Alert archive / New Jersey / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 18, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

June 1, 1988Gloucester County, Salem County, New Jersey

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 1, 1988, 5:53 PM EDT for Gloucester County, Salem County, New Jersey. It was in force for 37 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 1, 1988, 5:53 PM EDT (21:53 UTC)
Expired
Jun 1, 1988, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
37 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 1, 6:00 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 52Gloucester, NJ
Jun 1, 6:20 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Gloucester, NJ

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

Atlantic City In, NJ (KACY), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 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 1988-06-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°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 1988-06-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 25 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1839 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
56 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 012154 RRA
SVRPHL
NJC015-033-012230-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA PA
553 PM EDT WED JUN 1 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHILADELPHIA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  630 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTH NEW JERSEY
          ...GLOUCESTER...SALEM
 
AT 550 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN
GLOUCESTER AND SALEM COUNTIES OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
REPORTS OF STRONG WINDS AND DOWNED BRANCHES WERE REPORTED FROM
GLOUCESTER AND SALEM COUNTIES.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA...BE
PREPARED FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  SHOULD THE STORM APPROACH YOU...SEEK
IMMEDIATE SHELTER.  MOBILE HOMES ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS
AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
 
HASKO

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 1, 4:33 PM EDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON DE
433 PM EDT WED JUN 1 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR DELAWARE UNTIL 9PM TONIGHT...

AT 415 PM WEARHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN ALLENTOWN AND HARRISBURG. THESE ARE MOVING TOWARD
THE SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND COULD MOVE INTO PORTIONS OF NORTHERN DELAWARE
NEAR 6PM THIS EVENING AND SPREAD SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE STATE.
AS YET NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED...BUT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE
HAIL.
PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE PROTECTIVE MEASURES IF HAZARDOUS WEATHER
APPROACHES.
CS
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 4:44 PM EDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA PA
443 PM EDT WED JUN 01 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9 PM FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND MUCH OF NEW JERSEY...

AT 435 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST
WEST OF READING...MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.  PERSONS IN
WESTERN CHESTER COUNTY...ESPECIALLY WEST OF A ELVERSON TO COATESVILLE
TO WEST GROVE LINE SHOULD PREPARE FOR THIS THUNDERSTORM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...
HEAVY RAINS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND LARGE HAIL.  IF YOU SEE
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHING...PLEASE MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY.

HASVKO
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 4:45 PM EDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
435 PM EDT WED JUN 1 1988

...DO NOT USE AFTER 6 PM...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT FOR
MOST OF NEW JERSEY...

RADAR AT 430 PM SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER LONG
ISLAND NEW YORK...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL
PENNSLYVANIA.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY SHOWERS WERE LOCATED OVER NASSAU COUNTY
WLONG ISLAND...ONE 10 MILES EAST OF ALLENTOWN PENNSLYVANIA AND THE HAEVIEST
WAS NEAR READING PENNSLYVANIA.

THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
VAM
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 4:49 PM EDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA
448 PM EDT WED JUN 1 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9 PM FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND MUCH OF NEW JERSEY...

AT 435 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST
WEST OF READING...MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.  PERSONS IN
WESTERN CHESTER COUNTY...ESPECIALLY WEST OF AN ELVERSON TO COATESVILLE
TO WEST GROVE LINE SHOULD PREPARE FOR THIS THUNDERSTORM UNTIL 6 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...
HEAVY RAINS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND LARGE HAIL.  IF YOU SEE
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHING...PLEASE MOVE I_NDOORS IMMEDIATELY.

HASKO
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 5:48 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
535 PM EDT WED JUN 1 1988

...DO NOT USE AFTER 7 PM...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT FOR
MOST OF NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHEASTERN PENNSLYVANIA.

RADAR AT 530 PM SHOWED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM
NEWARK NEW JERSEY SOUTHEAST TO NEAR TRENTON AND INTO SOUTHEAST
PENNSLYVANIA AND THEN INTO NORTH CENTRAL MARYLAND.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER LONG ISLAND NEW YORK AND THERE WERE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY INTO EAST CENTRAL
PENNSLYVANIA.

SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY HAIL AND STRONG WIND.
THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE NEAR TRENTON NEW JERSEY...15 MILES NORTHWEST OF
ALLENTOWN AND ONE 25 MILES WEST OF PHILADELPHIA.
VAM
Special weather statement, Jun 1, 5:53 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
ABPA-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALLENTOWN PA
550 PM EDT WED JUN 1 1988

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ISSUED FOR BERKS COUNTY IN EAST
   CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HAS EXPIRED...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT TONIGHT
   FOR EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ISSUED FOR BERKS COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA HAS EXPIRED. THE THUNDERSTORM HAS MOVED SOUTH OUT OF THE
COUNTY AND IS NO LONGER A THREAT TO THAT AREA.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM ARE LOCATED FROM SCRANTON OVER THE LEHIGH
VALLEY TO SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO
LOCATED OVER NORTHWESTERN NEW JERSEY.

THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 35 MPH.
SOME OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM MAY CONTAIN HIGH WIND...HEAVY RAIN
POSSIBLE HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE
WEATHER...AND IF SIGHTED BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

GIANNETTA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 1, 5:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBurlington, Ocean62 min
Jun 1, 6:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICumberland58 min
Jun 1, 6:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICamden33 min
Jun 1, 6:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIAtlantic68 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.