Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1991

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 33, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 13, 1991Chester County, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 13, 1991, 6:52 PM EDT for Chester County, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 53 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
Jul 13, 1991, 6:52 PM EDT (22:52 UTC)
Expired
Jul 13, 1991, 7:45 PM EDT
In force
53 min
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Whole counties

Counties Chester County, PA, Montgomery County, PA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 13, 7:30 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Chester, 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

Atlantic City In, NJ (KACY), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 115 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, Atlantic City In, NJ at 12:00Z on 1991-07-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 257 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Atlantic City In, NJ at 12:00Z on 1991-07-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 82 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
257 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
629 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
82 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
205 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KPHL 132304 COR
SVRPHL
PAC029-091-132345-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED...CORRECTION
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA PA
652 PM EDT SAT JUL 13 1991

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHILADELPHIA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  745 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA

   ...NORTHERN CHESTER COUNTY...MONTGOMERY COUNTY

AT 650 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS
OVER NORTHERN CHESTER AND WESTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTIES. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AROUND 30 MPH AND INTENSIFYING.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN VERY STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY
RAIN...AND HAIL.
THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS.  IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA...PREPARE
FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING.  SHOULD THE STORM APPROACH YOU...SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER
INDOORS...BUT DO NOT STAND NEAR WINDOWS.  MOBILE HOMES ARE MOST
VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR SOUTHEASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY UNTIL 1000 PM EDT.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH
LI#TTLE OR NO ADVANCED WARNING.

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, Jul 13, 2:22 PM EDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before
NJZ002>004-006-071645

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATLANTIC CITY NJ
215 PM EDT SAT JUL 13 1991

...VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER LONG BEACH ISLAND...

VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER LONG BEACH ISLAND SINCE 8 AM THIS MORNING HAS CAUSED
URBAN AND STREET FLOODING FROM BARNEGAT LIGHT TO SHIP BOTTOM. LOVELADIES
AT 215 PM REPORTED A TOTAL OF TWELVE AND A HALF INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 8 AM
AND THERE MAY BE MORE ON THE WAY IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

DRIVERS ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE TO THE ISLAND OR ON THE ISLAND BE PREPARED FOR
DELAYS DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF WATER ON THE ROADWAYS.

MENNELLA
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 6:13 PM EDT, 39 minutes before
DEZ003-140015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON DE
610 PM EDT SAT JUL 13 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MOST OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...ALL OF
   SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...AND NORTHERN DELAWARE UNTIL 10 PM EDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN PLACED IN EFFECT FOR NEW CASTLE
COUNTY DELAWARE.  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 75
STATUTE MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 15 MILES WEST OF WILMINGTON
DELAWARE TO 30 MILES EAST OF ALLENTOWN PENNSYLVANIA.

AT 600 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS FROM SCRANTON PENNSYLVANIA SOUTHWEST TO NEAR YORK PENNSY
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST A 30 MPH.  THESE STORMS COULD REA
CASTLE COUNTY BY 6 PM.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 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 LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNING.

VAUGHAN
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 6:17 PM EDT, 35 minutes before
DEZ003-140015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON DE
610 PM EDT SAT JUL 13 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MOST OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...ALL OF
   SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...AND NORTHERN DELAWARE UNTIL 10 PM EDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN PLACED IN EFFECT FOR NEW CASTLE
COUNTY DELAWARE.  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 75
STATUTE MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 15 MILES WEST OF WILMINGTON
DELAWARE TO 30 MILES EAST OF ALLENTOWN PENNSYLVANIA.

AT 600 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS FROM SCRANTON PENNSYLVANIA SOUTHWEST TO NEAR YORK PENNSYLVANIA.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST A 30 MPH.  THESE STORMS COULD REACH
NEW CASTLE COUNTY BY 6 PM.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 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 LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNING.

VAUGHAN
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 6:35 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
DEZ003-140015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON DE
610 PM EDT SAT JUL 13 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MOST OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...ALL OF
   SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...AND NORTHERN DELAWARE UNTIL 10 PM EDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN PLACED IN EFFECT FOR NEW CASTLE
COUNTY DELAWARE.  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 75
STATUTE MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 15 MILES WEST OF WILMINGTON
DELAWARE TO 30 MILES EAST OF ALLENTOWN PENNSYLVANIA.

AT 600 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS FROM SCRANTON PENNSYLVANIA SOUTHWEST TO NEAR YORK PENNSYLVANIA.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST A 30 MPH.  THESE STORMS COULD REACH
NEW CASTLE COUNTY BY 7 PM.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 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 LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION
STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNING.

VAUGHAN
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 6:44 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
PAZ011-016-140000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALLENTOWN PA
640 PM EDT SAT JUL 13 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND
WESTERN NEW JERSEY UNTIL 1000PM THIS EVENING...

AT 640PM THIS EVENING RADAR INDICATED HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
ALLENTOWN SOUTHWEST TO READING THEN SOUTH THROUGH EXTREME SOUTHERN BERKS
COUNTY. THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WAS NEAR AND JUST SOUTH OF READING. MOVEMENT
WAS TOWARDS THE SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 30 MPH. AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGHTHE A-B-E AIRPORT WINDS GUSTED TO 38 MPH AND HEAVY RAIN PRODUCED .38" IN
30 MINUTES.

PERSONS IN SOUTHERN BERKS...LEHIGH AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES SHOULD BE ALERT
FOR HEA!VY DOWNPOURS...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING OVER THE NEXT HOUR
AS THESE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST.

LOEPER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 13, 7:58 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIPhiladelphia92 min
Jul 13, 7:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIPhiladelphia58 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1991Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1991

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.