Alert archive / New Jersey / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 31, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 17, 1988Gloucester County, Salem County, New Jersey

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 17, 1988, 7:01 PM EDT for Gloucester County, Salem County, New Jersey. It was in force for 44 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 17, 1988, 7:01 PM EDT (23:01 UTC)
Expired
Jul 17, 1988, 7:45 PM EDT
In force
44 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, 11.0 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 1988-07-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1047 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, Atlantic City In, NJ at 12:00Z on 1988-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 62 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
1047 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-143 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
900 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
62 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
86 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KPHL 172304
SVRPHL
NJC015-033-172345-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA PA
701 PM EDT SUN JUL 17 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHILADELPHIA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  745 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH NEW JERSEY
          ...GLOUCESTER...SALEM
 
AT 652 PM EDT A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OBSERVER REPORTED A WIND GUST
OF 58 MPH AT GREATER WILMINGTON AIRPORT.
 
 
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
IMMEDIAT>E SHELTER.  MOBILE HOMES ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS
AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

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, Jul 17, 5:15 PM EDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY
515 PM EDT SUN JUL 17 1988

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NEW JERSEY
UNTIL 11 PM EDT...THIS INCLUDES THE COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY...

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS HAVE BEEN
ISSUED FOR SEVERAL COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA ALREADY. WINDS HAVE GUSTED
TO 63 MPH AT READING PENNSYLVANIA.

AT 515 PM RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHEAST
PENNSYLVANIA EXTENDING SOUTHWEST TO NORTHERN MARYLAND. THIS LINE
WILL APPROACH PARTS OF SOUTHWEST NEW JERSEY BETWEEN 7 AND 8 O'CLOCK
BUT THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE APPROACHING STORMS IS NOW.

IF YOU ARE A BOATER BEGIN THINKING OF RETURNING TO A SAFE PORT. SWIMERS
ENJOYING THE SURF AND SAND SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER CUTTING YOUR RECREATION
TIME. EBERWINE
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 5:23 PM EDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY
515 PM EDT SUN JUL 17 1988

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NEW JERSEY
UNTIL 11 PM EDT...THIS INCLUDES THE COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY...

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS HAVE BEEN
ISSUED FOR SEVERAL COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA ALREADY. WINDS HAVE GUSTED
TO 63 MPH AT READING PENNSYLVANIA.

AT 515 PM RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHEAST
PENNSYLVANIA EXTENDING SOUTHWEST TO NORTHERN MARYLAND. THIS LINE
WILL APPROACH PARTS OF SOUTHWEST NEW JERSEY BETWEEN 615 AMD 715 PM.
BUT THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE APPROACHING STORMS IS NOW.

IF YOU ARE A BOATER BEGIN THINKING OF RETURNING TO A SAFE PORT. SWIMERS
ENJOYING THE SURF AND SAND SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER CUTTING YOUR RECREATION
TIME.        EBERWINE
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 5:44 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON DE
545 PM EDT SUN JUL 17 1988

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH POSTED STATEWIDE UNTIL 11PM...

THE NATIONAL SEVERE STORMS FORECAST CENTER IN KANSAS CITY HAS
ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE STATE OF DELAWARE
AND OTHER PARTS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION EFFECTIVE UNTIL
11 PM THIS EVENING.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INDICATES THE POSSIBILITY THAT
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG DAMAGING
WIND GUSTS...LARGE HAIL...HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

RADAR PRESENTLY INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG STORMS STRETCHING FROM
SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA ACROSS CENTRAL MARYLAND INTO NORTHERN
VIRGINIA.  THESE WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

STORMS HAVE ALREADY PRODUCED WINDS AS HIGH AS 63 MPH IN EASTERN
 PENNSYLVANIA.

MOVE INDOORS TO A REINFORCED STRUCTURE IF A STORM APPROACHES.
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

REPORT THE OCCURRENCE OF SEVERE WEATHER TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AND ASK THEM TO RELAY THE MESSAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
YOU MAY ALSO CALL US DIRECTLY AT 328-7596 FOR SEVERE REPORTS ONLY.

HITCHENS
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 5:46 PM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY
542 PM EDT SUN JUL 17 1988

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NEW JERSEY
UNTIL 11 PM EDT...THIS INCLUDES THE COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY...

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS HAVE BEEN
ISSUED FOR SEVERAL COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA ALREADY. WINDS HAVE GUSTED
TO 63 MPH AT READING PENNSYLVANIA.

AT 535 PM RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM FROM CENTRAL WARREN
COUNTY NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY TO BOYERTOWN AND THEN TO PARKESBURG SOUTHEAST
PENNSYLVANIA. THIS LINE WAS MOVING EASTSOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE THESTORMS WERE MOVING EASTSOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY TO VERY HEAVY RAIN...WERE
SCATTERED FROM EXTREM NORTHERN VIRGINIA ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MARYLAND INTO THE
LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY OF PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHEAST EASTERN AND NORTHEAST
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 6:41 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA
631 PM EDT SUN JUL 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #300 CANCELLED FOR NORTHEASTERN
   PENNSYLVANIA...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #303 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM
   EDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELLED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH #300 FOR NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA WHICH WAS VALID UNTIL
8 PM EDT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #303 FOR SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND
SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY IS STILL IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT.

AT 630 PM A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AROUND 30 MILES
AN HOUR THROUGH SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANINA.  SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE SEVERE...SEE LATEST WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.

ACS
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 6:46 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
ABPA-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALLENTOWN PA
640 PM EDT SUN JULY 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAS
    BEEN CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ISSUED FOR PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES
HAS BEEN CANCELLED. THE LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVED THROUGH
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA HAS MOVED SOUTHEAST OUT OF NORTHEASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SEVERE. THE THREAT OF$
SEVERE WEATHER HAS ENDED.

FUNK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 17, 7:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICumberland58 min
Jul 17, 7:45 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.