSTORM ARRIVES.
$$DOVICO
Special weather statement, May 22, 5:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA
515 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 1988

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY
   IN PENNSYLVANIA...

AT 515 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA...
JUST EAST OF POTTSTOWN. THIS STORM WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST
SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 20 MILES AN HOUR. HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.

ELSEWHERE...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS COVERED A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHERN
BUCKS AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES OF PENNSYLVANIA AND BURLINGTON COUNTY
OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. A SEVERE THUNDER!STORM WARNING IN IN EFFECT
FOR BURLINGTON COUNTY.
2.10 INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT DOYLESTOWN OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS.

NPC
Special weather statement, May 22, 5:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA
523 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 1988

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY
   IN PENNSYLVANIA...

AT 515 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA...
JUST EAST OF POTTSTOWN. THIS STORM WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST
SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 20 MILES AN HOUR. HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.

ELSEWHERE...HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS COVERED A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHERN
BUCKS AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES OF PENNSYLVANIA AND BURLINGTON COUNTY
OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. "A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT
FOR BURLINGTON COUNTY UNTIL 615 PM EDT.
2.10 INCHES OF RAIN FELL AT DOYLESTOWN OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS.

NPC
Special weather statement, May 22, 5:52 PM EDT, 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
535 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 1988
...THUNDERSTORMS DUMPING HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL...

AT 530 PM RADAR AT ATLANTIC CITY INDICATED SHOWER AND VERY HEAVY
THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL NEW JERSEY IN BURLLINGTON AND OCEAN                 CCOUNTIES.  IN EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WAS
OVER MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND BUCKS.  AN INTENSE STORM WAS MOVING
ALONG THE BORDER OF CHESTER AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY AND ANOTHER
INTENSE STORM WAS IN PROCESS IN EASTERN BURLINGTON COUNTY.
OTHER SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER NORTHEAST
PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTHERN NEW NEW JERSEY.  MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS
WAS TO 4THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

IF THREATENING WEATHER IS OBSERVED...SEEK SHELTER AT ONCE.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 22, 4:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBurlington45 min
May 22, 5:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBurlington62 min
May 22, 6:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIAtlantic, Ocean60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in New Jersey, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.