Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1992

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Cleveland, OH

July 15, 1992Elk County, Pennsylvania

NWS Cleveland, OH issued this flash flood warning at Jul 15, 1992, 2:51 PM EDT for Elk County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 15, 1992, 2:51 PM EDT (18:51 UTC)
Expired
Jul 15, 1992, 5:00 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Cleveland, OH
Area
Whole counties

County Elk County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 166 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 12:00Z on 1992-07-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 602 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 12:00Z on 1992-07-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 90 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
602 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
582 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
90 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
159 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KERI 151854
FFWERI
PAC047-152100-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ERIE PA
251 PM EDT WED JUL 15 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ERIE HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  500 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...ELK COUNTY
 
WEATHER RADAR AT 250 PM SHOWED HEAVY RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS
OCCURRING ACROSS MUCH OF ELK COUNTY IN THE TOWNS OF ST MARYS AND
RIDGWAY.
 
AS MUCH AS TWO INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS PORTIONS OF ELK COUNTY
THIS MORNING AND DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS.
 
ELK CREEK IN THE VICINITY OF ST MARYS WAS REPORTED NEAR FLOOD STAGE.
THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FLOODED ROADWAYS AND
BASEMENTS.
 
 
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE zTO HIGHER GROUND.

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

Local storm report, Jul 15, 11:11 AM EDT, 3 hours 40 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
1045AM EDT WED JUL 15 1992

720-800 PM  LORAIN/SHEFFIELD LAKE/WELLINGTON (LORAIN COUNTY)
            TREES DOWN IN MANY AREAS..DAMAGE ESPECIALLY HEAVY
            IN AVON LAKE...CEI REPORTED GUSTS TO 90 MPH.

724-815 PM  CUYAHOGA COUNTY...HEAVY DAMAGE TH;ROUGHOUT COUNTY.
            60TO 70 MPH WINDS COMMON. TREES..UTILITY LINES DOWN..
            MANY HOMES DAMAGED..TRUCK BLOWN OVER ON LAKESHORE BLVD..
            MORE THAN 50,000 CEI CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER.. SOME FOR
            OVER 6 HOURS.

816 PM      CHARDON/NEWBERRY/BURTON (GEAUGA COUNTY).. NUMEROUS LARGE
            TREES DOWN.  FARM BUILDINGS DAMGED.

825 PM      LITCHFIELD (MEDINA COUNTY).. LARGE TREES AND UTILITY LINES
            DOWN.
 832 PM     KIRTLAND HILLS/MENTOR ON LAKE (LAKE COUNTY)
            LARGE TREES AND UTILITY LINES DOWN.  SOME BUILDING
            DAMAGE ALSO REPORTED.

845 PM      WINDSOR/ORWELL AREAS (ASHTABULA COUNTY)
            LARGE TREES AND UTILITY LINES DOWN.

ALL OF THIS DAMAGE OCCURED TUESDAY EVENING JULY 14 1992.

CORRECTION TO ADD ASHTABULA COUNTY REPORT AND DATE OF EVENTS.

MILLER
Special weather statement, Jul 15, 12:31 PM EDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
PAZ003-004-152000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ERIE, PA
1224 PM EDT WED JUL 15 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS UNTIL 4PM THIS AFTERNOON...

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL EARLY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
SECTIONS OF NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SPECIFICALLY IN A 30 MILE WIDE
BAND FROM BRADFORD SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE TOWNS OF TIONESTA...OIL CITY...
FRANKLIN...STONEBORO AND MERCER.

THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF SOME STREET AND BASEMENT FLOODING THROUGHOUT
THIS AREA...BUT STREAMS ACROSS VENANGO AND FOREST COUNTIES WHERE THE
HEAVIEST RAIN IS FALLING CONTINUE TO BE WELL BELOW BANKFULL AT THE PRESENT
TIME.

WEATHER RADAR SHOWS THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN FROM
NEAR CORRY IN ERIE COUNTY...SOUTH TO NEAR STONEBORO IN MERCER COUNTY.

THE ENTIRE AREA OF RAIN IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH.

RAIN SHOULD BEGIN TO TAPER OFF IN THE AFFECTED AREAS DURING THE
EARLY AFTERNOON ALONG THE OHIO/PENNSYLVANIA STATE LINE NORTH OF
INTERSTATE 80...WHILE AREAS FURTHER TO THE EAST MAY RECEIVE
ADDITIONAL MODERATE TO OCCAISIONALLY HEAVY RAIN FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL
HOURS.

RELAY ANY FLOODING REPORTS OF STREAMS OR RAODWAYS TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.

WHERE HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING ARE OCCURRING...AVOID DRIVING THROUGH
LOW LYING AREAS AND DRIVE WITH CAUTION AS WATER MAY COLLECT RAPIDLY
ON ROADWAYS CAUSING YOUR VEHICLE TO HYDROPLANE.

LAMBERT/PARRISH
Local storm report, Jul 15, 1:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ERIE, PA
114 PM EDT WED JUL 15 1992

STORM REPORTS FOR ADDITIONAL REPORTS FOR JULY 13 1992

TIME  EDT    EVENT
.........................................................................

918 PM       ELECTRIC COMPANY REPORTS TREES...LARGE LIMBS DOWN 1 MILE
             SOUTHEAST OF EDINBORO IN SOUTH CENTRAL ERIE COUNTY.

