Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994

Flash Flood Warning 33, NWS Cleveland, OH

June 14, 1994Crawford County, Erie County, Pennsylvania

NWS Cleveland, OH issued this flash flood warning at Jun 14, 1994, 4:00 AM EDT for Crawford County, Erie County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 14, 1994, 4:00 AM EDT (08:00 UTC)
Expired
Jun 14, 1994, 9:45 AM EDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Cleveland, OH
Area
Whole counties

Counties Crawford County, PA, Erie County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 00:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 162 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 00:00Z on 1994-06-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 00:00Z on 1994-06-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 158 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1106 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
158 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
160 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KERI 140757
FFWERI
PAC039-049-053-083-121-123-141345-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ERIE PA
400 AM EDT TUE JUN 14 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ERIE HAS EXTENDED THE
FLASH FLOOD WARNING NOW EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 AM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...CRAWFORD COUNTY...ERIE COUNTY...FOREST COUNTY
   ...MCKEAN COUNTY...VENANGO COUNTY...WARREN COUNTY
 
THE FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED FOR THESE COUNTIES DUE TO
CONTINUED RUNOFF FROM THE TORRENTIAL RAINS OF TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. RAINFALL IN THE WARNED AREA HAS RANGED FROM 2.5 TO 3.5 INCHES
AND MANY SMALL STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS CONTINUE TO FLOOD. ANY
ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TODAY COULD ADD TO THE FLOOD PROBLEM.
 
 
 
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.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  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 UP 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, Jun 13, 10:55 PM EDT, 5 hours 5 minutes before
OHZ001>050-140300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
1055 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

A SPECIAL MARINE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR LAKE ERIE FROM LORAIN TO
PAINESVILLE UNTIL 11:45 PM.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH THAT IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN OHIO HAS
EXPIRED.

AT 1055 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AT CLEVELAND SHOWED
AN AREA OF SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS OVER LAKE ERIE NORTH OF
LORAIN AND CLEVELAND EXTENDING SOUTHWEST ACROSS WEST CENTRAL OHIO NEAR
LIMA AND WEST ACROSS INDIANA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE NORTH OF LORAIN
WELL OUT OVER THE LAKE. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO WEAKEN AND SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT
EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHERN OHIO THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT. SOME AREAS WILL
SEE ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
PRODUCE BRIEF WINDS TO 40 KNOTS AND SMALL HAIL OVER CENTRAL LAKE ERIE.

KOSARIK
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 10:58 PM EDT, 5 hours 2 minutes before
OHZ001>050-140300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
1055 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

A SPECIAL MARINE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR LAKE ERIE FROM LORAIN TO
PAINESVILLE UNTIL 11:45 PM.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH THAT IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN OHIO HAS
EXPIRED.

AT 1055 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AT CLEVELAND SHOWED
AN AREA OF SHOWERS WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS OVER LAKE ERIE NORTH OF
LORAIN AND CLEVELAND EXTENDING SOUTHWEST ACROSS WEST CENTRAL OHIO NEAR
LIMA AND WEST ACROSS INDIANA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE NORTH OF LORAIN
WELL OUT OVER THE LAKE. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO WEAKEN AND SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT
EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHERN OHIO THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT. SOME AREAS WILL
SEE ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY
PRODUCE BRIEF WINDS TO 40 KNOTS AND SMALL HAIL OVER CENTRAL LAKE ERIE.

KOSARIK
Special weather statement, Jun 13, 11:53 PM EDT, 4 hours 7 minutes before
PAZ001-002-003-004-005-008-009-140445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ERIE PA
1152 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

...FLASH FLOOD WARNIGN REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT FOR MUCH OF
NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA INCLUDING ERIE...CRAWFORD...WARREN...MCKEAN
...FOREST AND VENANGO COUNTIES...

AS OF 1150 PM EDT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DUMPED AN
ESTIMATED 2.5-3.5 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST PENNSYLVAN
.ALTHOUGH THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS PAST...THE THREAT OF FLOODING
LCONTINUE INTO THE MORNING HOURS.

