Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

June 8, 1990Allegheny County, Armstrong County, Butler County, Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jun 8, 1990, 11:21 PM EDT for Allegheny County, Armstrong County, Butler County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 8, 1990, 11:21 PM EDT (03:21 UTC)
Expired
Jun 9, 1990, 1:30 AM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Allegheny County, PA, Armstrong County, PA, Butler 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

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 44 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 1990-06-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1817 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 1990-06-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 192 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1817 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-11 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1091 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
192 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
233 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
10.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KPIT 090321
FFWPIT
PAC003-005-019-090530-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
1121 PM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  130 AM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN WEST PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...ALLEGHENY COUNTY...ARMSTRONG COUNTY...BUTLER COUNTY
 
AT 1115 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED ONE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER
BUTLER AND ARMSTRONG COUNTY BETWEEN MORAINE STATE PARK AND
KITTANNING...AND ANOTHER SEVERE STORM OVER THE PITTSBURGH NORTH HILLS
AREA OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SLOWLY EAST. BESIDES
HIGH WINDS...HAIL...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING....THERE COULD BE HEAVY
RAIN AND FLOODING.
 
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 LOWEST 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 flash flood 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 8, 5:51 PM EDT, 5 hours 30 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090400-

SPECIAL WEATHER/FLOOD STATEMENT AND WEATHER RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
545 PM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...TORNADO WATCH TIL 10 PM FOR THE WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND
FOR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80.  FLOOD WATCH FOR AREA
STREAMS AND CREEKS TIL MIDNIGHT...

IF YOURE IN FAYETTE SOMERSET...THE JOHNSTOWN AREA OF CAMBRIA COUNTY...
BEDFORD FULTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES EARLY THIS EVENING...BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR FLOODING ALONG SMALL STREAMS AND WHERE DRAINAGE IS POOR.
SOME AREAS GOT CLOSE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN BETWEEN 3 AND 430.

JUST BEFORE 6 PM...THERE WERE NO THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA...ONLY STORMS OVER OHIO.  THE NEAREST OHIO STORMS WERE
AROUND CAMBRIDGE AND ZANESVILLE STILL MOVING EASTSOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES
AN HOUR.  THIS STORM MAY AFFECT MARSHALL COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA AROUND 7
PM OR SO...WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS POSSIBLE.

THERE WERE OTHER STORMS IN OHIO BEHIND THIS ONE...AND THESE COULD BRING
HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WIND TO THE PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST VIRGINIA WATCH
AREA LATER THIS EVENING.  SO IF YOURE OUT THIS EVENING...KEEP AN EYE
OUT FOR APPROACHING BAD WEATHER AND WHERE YOU CAN GO FOR SAFE SHELTER.
ALSO KEEP THE RADIO OR TV ON FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GIORDANO/STEWART/REHAK
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 6:47 PM EDT, 4 hours 34 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090400-

SPECIAL WEATHER/FLOOD STATEMENT AND WEATHER RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
645 PM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...TORNADO WATCH TIL 10 PM FOR THE WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND
FOR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80.  FLOOD WATCH FOR AREA
STREAMS AND CREEKS TIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 645 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED TWO STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER ALLEGHENY
COUNTY OF PENNSYLVANIA.  ONE STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH
...AND THE OTHER WAS JUST TO THE WEST OF DOWNTOWN.

HAIL...A HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...WAS REPORTED IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH
WITH ONE STORM.  HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING MAY
ALSO ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.
THERE WERE OTHER STORMS IN OHIO BEHIND THIS ONE...AND THESE COULD BRING
HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WIND TO THE PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST VIRGINIA WATCH
AREA LATER THIS EVENING.  SO IF YOURE OUT THIS EVENING...KEEP AN EYE
OUT FOR APPROACHING BAD WEATHER ANDG WHERE YOU CAN GO FOR SAFE SHELTER.
ALSO KEEP THE RADIO OR TV ON FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GIORDANO/STEWART/REHAK
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 6:52 PM EDT, 4 hours 29 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090400-

SPECIAL WEATHER/FLOOD STATEMENT AND WEATHER RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
645 PM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...TORNADO WATCH TIL 10 PM FOR THE WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND
FOR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80.  FLOOD WATCH FOR AREA
STREAMS AND CREEKS TIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 645 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED TWO STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER ALLEGHENY
COUNTY OF PENNSYLVANIA.  ONE STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH
...AND THE OTHER WAS JUST TO THE WEST OF DOWNTOWN.

HAIL...A HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...WAS REPORTED IN DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH
WITH ONE STORM.  STRONG WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING MAY ALSO OCCUR.
REPEATED HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE FLOODING.  NEVER DRIVE THROUGH FLOODING.

