Alert archive / New Jersey / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 41, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 17, 1988, 8:16 PM EDT for Cape May County, New Jersey. It was in force for 59 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
- Aug 17, 1988, 8:16 PM EDT (00:16 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 17, 1988, 9:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 59 min
- Issued by
- NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
- Area
- Whole counties
County Cape May 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 8:50 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Cape May, NJ | |
| Aug 17, 9:05 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Cape May, 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 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 51 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- NaN m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 45 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 376 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 575 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 10.7
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KACY 180015
SVRACY
NJC009-180115-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
816 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ATLANTIC CITY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING AND
SPECIAL MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 915 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN SOUTH NEW JERSEY
...CAPE MAY
AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.
AT 812 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
IN PROGRESS OVER MILLVILLE IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY. THIS STORM IS MOVING
RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST AT 50 TO 60 MPH AND WILL CROSS CAPE MAY COUNTY AND
THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. MARINERS AT SEA
SHOULD CONSIDER SEEKING A SAFE HARBOR IMMEDIATELY.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD aMOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
NESMITHWhat 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, Aug 17, 7:21 PM EDT, 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA
721 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1988
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 6 PM TILL 11 PM FOR SOUTHEAST
PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY INCLUDING THE
PHILADELPHIA METROPOLITAN AREA...
AT 7 PM STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER MUCH OF THE
DELAWARE VALLEY. HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN PHILADELPHIA
AND NEIGHBORING PORTIONS OF CAMDEN AND GLOUCESTER COUNTIES IN
NEW JERSEY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINED STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
HEAVY RAIN...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.
OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER SOUTHEASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA FROM SOUTHERN BUCKS AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES THROUGH
DELAWARE...PHILADELPHIA...AND EASTERN CHE(STER COUNTIES. MORE
THUNDERSTORMS COVERED MUCH OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL NEW JERSEY.
SPSpecial weather statement, Aug 17, 7:31 PM EDT, 45 minutes before
ABPA- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALLENTOWN PA 730 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1988 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR BERKS...LEHIGH...SCHUYLKILL...NORTHAMTON AND CARBON COUNTIES. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL AND LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINS EXIST UNTIL 11 PM THIS EVENING. AT 730 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS OVER BERKS AND LEHIGH COUNTIES MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH. A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS WERE LOCATED NORTH OF WILKES-BARRE-SCRANTON. PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN BE ALERT TO CHANGING W/EATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES. $$BLACKBURN
Local storm report, Aug 17, 7:57 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA
757 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1988
PARTIAL LISTING OF WEATHER EVENTS EVENING OF AUGUST 17TH...
DATE/TIME (EDT) COUNTY LOCATION EVENT
8/17 1830 PHILADELPHIA NE PHILA. WIND GUSTS 75 TO
95 MPH
1850 BURLINGTON MCGUIRE AREA WIND GUSTS TO 85 MPH
1855 CAMDEN N OF ATCO WIND GUSTS TO 67 MPH
1840-1855 BURLINGTON TABERNACLE WINDS GUSTS TO 60 MPH
1850 BURLINGTON HAINSPORT WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH
1830 MERCER TRENTON AREA WIND GUSTS TO 55 MPH
1725 MUONTGOMERY WILLOW GROVE WINDS 50 TO 55 MPHSpecial weather statement, Aug 17, 8:07 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA, PA 758 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1988 THE WEST PORTION OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 402 HAS BEEN CANCELLED. HOWEVER THE WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 11 PM FOR SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA... EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...AND ALL OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. AT 8 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS OCCURING OVER SOUTHERN NEW JERSERY...AROUND THE PHILADELPHIA AREA...AND IN DELAWARE COUNTY. T[HE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 55 MILES AN HOUR. GAC
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 8:07 PM EDT, 9 minutes before
ABPA- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALLENTOWN PA 806 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1988 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR BERKS...LEHIGH...SCHUYLKILL...NORTHAMTON AND COUNTIES. THE WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR CARBON COUNTY AS OF 8 PM EDT. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL AND LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINS EXIST UNTIL 11 PM THIS EVENING. AT 800 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED ONLY ISOLATED SHOWERS OVER SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED THIS HOUR. PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN BE ALERT TO CZHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER APPROACH. $$BLACKBURN
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 8:15 PM EDT, 1 minute before
ABPA- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALLENTOWN PA...CORRECTION... 806 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1988 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR BERKS...LEHIGH...SCHUYLKILL...AND NORTHAMTON COUNTY. THE WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR CARBON COUNTY AS OF 8 PM EDT. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL AND LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINS EXIST UNTIL 11 PM THIS EVENING. AT 800 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED ONLY ISOLATED SHOWERS OVER SCHUYLKILL COUNTY. NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED THIS HOUR. PERSONS SHOULD RE^MAIN BE ALERT TO CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER APPROACH. $$BLACKBURN
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.