SEVERAL REPORTS OF FLOODED ROADS ACROSS NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN
REPORTED AFFECTING LOW-LYING AREAS AS WELL AS STATE HIGHWAYS.  SEVERAL
DAMS ACROSS NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN REPORTED NEAR CAPACITY.

THE HAMLIN LAKE PARK DAM ON MARVIN CREEK...SOUTHWEST OF SMETHPORT IN
MCKEAN COUNTY...IS PARTICULARLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE EARTHEN DAM
COULD FAIL SHOULD WATER RISE ANOTHER 1-2 FEET.  FAILURE OF THIS DAM COULRESULT IN 3-5 FEET OF RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER IN THE TOWN OF SMETHPORT...
DOWNSTREAM TO FARMER'S VALLEY...CORRYVILLE AND ELDRED.  RESIDENTS IN THE
COMMUNITIES SHOULD PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO WATER LEVELS THROUGH THE MOR
NHOURS AND BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE QUICKLY.

TRAVELERS SHOULD ALSO EXCERCISE CAUTION AS MANY ROADS ARE FLOODED.
FLOODED ROADS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE DURING THE NIGHT.  DO NOT TRY TO
CROSS FLOODED AREAS IN YOUR CAR OR ON FOOT...THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP
AND TOO SWIFT TO ALLOW YOU TO PASS SAFELY.

IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.  STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES
CONCERNING THIS FLOODING SITUATION.

BELK/LAMBERT

&
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 12:06 AM EDT, 3 hours 54 minutes before
PAZ001-002-003-004-005-008-009-140445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ERIE PA
1205 PM EDT MON JUN 13 1994

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT FOR MUCH OF
NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA INCLUDING ERIE...CRAWFORD...WARREN...MCKEAN
...FOREST AND VENANGO COUNTIES...

AS OF 1150 PM EDT SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DUMPED AN
ESTIMATED 2.5-3.5 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST
PENNSYLVANIA.  ALTHOUGH THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS PAST...THE
THREAT OF FLOODING WILL CONTINUE INTO THE MORNING HOURS.

SEVERAL REPORTS OF FLOODED ROADS ACROSS NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN
RECEIVED...AFFECTING LOW-LYING AREAS AS WELL AS STATE HIGHWAYS.  SEVERAL
DAMS ACROSS NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA HAVE BEEN REPORTED NEAR CAPACITY AS
WELL.

THE HAMLIN LAKE PARK DAM ON MARVIN CREEK...SOUTHWEST OF SMETHPORT IN
MCKEAN COUNTY...IS PARTICULARLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE EARTHEN DAM
COULD FAIL SHOULD WATER RISE ANOTHER 1-2 FEET.  FAILURE OF THIS DAM
COULD RESULT IN 3-5 FEET OF RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER INTO THE TOWN OF
SMETHPORT...DOWNSTREAM TO FARMER'S VALLEY...CORRYVILLE AND ELDRED.
RESIDENTS IN THESE COMMUNITIES SHOULD PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO WATER
LEVELS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AND BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE QUICKLY.

TRAVELERS SHOULD ALSO EXCERCISE CAUTION AS MANY ROADS ARE FLOODED.
FLOODED ROADS ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE DURING THE NIGHT.  DO NOT TRY TO
CROSS FLOODED AREAS IN YOUR CAR OR ON FOOT...THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP
AND TOO SWIFT TO ALLOW YOU TO PASS SAFELY.

IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.  STAY TUNED
TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL NEWS SOURCES FOR FURTHER UPDATES
CONCERNING THIS FLOODING SITUATION.

BELK/LAMBERT

CORRECTION FOR GARBLING OF MESSAGE

&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 13, 8:29 PM EDTTornado WarningCLEForest, Venango61 min
Jun 13, 9:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCLELawrence49 min
Jun 14, 12:42 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCLECrawford, Forest, Venango, Warren3 hr
Jun 14, 12:42 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCLEErie3 hr
Jun 14, 12:42 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCLEMcKean3 hr
Jun 14, 4:00 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCLEForest, McKean, Venango, Warren6 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1994Every flash flood warning in 1994

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.