THERE WERE OTHER STORMS IN OHIO BEHIND THIS ONE...AND THESE COULD BRING
HEAVY RAIN AND HIGH WIND TO THE PENNSYLVANIA AND WEST VIRGINIA WATCH
AREA LATER THIS EVENING.  SO IF YOURE OUT THIS EVENING...NKEEP AN EYE
OUT FOR BAD WEATHER AND FOR SAFE PLACES TO TAKE SHELTER.
ALSO KEEP THE RADIO OR TV ON FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

REHAK/GIORDANO/NOUHAN
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 7:41 PM EDT, 3 hours 40 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090400-

SPECIAL WEATHER/FLOOD STATEMENT AND WEATHER RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
740 PM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...TORNADO WARNING FOR WESTMORELAND COUNTY TIL 815...
...TORNADO WATCH TIL 10 PM FOR THE WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND
FOR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80.  FLOOD WATCH FOR AREA
STREAMS AND CREEKS TIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 730 PITTSBURGH WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS STILL CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING A TORNADO AND LARGE HAIL OVER NORTHERN WESTMORELAND COUNTY
HEADING EASTWARD AT 25 MILES AN HOUR TOWARD VANDERGRIFT AND BLAIRSVILLE
IN SOUTHERN ARMSTRONG AND INDIANA COUNTIES.  THERE WERE OTHER STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN WESTMORELAND COUNTY AND NORTHERN FAYETTE
COUNTY ALSO GOING EAST...AFFECTING MOUNT PLEASANT AND CONNELLSVILLE.
REPEATED HEAVY RAIN FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE FLOODING.

RADAR SHOWED OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHWEST
PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN CLEARFIELD DUBOIS AND FRANKLIN...WITH STILL MORE
OVER EASTERN OHIO...BETWEEN YOUNGSTOWN AND AKRON...AND NEAR THE TAPPAN
RESEVOIR AND COLUMBUS AREAS.  ALL MOVING EASTSOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN
HOUR.

IF YOURE OUT THIS EVENING...BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER...KNOW WHERE YOU CAN GO FOR SAFE SHELTER...AND KEEP TUNED FOR
ADDITIONAL ADVISORIES AND UPDATES.

GIORDANO/HIGGINS/REHAK/NOUHAN
Special weather statement, Jun 8, 10:52 PM EDT, 29 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090800-

SPECIAL WEATHER AND FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
1040 PM EDT FRI JUN 8 1990

...TORNADO WATCH TIL 3 AM FOR THE WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND
FOR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH OF PITTSBURGH AND ALTOONA...

...FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE AND ALL OF WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA TIL 4 AM...

THE WEST VIRGINIA NORTHERN PANHANDLE AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...
PARTICULARLY THOSE AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80...WILL CONTINUE TO BE
PLAGUED OVERNIGHT BY THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRONG WIND
GUSTS.  THE DOWNPOURS MAY BE HEAVY ENOUGH TO CAUSE FLOODING ALONG SMALL
STREAMS AND WHERE THERES POOR DRAINAGE.  THE WIND GUSTS MAY BE DAMAGING
WITH EVEN A TORNADO POSSIBLE.

IF YOU LIVE IN AN AREA PRONE TO FLOODING FROM SMALL STREAMS AND POOR
DRAINAGE...WATCH OUT FOR REPEATED HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND RISING WATER.
BE READY TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF NEEDED.  WHENEVER THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES...TAKE SHELTER INDOORS.  LIGHTNING KILLS AS OFTEN AS
STRONG WIND AND FLOODING.

HIGH HUMIDITY AND A STALLED FRONT ARE THE CAUSE OF TONIGHTS DANGEROUS
THUNDERSTORMS.  STORMS FROM OHIO WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO WEST
VIRGINIA AND PENNSYLVANIA OVERNIGHT.  THERE MAY BE A BREAK SATURDAY
MORNING...BUT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING WHEN A SECOND FRONT COMING FROM WISCONSIN MOVES THE STALLED
FRONT OUT.

GIORDANO/STEWART/HIGGINS/ALESSI

~

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 8, 8:29 PM EDTTornado WarningPBZSomerset61 min
Jun 8, 9:29 PM EDTTornado WarningPBZBedford61 min
Jun 8, 11:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZAllegheny, Armstrong, Butler2 hr
Jun 9, 12:10 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZClearfield, Indiana80 min
Jun 9, 12:10 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZClearfield, Indiana80 min
Jun 9, 1:16 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZClearfield2 hr
Jun 9, 6:00 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZWashington60 min
Jun 9, 6:15 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZAllegheny, Beaver, Butler60 min
Jun 9, 6:26 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZWestmoreland64 min
Jun 9, 7:51 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZCambria, Somerset39 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1990Every flash flood 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.