Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 13, NWS State College, PA

April 1, 1993Dauphin County, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Apr 1, 1993, 8:43 PM EST for Dauphin County, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 7 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 1, 1993, 8:43 PM EST (01:43 UTC)
Expired
Apr 2, 1993, 4:00 AM EST
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Dauphin County, PA, Lancaster County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 161 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 00:00Z on 1993-04-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 615 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 00:00Z on 1993-04-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 152 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
615 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
664 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
152 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
275 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
3.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KHAR 020147
FFWHAR
PAC043-071-020900-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
843 PM EST THU APR 1 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HARRISBURG HAS ISSUED A
SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  400 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...DAUPHIN COUNTY...LANCASTER COUNTY
 
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS IN DAUPHIN COUNTY REPORT ROADS BEING
CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING IN LONDONDERRY TOWNSHIP AND LOWER SWATARA
TOWNSHIP. A LARGE AREA OF MODERATE TO VERY HEAVY RAIN IS CURRENTLY
FALLING ACROSS DAUPHIN COUNTY.
 
A BAND OF MODERATE TO VERY HEAVY RAIN ALSO EXTENDS ACROSS CENTRAL AND
NORTHERN LANCASTER COUNTY.  SOME OF THE HEAVIER RAIN IS LOCATED ALONG
THE LITTLE CHICKIES CREEK WHICH FLOODED EARLIER TODAY.  PERSONS IN
LANCASTER COUNTY...ESPECIALLY THOSE ALONG THE LITTLE CHICKIES CREEK
SHOULD BE ALERT FOR SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL FLOODING OVERNIGHT.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT
STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS TO RISE.
 
 
 
&

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, Apr 1, 3:15 PM EST, 5 hours 28 minutes before
PAZ006-009-013-020000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
415 PM EDT THU APR 01 1993

....RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING INTO SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...A 330 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN HARRISBURG SHOWED AN AREA OF SCATTERED
RAIN SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...
MOVING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...MARYLAND....AND THE VIRGINIAS.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA...
FREDERICK COUNTY VIRGINIA...AND FAUQUIER COUNTY VIRGINIA.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED IN BEDFORD
COUNTY AND INDIANA COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA.  AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINSHOWERS
EXTEND ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES PER HOUR.
RAIN SHOWERS...AND POSSIBLY A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS...WILL
SPREAD FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND
THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY OVER THE NEXT 3 HOURS.

GIVEN THE SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS...AND BANKFULL OR HIGHER CONDITIONS
ON MANY AREA STREAMS AND CREEKS...ADDITIONAL SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS
LIKELY IN ANY AREAS WHICH MAY RECEIVE HEAVY RAIN.

STAY ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL FLOODING.  IF YOU LIVE NEAR
A SMALL STREAM MONITOR ITS LEVEL CLOSELY.  MOVE TO HIGH GROUND IF FLOODING
IS OBSERVED.  DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS FLOODED ROADS.  TWO FEET OF WATER ARE
ALL THATS NEEDED TO SWEEP YOU AND YOUR CAR DOWNSTREAM.

FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE IN FULTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT.
A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE REGION.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

PRA
Special weather statement, Apr 1, 4:15 PM EST, 4 hours 28 minutes before
PAZ006-009-013-020000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
515 PM EDT THU APR 01 1993

....RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING INTO SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...A 430 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN HARRISBURG SHOWED AN AREA OF SCATTERED
RAIN SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...
MOVING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...MARYLAND....AND THE VIRGINIAS.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA...
FREDERICK COUNTY VIRGINIA...AND FAUQUIER COUNTY VIRGINIA.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED IN BEDFORD
COUNTY AND INDIANA COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA.  AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINSHOWERS
EXTEND ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES PER HOUR.
RAIN SHOWERS...AND POSSIBLY A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS...WILL
SPREAD FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND
THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY OVER THE NEXT 3 HOURS.

