Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 23, NWS State College, PA

June 29, 1990Centre County, Huntingdon County, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 29, 1990, 7:51 PM EDT for Centre County, Huntingdon County, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 39 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 29, 1990, 7:51 PM EDT (23:51 UTC)
Expired
Jun 29, 1990, 8:30 PM EDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Centre County, PA, Huntingdon County, PA, Mifflin County, PA

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 29, 8:00 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Centre, PA
Jun 29, 8:30 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Huntingdon, PA

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

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 192 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1990-06-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 79 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1990-06-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 37 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
79 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-131 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1499 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
37 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
26 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 KHAR 292353
SVRHAR
PAC027-087-061-300030-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
751 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HARRISBURG HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
          ...CENTRE...MIFFLIN
IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
          ...NORTHERN HUNTINGDON
 
AT 730 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER
CAMBRIA AND BLAIR COUNTIES MOVING INTO CENTRE...HUNTINGDON...AND
MIFFLIN COUNTIES. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN
HOUR.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DON'T USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
 
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 MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

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 29, 5:36 PM EDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
PA008-013-2982130300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA.
530 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR BLAIR CENTRE CLEARFIELD CLINTON
   HUNTINGDON MIFFLIN MONTOUR NORTHUMBERLAND SNYDER AND UNION COUNTIES
   UNTIL 1000 PM...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING TOWARDS CENTRE AND CLINTON COUNTIES...

AT 515 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS SHOWING TWO STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. ONE OF THE STORMS WAS IN SOUTH
CAMERON COUNTY...ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF STATE COLLEGE AND A SECOND
STORM WAS IN EAST CLEARFIELD...ABOUT 25 MILES EAST OF DUBOIS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. AT THIS RATE
THE STORM IN CAMERON COUNTY SHOULD BE MOVING THROUGH NORTH CLINTON COUNTY
SHORTLY AND BE ABOUT 15 MILES WEST OF WILLIAMSPORT BY 630 PM.

THE STORM IN CLEARFIELD COUNTY SHOULD BE IN NORTHWEST CENTRE COUNTY SHORTLY
AND BE ABOUT 30 MILES TO THE# NORTHEAST OF STATE COLLEGE BY ABOUT
630 PM.

THESE STORMS COULD CONTAIN BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

WSO HAR RBH

COR FOR DATE
Special weather statement, Jun 29, 6:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
PAZ006-008-013-292330
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA.
627 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR BLAIR CENTRE CLEARFIELD CLINTON
   HUNTINGDON MIFFLIN MONTOUR NORTHUMBERLAND SNYDER AND UNION COUNTIES
   UNTIL 1000 PM...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...

AT 620 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS SHOWING A FEW STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. TWO OF THE STORMS WERE IN CENTRE
COUNTY...ONE WAS ABOUT 5 MILES WEST OF STATE COLLEGE WHILE THE SECOND ONE
WAS JUST EAST OF STATE COLLEGE. THE THIRD STORM WAS JUST TO THE NORTH OF
ALTOONA.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. AT THIS RATE
THE STORMS IN CENTRE COUNTY WILL BE MOVING INTO SNYDER AND UNION COUNTIES
BY 730...WHILE THE STORM JUST NORTH OF ALTOONA SHOULD MOVE THROUGH
NORTH HUNTINGDON AND MIFFLIN COUNTY BY 730 PM.

THESE STORMS COULD CONTAIN BRIEF HEAVY DOMWNPOURS...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

WSO HAR RBH
Special weather statement, Jun 29, 6:30 PM EDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
PAZ007-008-014-292330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
630 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
UNTIL 1000 PM THIS EVENING...

THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL EXIST UNTIL 1000 PM THIS EVENING.

AT 620 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE COUNTIES OF TIOGA...LYCOMING...SOUTHERN CLINTON
...SULLIVAN...UNION...SOUTHERN CENTRE AND BRADFORD. THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN SOUTHERN CENTRE COUNTY.  THESE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

PERSONS IN OR CLOSE TO THE SEVERE THUNDEORSTORM WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED
TO BE ALERT TO LOCAL WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS AND TAKE SHELTER IF
THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED.

KF
Special weather statement, Jun 29, 6:51 PM EDT, 1 hour before
PAZ006-008-009-013-292350-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA.
655 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...

AT 645 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS SHOWING SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE STATE. ONE OF THE STRONGER STORMS WAS ABOUT
10 MILES SOUTH OF WILLIAMSPORT...A SECOND WAS IN NORTHWEST MIFFLIN COUNTY...
A THIRD WAS 15 MILES SOUTH OF DUBOIS...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS 25 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF DUBOIS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

WSO nHAR RBH
Special weather statement, Jun 29, 7:26 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
PAZ007-008-014-300030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
726 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
UNTIL 1000 PM THIS EVENING...

THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL EXIST UNTIL 1000 PM THIS EVENING.

AT 715 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IN A LINE FROM ALTOONA TO BLOOMSBURG TO BINGHAMTON NEW
YORK.  HEAVIER THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN SNYDER AND NORTHUMBERLAND
COUNTIES.  THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40
MPH.

PERSONS IN OR CLOSE TO THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA ARE ADVISED
TO BE ALERT TO LOCAL WEATHER DEVELOPMENTS AND TAKE SHELTER IF
THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED.

KF
Special weather statement, Jun 29, 7:39 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
PAZ006-008-009-013-300050-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA.
740 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS...

AT 730 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS SHOWING SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE WEST AND NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE STATE.
THE STONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS IN SOUTH CLEARFIELD AND NORTH CAMERIA COUNTY...
APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES WEST OF STATE COLLEGE. THE RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND THE MIDDLE AND NORTH
HALF OF THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 40 MILES AN HOUR. DEADLY
LIGHTNING...HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD ACCOMPANY
THESE STORMS.

SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
.
WSO HAR RBH

The office that day

Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 29, 5:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton35 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.