Alert archive / New Jersey / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 33, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 17, 1988Atlantic County, Ocean County, New Jersey

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 17, 1988, 7:45 PM EDT for Atlantic County, Ocean County, New Jersey. It was in force for 60 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
Jul 17, 1988, 7:45 PM EDT (23:45 UTC)
Expired
Jul 17, 1988, 8:45 PM EDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Whole counties

Counties Atlantic County, NJ, Ocean 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
Jul 17, 8:00 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 57Atlantic, 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, 11.8 hours before the alert went out and 25 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°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 KACY 172347 RRA
SVRACY
NJC001-029-180045-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
745 PM EDT SUN JUL 17 1988
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ATLANTIC CITY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING AND
SPECIAL MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTH NEW JERSEY
          ...ATLANTIC...OCEAN
 
AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.
 
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR
HAMMONTON NEW JERSEY. A REPORT RECEIVED FROM AN OBSERVER REPORTED
TORRENTIAL RAINS...INTENSE LIGHTNING AND WINDS ESTIMATED TO 45 MPH.
THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST 30 TO 35 MPH. THIS STORM WILL REACH
THE COAST BEFORE 830.
 
 
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWkEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

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, 6:41 PM EDT, 1 hour 4 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, 59 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
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:02 PM EDT, 43 minutes before
^PHLSPSACY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
 645   PM EDT SUN  JUL  17 1988
 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NEW JERSEY UNTIL
 11 PM EDT...THIS INCLUDES THE COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY...

AT 635 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY
HEAVY RAIN...STRONG DAMAGING WINDS NEAR 65 MILES AN HOUR...FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HAIL FROMTHE NORTHEAST CORNER OF
MARYLAND TO WILMINGTON DELAWARE TO THE WEST OF PHILADELPHIA TO WILL GROVE
PENNSYLVANIA.

OTHER STORMS AND SHOWERS EXTENDED FROM TWASHINGTON DC ACROSS CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST MARYLNAD...NORTHERN DELAWARE...SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA TO NEAR
ALLENTOWN EASTERNPENNSYLVANIA...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY TO JUST WEST OF NEW YORK
CITY...SOUTHEAST NEW YORK STATE AND WESTERN CONNETICUT. MOVEMENT OF THIS LARGE
AREA WAS SOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
EASTSOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE STORMS ARE ENTERING THE WESTERN PORTION OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND WILL
LAST ANOTHER 2 HOURS.

WINDS HAVE GUSTED TO 69 MPH AT NEWARK AND 58 MPH AT WILMINGTON
DELAWARE. THE LIGHTNING ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS HAS BEEN
REPORTED TO B=E INTENSE. STAY AWAY FROM THESE STORMS THIS EVENING.

                                                                       ]
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:30 PM EDT, 15 minutes before
ABPA-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALLENTOWN PA
720 PM EDT SUN JULY 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED FOR EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...

THE SEVERE THUNDESTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CARBON...SCHUYLKILL...LEHIGH...
NORTHAMPTON AND BERKS COUNTIES HAS BEEN CANCELLED. THE LINE OF VERY
HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS THAT PASSED THROUGH EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA IS NOW
MOVING SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...DELAWARE AND
MARYLAND. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS HAVE STABILIZED BEHIND THE LINE AND
THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NO LONGER EXISTS.

MANY REPORTS OF WIND DAMAGE AND LARGE HAIL WERE REPORTED IN BERKS...
LEHIGH AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES.

$$DOVICO

]
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:42 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
^PHLSPSACY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
745 PM EDT SUN  JUL  17 1988

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF NEW JERSEY
UNTIL 11 PM EDT...

AT 735 RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY ACTIVE THUNDERSTORMS ORIGINATING
AT LAGUARDIA AIRPORT NEW YORK...TO MCGUIRE AFB...THEN SOUTHWEST TO
SALEM COUNTY NEW JERSEY...ACROSS TO NEW CASTLE COUNTY DELAWARE AND
MARYLANDS EASTERN SHORE.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE APPROACHING ATLANTIC AND CUMBERLAND
COUNTIES IN NEW JERSEY AND ACROSS TO DELAWARE. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF STRONG
WINDS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING HAVE BEEN RECEIVED. THE RAIN HAS BEEN
SHORTERMED BUT VERY HEAVY.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTeHEAST 35 MPH.
EBERWINE/NESMITH
                                                                       ]
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:45 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA
745 PM EDT SUN JUL 17 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #303 CANCELLED IN PENNSYLVANIA BUT
   REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELLED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH #303 FOR ALL SECTIONS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #303 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN
NEW JERSEY UNTIL 11 PM EDT.

AT 740 PM AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AROUND 30 MILES
AN HOUR THROUGH SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE
ACCOMPANIED BY DAMAGING WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY
RAIN.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING OFF THE NEW JERSEY COAiST BY 11 PM EDT.

RPW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 17, 7:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIGloucester, Salem44 min
Jul 17, 7:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICumberland58 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.