GIVEN THE SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS...AND BANKFULL OR HIGHER CONDITIONS
ON MANY AREA STREAMS AND CREEKS...ADDITIONAL SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS
LIKELY IN ANY AREAS WHICH MAY RECEIVE HEAVY RAIN.

STAY ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL FLOODING.  IF YOU LIVE NEAR
A SMALL STREAM MONITOR ITS LEVEL CLOSELY.  MOVE TO HIGH GROUND IF FLOODING
IS OBSERVED.  DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS FLOODED ROADS.  TWO FEET OF WATER ARE
ALL THATS NEEDED TO SWEEP YOU AND YOUR CAR DOWNSTREAM.

FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE IN FULTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT.
A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE REGION.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

PRA
Special weather statement, Apr 1, 5:17 PM EST, 3 hours 26 minutes before
PAZ006-009-013-020000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
415 PM EDT THU APR 01 1993

....RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING INTO SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...A 330 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN HARRISBURG SHOWED AN AREA OF SCATTERED
RAIN SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...
MOVING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...MARYLAND....AND THE VIRGINIAS.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA...
FREDERICK COUNTY VIRGINIA...AND FAUQUIER COUNTY VIRGINIA.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED IN BEDFORD
COUNTY AND INDIANA COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA.  AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINSHOWERS
EXTEND ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES PER HOUR.
RAIN SHOWERS...AND POSSIBLY A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS...WILL
SPREAD FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND
THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY OVER THE NEXT 3 HOURS.

GIVEN THE SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS...AND BANKFULL OR HIGHER CONDITIONS
ON MANY AREA STREAMS AND CREEKS...ADDITIONAL SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS
LIKELY IN ANY AREAS WHICH MAY RECEIVE HEAVY RAIN.

STAY ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL FLOODING.  IF YOU LIVE NEAR
A SMALL STREAM MONITOR ITS LEVEL CLOSELY.  MOVE TO HIGH GROUND IF FLOODING
IS OBSERVED.  DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS FLOODED ROADS.  TWO FEET OF WATER ARE
ALL THATS NEEDED TO SWEEP YOU AND YOUR CAR DOWNSTREAM.

FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE IN FULTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT.
A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE REGION.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

PRA
Special weather statement, Apr 1, 5:19 PM EST, 3 hours 24 minutes before
PAZ006-009-013-020000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HARRISBURG PA
515 PM EDT THU APR 01 1993

....RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING INTO SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...A 430 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN HARRISBURG SHOWED AN AREA OF SCATTERED
RAIN SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...
MOVING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...MARYLAND....AND THE VIRGINIAS.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED IN HAMPSHIRE COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA...
FREDERICK COUNTY VIRGINIA...AND FAUQUIER COUNTY VIRGINIA.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED IN BEDFORD
COUNTY AND INDIANA COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA.  AREAS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAINSHOWERS
EXTEND ACROSS MUCH OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES PER HOUR.
RAIN SHOWERS...AND POSSIBLY A FEW EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS...WILL
SPREAD FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND
THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY OVER THE NEXT 3 HOURS.

GIVEN THE SATURATED SOIL CONDITIONS...AND BANKFULL OR HIGHER CONDITIONS
ON MANY AREA STREAMS AND CREEKS...ADDITIONAL SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS
LIKELY IN ANY AREAS WHICH MAY RECEIVE HEAVY RAIN.

STAY ALERT TO THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL FLOODING.  IF YOU LIVE NEAR
A SMALL STREAM MONITOR ITS LEVEL CLOSELY.  MOVE TO HIGH GROUND IF FLOODING
IS OBSERVED.  DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS FLOODED ROADS.  TWO FEET OF WATER ARE
ALL THATS NEEDED TO SWEEP YOU AND YOUR CAR DOWNSTREAM.

FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE IN FULTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT.
A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE REGION.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

PRA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 1, 9:58 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPAdams, Cumberland, Franklin, York6 hr
Apr 1, 9:58 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPHuntingdon, Mifflin6 hr
Apr 2, 7:46 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPFranklin8 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1993Every flash flood warning in 1993

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.