Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 1, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Jun 15, 1989, 6:39 PM EDT for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 21 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jun 15, 1989, 6:39 PM EDT (22:39 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 15, 1989, 7:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 21 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Lancaster County, PA
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
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 157 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
- 79 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -169 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 614 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 42 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 92 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 156 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KHAR 152232
TORHAR
PAC071-152300-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
630 PM EDT THU JUN 15 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HARRISBURG HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 700 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
...LANCASTER
AT 630 PM EDT PUBLIC REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND IN THE VICINITY
OF MOUNTVILLE IN WESTERN LANCASTER COUNTY. THIS TORNADO WAS MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT AROUND 35 MPH.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS.What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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 15, 3:36 PM EDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA. 330 PM EDT THU JUN 15 1989 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR YORK AND LANCASTER COUNTIES IN THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 330 PM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL 1000 PM TONIGHT FOR YORK AND LANCASTER COUNTIES. THIS WATCH ALSO EXTENDS INTO SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LAT?ER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. WSO HAR JORDAN
Special weather statement, Jun 15, 4:21 PM EDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA. 415 PM EDT THU JUN 15 1989 ...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING AND MOVING THROUGH FRANKLIN COUNTY... AT 410 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS OBSERVING A SMALL CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM JUST EAST OF MERCERSBURG TO JUST NORTHWEST OF CHAMBERSBURG IN FRANKLIN COUNTY. THIS CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND MAY ALSO CONTAIN BRIEF STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH AND WILL REACH INTO TlHE CARLISLE AND MECHANICSBURG AREA BETWEEN 500 AND 530 PM. WSO HAR FITZSIMMONS
Special weather statement, Jun 15, 5:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA. 515 PM EDT THU JUN 15 1989 ...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH CUMBERLAND AND NORTHERN YORK COUNTIES... AT 510 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS OBSERVING THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN IN THE VICINITY OF MECHANICSBURG IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY AND SOUTHEAST OF DILLSBURG IN EXTREME NORTHWESTERN YORK COUNTY AND NORTHERN ADAMS COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND MAY ALSO CONTAIN BRIEF STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH AND WILL REACH EXTREME SOUTHEAST PERRY AND WESTERN DAUPHIN COUNTIES BETWEEN 530 AND 600 PM THIS EVENING. WSO HAR FITZSIMMONS
Special weather statement, Jun 15, 5:59 PM EDT, 40 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA. 550 PM EDT THU JUN 15 1989 ...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY... AT 545 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS OBSERVING A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF HARRISBURG TO 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE CITY OF YORK. THE LINE OF THUNDWRSTORMS WAS MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND MAY ALSO CONTAIN BRIEF STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. AS THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGH CUMBERLAND COUNTY... .82 OF AN INCH OF RAIN WAS MEASURED IN TWENTY MINUTES JUST NORTH OF MECHANICSBURG IN HAMPDEN TOWNSHIP. WITH IN THE CITY OF HARRISBURG... 1.03 INCHES OF RAIN WAS MEASURED AT THE TELEVISION STUDIOS OF WHTM ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 35 MPH RECORDED AT THE FEDERAL BUILDING. IN ADAMS COUNTY...A HAM OPERATOR REPORTED THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF RAIN IN A FIFTEEN MINUTE PERIOD. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH AND WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS... FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLT SMALL HAIL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN LEBANON AND LANCASTER COUNTIES BY 630 PM THIS EVENING. WSO HAR FITZSIMMONS
Special weather statement, Jun 15, 6:02 PM EDT, 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA. 550 PM EDT THU JUN 15 1989 ...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY... AT 545 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS OBSERVING A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN EXTENDING FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF HARRISBURG TO 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE CITY OF YORK. THE LINE OF THUNDWRSTORMS WAS MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND MAY ALSO CONTAIN BRIEF STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. AS THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGH CUMBERLAND COUNTY... .82 OF AN INCH OF RAIN WAS MEASURED IN TWENTY MINUTES JUST NORTH OF MECHANICSBURG IN HAMPDEN TOWNSHIP. WITH IN THE CITY OF HARRISBURG... 1.03 INCHES OF RAIN WAS MEASURED AT THE TELEVISION STUDIOS OF WHTM ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 35 MPH RECORDED AT THE FEDERAL BUILDING. IN ADAMS COUNTY...A HAM OPERATOR REPORTED THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF RAIN IN A FIFTEEN MINUTE PERIOD. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH AND WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS... FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN LEBANON AND LANCASTER COUNTIES BY 630 PM THIS EVENING. WSO HAR FITZSIMMONS
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 15, 6:22 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lancaster | 38 min |
| Jun 15, 6:49 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Berks | 56 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes in 1989
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.