Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1992

Flash Flood Warning 9, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

July 23, 1992Bedford County, Blair County, Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 23, 1992, 3:58 PM EDT for Bedford County, Blair County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 23, 1992, 3:58 PM EDT (19:58 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 1992, 6:00 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Bedford County, PA, Blair County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 144 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 1992-07-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 464 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 1992-07-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 87 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
464 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-38 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
640 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
87 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
91 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KPIT 232000
FFWPIT
PAC009-013-232200-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
358 PM EDT THU JUL 23 1992

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN WEST PENNSYLVANIA

   ...BEDFORD COUNTY...BLAIR COUNTY

FLOOD PRODUCING RAIN RAIN HAS MOVED EAST INTO BEDFORD AND BLAIR COUNTIES.

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 TO 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

Special weather statement, Jul 23, 10:28 AM EDT, 5 hours 30 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-232000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT-HEAVY DOWNPOURS MOVING TOWARDS WESTERN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA           PENNSYLVANNIA
1030 AM EDT THU JUL 23 1992

...HEAVY DOWNPOURS POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS AFTERNOOON IN THE WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA REGION...

AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL OHIO WILL REACH EXTREME
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AROUND NOON AND THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 130
AND 2PM. RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE HEAVY WITH THIS AREA AND COULD
CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AS WELL AS LOWLAND FLOODING. GUSTY
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND HAIL CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED.

AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN ESPECIALLY HARD HIT WITH RAINS OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL DAYS ARE MOST PRONE TO LOWLAND FLOODING. THIS INCLUDES THE
NORTHWEST TIER OF PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE
NECESSARY FOR SOME AREAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON DEPENDING ON THE MOVEMENT
OF THIS THUNDERSTORM AREA.

STAY TUNED FOR FURTHbER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS
THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.

SKYWARN OBSERVERS PLEASE REPORT RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE INCH OR
GREATER.

RWH/RS
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 12:54 PM EDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
1250PM EDT THU JUL 23 1992

THE PITTSBURGH WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AS THEY MOVED ACROSS EASTERN OHIO
AND INTO THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHWESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA.

THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT BEAVER...ALLEGHENY AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AS WELL AS HANCOCK AND BROOKE COUNTIES
IN THE WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO ONE INCH IN AN HOUR HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH
THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVED ACROSS EASTERN OHIO.

MOTORISTS SHOULD EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS...REDUCED VISIBILITY
AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA AREA.
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 12:58 PM EDT, 3 hours before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WV001-231800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTION FOR CODES
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
1255PM EDT THU JUL 23 1992

THE PITTSBURGH WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO
WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AS THEY MOVED ACROSS EASTERN OHIO
AND INTO THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHWESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA.

THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT BEAVER...ALLEGHENY AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AS WELL AS HANCOCK AND BROOKE COUNTIES
IN THE WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO ONE INCH IN AN HOUR HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH
THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVED ACROSS EASTERN OHIO.

MOTORISTS SHOULD EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS...REDUCED VISIBILITY

AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA AREA.

RWH/WR
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 2:52 PM EDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WV001-231800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
245PM EDT THU JUL 23 1992

THE PITTSBURGH WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
WESTMORELAND COUNTY JUST WEST OF LATROBE. MANY REPORTS OF STREET AND
LOWLAND FLOODING HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM MURRYSVILLE AND LATROBE.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING INTO CAMBRIA AND SOMERSET COUNTIES.
RAINFALL REPORTS WERE ON THE ORDER OF AN INCH TO AN INCH AND A HALF
IN ONE HOUR. THESE STORMS WILL ALSO CONTAIN DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...GUSTY
WINDS AND POSSIBLY HAIL.

DRIVERS SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION AS HEAVY RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING ON THE
ROADWAYS.

THE STORMS WILL MOVE OUT OF SOMERSET >AND CAMBRIA COUNTIES BY 5 PM.

ROLINSKI
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 3:58 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WV001-232050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
350 PM EDT THU JUL 23 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR SOMERSET...CAMBRIA AND AND WESTMORELAND
COUNTIES TIL 5 PM...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND SOUTH CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA TIL 8 PM...

THE PITTSBURGH WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
BEDFORD AND BLAIR COUNTIES JUST NORTH AND WEST OF THE CITY OF BEDFORD.
ANOTHER STORM WAS LOCATED IN FRANLIN COUNTY BETWEEN CHAMBERSBURG AND
MERCERSBURG.  MANY REPORTS OF STREET AND LOWLAND FLOODING HAVE BEEN
RECEIVED FROM WESTMORELAND...CAMBRIA AND BEDFORD COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING INTO
FULTON AND ADAMS COUNTIES BY 4 PM...WITH ADDITIONAL STORMS BACK INTO
FRANKLIN COUNTY BY 430 PM.

ANOTHER LINE OF STORMS WAS ALONG THE PENNSYLVANIA-MARYLAND BORDER NEAR
CUMBERLAND MARYLAND THEN SOUTHWEST TOWARD ELKINS WEST VIRGINIA.

RAINFALL REPORTS WERE ON THE ORDER OF AN INCH TO AN INCH AND A HALF
IN ONE HOUR...AND UP TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR AND A HALF.
THESE STORMS WILL ALSO CONTAIN DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...GUSTY
WINDS AND POSSIBLY HAIL.

DRIVERS SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION AS HEAVY RAINS WILL CAUSE PONDING ON
THE
ROADWAYS.

ALESSI

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 23, 2:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZWestmoreland61 min
Jul 23, 2:54 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZCambria, Somerset, Westmoreland2 hr
Jul 23, 5:15 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZWestmoreland105 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.