1000 PM      LARGE TREE LIMBS/POWER LINES DOWNED SOUTH OF FRANKLIN
             IN VENA`NGO COUNTY. POWER OUTAGES IN THE FRANKLIN AREA.

THESE REPORTS ARE AN ADDITION TO THE PREVIOUS JULY 13 REPORTS...

WSO ERI
Local storm report, Jul 15, 1:32 PM EDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ERIE, PA
123 PM EDT WED JUL 15 1992

STORM REPORTS FOR TUESDAY JULY 14, 1992

TIME  EDT    EVENT
.........................................................................

750 PM       NUMEROUS TREES/LARGE LIMBS DOWNED NEAR MIDDLEBORO IN
             CENTRAL ERIE COUNTY.

905 PM       NUMEROUS TREES/LARGE LIMBS DOWNED IN THE PYMATUNING
             RESERVOIR AREA OF WESTERN CRAWFORD COUNTY BLOCKING
             SOME SECONDARY ROADS.

WSO ERI, PA
Special weather statement, Jul 15, 2:15 PM EDT, 36 minutes before
PAZ003-004-152300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ERIE, PA
208 PM EDT WED JUL 15 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND THE NORTHERN
MOUNTAINS UNTIL 4PM THIS AFTERNOON...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CAMERON AND POTTER COUNTIES IN THE
NORTHERN MOUNTAINS TIL 7PM THIS EVENING...

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL EARLY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
SECTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PENNSYLVANIA...SPECIFICALLY IN A
30 MILE WIDE BAND FROM BRADFORD SOUTH THROUGH THE TOWNS OF RIDGWAY AND
DUBOIS.  A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS AREA OF RAIN
NEAR PORT ALLEGANY AND RIDGWAY.

THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF SOME STREET AND BASEMENT FLOODING THROUGHOUT
THIS AREA...BUT STREAMS ARE STILL WELL BELOW BANKFULL.

WEATHER RADAR SHOWS THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN FROM
JUST EAST OF WARREN...SOUTH TO NEAR CLARION IN JEFFERSON COUNTY.

THE ENTIRE AREA OF RAIN IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH.

RAIN SHOULD BEGIN TO TAPER OFF IN THE AFFECTED AREAS DURING THE
EARLY AFTERNOON...WHILE AREAS FURTHER TO THE EAST NEAR WEEDVILLE
EMPORIUM...COUDERSPORT AND GALETON MAY RECEIVE ADDITIONAL MODERATE
TO OCCAISIONALLY HEAVY RAIN FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.

RELAY ANY FLOODING REPORTS OF STREAMS OR ROADWAYS ALONG WITH REPORTS
OF STRONG DAMAGING WIND OR LARGE HAIL TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

WHERE HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING ARE OCCURRING...AVOID DRIVING THROUGH
LOW LYING AREAS AND DRIVE WITH CAUTION AS WATER MAY COLLECT RAPIDLY
ON ROADWAYS CAUSING YOUR VEHICLE TO HYDROPLANE.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS OCCUR STAY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING AND AWAY FROM
WINDOWS.  AVOID CONTACT WITH ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES AND THE TELEPHONE.

LAMBERT/PARRISH
Local storm report, Jul 15, 2:43 PM EDT, 8 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
243 PM EDT WED JUL 15 1992

TORNADO REPORTS IN NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OHIO FOR THE EVENING
OF JULY 12TH...

0730 PM EDT    ERIE COUNTY...TORNADO TOUCHDOWN (F2) SOUTH OF SANDUSKY
               ALONG BOGART AVE BETWEEN HWYS 4 AND 250. AT LEAST 10
               HOMS DESTROYED ALONG WITH OUTBUILDINGS/SMALL BARNS. HUGE
               DEBRIS FIELD SPREAD OUT TO NORTH OF BOGART AVE. DAMAGE
               PATH ABOUT 400 YDS WIDE AND NEARLY 2 MILES LONG.

0805 PM EDT    LORAIN COUNTY...TORNADO TOUCHDOWN (F1) IN AMHERST ON WEST
               AND SOUTH SIDES BETWEEN HWY 2 AND I-80/90. NUMEROUS LARGE
               TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED. MANY HOMES DAMAGED. DAMAGE
               PATH VARIED FROM 100 TO 400 YDS IN WIDTH AND WAS ABOUT
               2 MILES LONG.

0850 PM EDT    LORAIN COUNTY...TWO TORNADOES (F0 AND F2)TOUCHED DOWN ON
            SOUTHEAST SIDE OF LAGRANGE. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO AT LEAST
            8 HOMES. SEVERAL SHEDS DESTROYED. UTILITY TRUCK OVERTURNED
            AND DAMAGED. NUMEROUS LARGE TREES AND POWER LINES DOWNED.
            DAMAGE PATH WAS 200 YDS WIDE AND 1.75 MILES LONG.

KAPELA

The office that day

Everything else NWS Cleveland, OH issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 14, 8:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCLEErie59 min
Jul 14, 8:38 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCLECrawford, Erie67 min
Jul 14, 9:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCLEMercer57 min
Jul 14, 9:19 PM EDTTornado WarningCLEMercer41 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1992Every flash flood warning in 1992

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.