Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

August 8, 1992Armstrong County, Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this tornado warning at Aug 8, 1992, 8:36 PM EDT for Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 69 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 8, 1992, 8:36 PM EDT (00:36 UTC)
Expired
Aug 8, 1992, 9:45 PM EDT
In force
69 min
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Armstrong County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 70 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 1992-08-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1269 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 1992-08-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 176 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
1269 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
705 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
176 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
191 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
4.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KPIT 090035
TORPIT
PAC005-090145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
836 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  945 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN WEST PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...ARMSTRONG COUNTY
 
AT 830 PM RADAR SHOWED THE TORNADO BEARING SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH
HEAVY DOWNPOURS OVER NORTHERN BUTLER COUNTY WAS MOVING INTO ARMSTRONG
COUNTY. DAMAGING WIND AND HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE LIGHTNING AND FLASH
FLOODING CAN OCCUR WITH THIS STORM.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.  HOWEVER...IF
DOWNPOURS CAUSE FLOODING TO BEGIN...GO TO HIGHER GROUND.  AVOID
FLOODING TO GET THERE.
 
TORNADO AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE FOR BUTLER AND BEAVER
COUNT0IES TIL 915 PM.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Aug 8, 4:02 PM EDT, 4 hours 34 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT--THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND WIND
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
405 PM EDT SAT AUG 08 1992

...STILL BE ON THE LOOKOUT EARLY TONIGHT FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH
   HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND GUSTY WIND ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
   AND NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE...

THIS EVENINGS CLOUDY BUT HUMID WEATHER WILL GENERALLY BE QUITE
BEARABLE FOR MOST OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES...INCLUDING PITTSBURGHS THREE
RIVERS REGATTA...FIREWORKS AND STEELERS PRESEASON GAME...AND VARIOUS
AIR SHOWS.  HOWEVER...BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR DANGEROUS THUNDERTORMS WITH
HEAVY DOWNPOURS...GUSTY WIND...AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY LIGHTNING.

WHENEVER THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...GO INSIDE IF POSSIBLE.  GET OFF BOATS
AND AWAY FROM THE WATER.  IF YOU MUST TAKE SHELTER OUTDOORS...TAKE
COVER FROM THE WIND AND LIGHTNING IN EITHER LOW OR COVERED AREAS AWAY
FROM HIGH POINTY OBJECTS LIKE TALL TREES...POLES AND TOWERS.  HOWEVER
ALSO KEEP IN MIND...THAT YOU MAY HAVE TO TAKE HIGHER GROUND IF
HEAVY DOWNPOURS BEGIN TO CAUSE FLOODING.  NEVER GO THROUGH FLOODING TO
GET TO HIGHER GROUND.  SWIFT CURRENTS...EVEN SHALLOW ONES...CAN SWEEP
YOU AWAY.

GIORDANO
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 4:57 PM EDT, 3 hours 39 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT--SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
455 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 1992

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 11 PM FOR NORTHWESTERN
   PENNSYLVANIA...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PARTS OF NORTHWESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 1100 PM THIS EVENING.

THE PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE...

 CRAWFORD           LAWRENCE            VENANGO
 ERIE               MCKEAN              WARREN
 FOREST             MERCER

LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS
ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDtERSTORMS 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.

PALKO/HIGGINS
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 7:42 PM EDT, 54 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
745 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 1992

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NORTHWESTERN
   PENNSYLVANIA TIL 11 PM...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR BUTLER
   COUNTY TIL 845 PM...

CLEAR:3
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 7:51 PM EDT, 45 minutes before
PAZ001>006-013>015-WVZ001-090300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
750 PM EDT SAT AUG 8 1992

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NORTHWESTERN
   PENNSYLVANIA TIL 11 PM...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR BUTLER COUNTY TIL
   845 PM...

AT 745 PM SHOWED THREE BANDS OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY
DOWNPOURS ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.  THE MOST NORTHERN ONE WAS
ALONG THE NEW YORK STATE LINE BUT AFFECTING WARREN COUNTY.  THE SECOND
BAND WAS ACROSS VENANGO AND CRAWFORD AND NORTHERN MERCER COUNTY HEADING
INTO FOREST COUNTY.  THE THIRD BAND WAS OVER LAWRENCE AND BUTLER COUNTY
WITH MORE STORMS BACK TO CANTON OHIO.  EACH BAND WAS HEADING EAST AT 25
MPH.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...MOVE INSIDE.  ALSO GET AWAY FROM WATER.
DO NOT USE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES OR TELEPHONES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY
UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER
CROSSINGS.

MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY.
NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT.
TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

ALONG WITH THE FLOODING THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO PRODUCE STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...POSSIBLE LARGE HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTING.

LAG/RWH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 8, 8:00 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZBeaver60 min
Aug 8, 8:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZBeaver60 min
Aug 8, 8:18 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZBeaver, Butler57 min
Aug 8, 8:18 PM EDTTornado WarningPBZBeaver, Butler57 min
Aug 8, 8:36 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZArmstrong69 min
Aug 8, 9:16 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZBeaver, Butler104 min
Aug 8, 9:20 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZBeaver, Butler100 min
Aug 8, 9:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZBeaver, Butler100 min
Aug 8, 9:35 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZAllegheny85 min
Aug 8, 9:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZAllegheny85 min
Aug 8, 11:00 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZCambria, Clearfield, Indiana, Westmoreland3 hr
Aug 8, 11:00 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZAllegheny, Beaver3 hr
Aug 8, 11:00 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZFayette3 hr
Aug 8, 11:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZCambria, Clearfield, Indiana, Westmoreland3 hr
Aug 8, 11:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZAllegheny, Beaver3 hr
Aug 8, 11:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZFayette3 hr
Aug 9, 12:15 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZSomerset105 min
Aug 9, 12:15 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZSomerset105 min
Aug 9, 2:00 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZFayette3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1992Every tornado warning in 1992Tornadoes 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.