Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 64, NWS State College, PA

September 14, 1990Centre County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 14, 1990, 10:54 PM EDT for Centre County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 51 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
Sep 14, 1990, 10:54 PM EDT (02:54 UTC)
Expired
Sep 14, 1990, 11:45 PM EDT
In force
51 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Centre 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
Sep 14, 10:55 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 55Centre, 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

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 200 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 1990-09-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 737 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 1990-09-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 224 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
737 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
846 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
224 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
268 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
4.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KHAR 150255
SVRHAR
PAC027-150345-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
1054 PM EDT FRI SEP 14 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HARRISBURG HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1145 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
          ...EASTERN CENTRE AND NORTHERN HUNTINDON
 
AT 1050 PM EDT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HARRISBURG RECIEVED A
REPORT OF 63 MILE AN HOUR GUSTS WITH A STORM MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN
CENTRE COUNTY. THE WEATHER RADAR IN HARRISBURG WAS SHOWING THIS STRONG
STORM MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN HUNTINGDON AND EASTERN CENTRE COUNTY.
 
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.
 
IF THREATENING WEATH=ER APPROACHES YOU SHOULD GO TO A SAFE
PLACE IMMEDIATELY AND ASK THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
TO RELAY YOUR SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS TO THE LOCAL NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

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, Sep 14, 8:50 PM EDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
PAZ007-008-014-150200

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
850 PM EDT FRI SEP 14 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT FOR
NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVBANIA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF NORTHCENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA EFFECTIVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF
BRADFORD...CLINTON...LYCOMING...SULLIVAN AND TIOGA.

AT 840 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.  THE LEADING EDGE OF THE THUNDERSTORM AREA SHOULD
REACH WESTERN CLINTON COUNTY BY 915 PM AND WESTERN TIOGA COUNTY BY 930
PM EDT.

REMEMBER THAT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT 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 LISTE4N FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

HM
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 8:58 PM EDT, 1 hour 56 minutes before
PAZ007-008-014-150200

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
850 PM EDT FRI SEP 14 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT FOR
NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF NORTHCENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA EFFECTIVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF
BRADFORD...CLINTON...LYCOMING...SULLIVAN AND TIOGA.

AT 840 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.  THE LEADING EDGE OF THE THUNDERSTORM AREA SHOULD
REACH WESTERN CLINTON COUNTY BY 915 PM AND WESTERN TIOGA COUNTY BY 930
PM EDT.

REMEMBER THAT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT 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 LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

HM/JSN

CORRECTION FOR TYPO
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 9:30 PM EDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
PAZ007-008-014-150330

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
1030 PM EDT FRI SEP 14 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
FOR NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF BRADFORD...CLINTON...LYCOMING...SULLIVAN AND
TIOGA.

AT 1030 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...DECREASING IN INTENSITY. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM ELKLAND IN TIOGA COUNTY SOUTH
ACROSS WESTERN LYCOMING AND EASTERN CLINTON COUNTIES.  THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE STRETCHING FROM NEAR PHILIPSBURG AND STATE COLLEGE
THEN SOUTHWEST TO JOHNSTOWN.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH AND SHOULD
CONTINUE TO DECREASE IN INTENSITY.  THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO
MOVE ACROSS CLINTON...TIOGA AND LYCOMING COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WILL
PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEFLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS IN
NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS
THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO
T%HE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

HM/JSN
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 9:35 PM EDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
PAZ007-008-014-150235

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
935 PM EDT FRI SEP 14 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
FOR NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF BRADFORD...CLINTON...LYCOMING...SULLIVAN AND
TIOGA.

AT 935 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM
NEAR BRADFORD IN MCKEAN COUNTY SOUTH TO INDIANA AND LATROBE. OTHER
CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN ADVANCE OF THIS LINE OVER POTTER
COUNTY AND STRETCHING FROM WESTERN CLINTON COUNTY SOUTH INTO CENTRE
COUNTY. AT 935 PM EDT THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER THE LAUREL
MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.  THUNDERSTORMS WILL
CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS CLINTON AND TIOGA COUNTIES AND SHOULD REACH
WESTERN LYCOMING COUNTY BY 1015 PM EDT.

REMEMBER THAT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

HM/JSN
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 10:30 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
PAZ007-008-014-150330

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
1030 PM EDT FRI SEP 14 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
FOR NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
INCLUDING THE COUNTIES OF BRADFORD...CLINTON...LYCOMING...SULLIVAN AND
TIOGA.

AT 1030 PM EDT RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...DECREASING IN INTENSITY. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM ELKLAND IN TIOGA COUNTY SOUTH
ACROSS WESTERN LYCOMING AND EASTERN CLINTON COUNTIES.  THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS WERE STRETCHING FROM NEAR PHILIPSBURG AND STATE COLLEGE
THEN SOUTHWEST TO JOHNSTOWN.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH AND SHOULD
CONTINUE TO DECREASE IN INTENSITY.  THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO
MOVE ACROSS CLINTON...TIOGA AND LYCOMING COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WILL
PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEFLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS IN
NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS
THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS I)N AND CLOSE TO
THE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN NORTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

HM/JSN

CORRECTION FOR TIME IN HEADER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 14, 11:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMifflin44 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.