Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1994

Flash Flood Warning 14, NWS State College, PA

August 18, 1994Potter County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 18, 1994, 1:31 AM EDT for Potter County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 119 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 18, 1994, 1:31 AM EDT (05:31 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 1994, 3:30 AM EDT
In force
119 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Potter County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 00:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 147 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 1994-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 225 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 00:00Z on 1994-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 14 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
225 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-11 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
753 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
14 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
13 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 KCTP 180532
FFWCTP
PAC105-180730-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
131 AM EDT THU AUG 18 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A
URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS......
 
IN  PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...POTTER COUNTY
 
AT 130 AM EDT... POTTER COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES REPORTED SMALL STREAM
FLOODING. SEVERAL CARS AND HOMES HAVE BEEN FLOODED. DOPPLER RADAR
INDICATED THAT MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE IN POTTER COUNTY FOR
THE NEXT HOUR OR SO AGGRAVATING THE FLOODING SITUATION.
 
MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING 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.
 
NICOSIA

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, Aug 17, 10:41 PM EDT, 2 hours 50 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-
056>059-063>066-180440-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT -
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1041 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1994

...A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT INTO
THURSDAY FOR PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY...
...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE SUSQUEHANNA
VALLEY AND THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS UNTIL 11 PM EDT...

AT 1030 PM STATE COLLEGE WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A DIMINISHING AREA
OF SHOWER ACTIVITY ACROSS SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA. NORTHERN
SECTIONS OF THE STATE ARE NOW SEEING THE STEADY MODERATE RAIN. THE
HEAVIEST ACTIVITY HAS NOW MOVED INTO
CLEARFIELD....CAMERON...CLINTON...MCKEAN AND POTTER COUNTIES..
THESE AREAS WILL LIKELY SEE RAINFALL RATES OF ONE HALF INCH /0.50/ PER
HOUR DURING THE NEXT TWO HOURS. AREAS WITH POOR DRAINAGE PROBLEMS
MAY SEE MINOR FLOODING.

TO THE SOUTH...SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE IN THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA AND SOUTH
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS. THESE AREAS ARE ALSO UNDER A TORNADO WATCH.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH IS STILL IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 11 PM.
 IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IN A HOME
OR BUSINESS IS AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE.
AVOID WINDOWS.

IF YOU ARE IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA...YOU SHOULD MONITOR WATER LEVELS
AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND...SHOULD FLOOD WATERS
THREATEN.

WINTHER
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 11:11 PM EDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-
056>059-063>066-180415-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT -
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1113 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1994

...A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT
OVERNIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY ...
...THE TORNADO WATCH FOR SECTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
PENNSYLVANIA HAS EXPIRED...

THE TORNADO WATCH FOR SECTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA HAS EXPIRED. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER WERE REPORTED
TO THE STATE COLLEGE OFFICE.

THE SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR
SECTIONS THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AND SECTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS.

A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVERNIGHT FOR
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
LYCOMING...UNION...SNYDER...SULLIVAN...SOUTHERN
CLINTON...MONTOUR...NORTHUMBERLAND...COLUMBIA...SCHUYLKILL...

WINTHER
Special weather statement, Aug 17, 11:13 PM EDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-
056>059-063>066-180415-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT -
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1113 PM EDT WED AUG 17 1994

...A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT
OVERNIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY ...
...THE TORNADO WATCH FOR SECTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
PENNSYLVANIA HAS EXPIRED...

THE TORNADO WATCH FOR SECTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA HAS EXPIRED. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER WERE REPORTED
TO THE STATE COLLEGE OFFICE.

THE SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR
SECTIONS THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AND SECTIONS OF THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS.

A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVERNIGHT FOR
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
LYCOMING...UNION...SNYDER...SULLIVAN...SOUTHERN
CLINTON...MONTOUR...NORTHUMBERLAND...COLUMBIA...SCHUYLKILL...

WINTHER
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 12:16 AM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-
056>059-063>066-180620-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1218 AM EDT THU AUG 18 1994

...A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT
OVERNIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY ...

A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVERNIGHT FOR
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
LYCOMING... UNION... SNYDER... SULLIVAN... SOUTHERN
CLINTON... MONTOUR... NORTHUMBERLAND... COLUMBIA AND SCHUYLKILL.

AT 1205 AM EDT... DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT TO
MODERATE RAIN ACROSS NORTHERN PENNSYLVANIA AND THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA
VALLEY. THE AREA OF RAIN WAS MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80... EXCEPT IN
THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY WHERE RAIN EXTENDED FROM WILLIAMSPORT AND BERWICK
TO JUST NORTH OF THE GREATER HARRISBURG AREA. SOUTH OF I-80
ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAIN AREAS...RADAR SHOWED ONLY
PATCHY AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN.

THE LARGE AREA OF RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST
LATE THIS EVENING WITH SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL CONTINUING MAINLY NORTH OF
I-80 AND ACROSS THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY THROUGH 2 AM. AS A
RESULT... A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES OVERNIGHT FOR
MUCH OF THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. WATER ON ROADWAYS MAY BE HARD TO SEE.

NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 12:18 AM EDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-
056>059-063>066-180620-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1218 AM EDT THU AUG 18 1994

...A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT
OVERNIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY ...

A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT OVERNIGHT FOR
THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
LYCOMING... UNION... SNYDER... SULLIVAN... SOUTHERN
CLINTON... MONTOUR... NORTHUMBERLAND... COLUMBIA AND SCHUYLKILL.

AT 1205 AM EDT... DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT TO
MODERATE RAIN ACROSS NORTHERN PENNSYLVANIA AND THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA
VALLEY. THE AREA OF RAIN WAS MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80... EXCEPT IN
THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY WHERE RAIN EXTENDED FROM WILLIAMSPORT AND BERWICK
TO JUST NORTH OF THE GREATER HARRISBURG AREA. SOUTH OF I-80
ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MOUNTAIN AREAS...RADAR SHOWED ONLY
PATCHY AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN.

THE LARGE AREA OF RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE MOVING SLOWLY NORTHEAST
LATE THIS EVENING WITH SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL CONTINUING MAINLY NORTH OF
I-80 AND ACROSS THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY THROUGH 2 AM. AS A
RESULT... A SMALL STREAM AND URBAN FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES OVERNIGHT FOR
MUCH OF THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. WATER ON ROADWAYS MAY BE HARD TO SEE.

NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 12:50 AM EDT, 41 minutes before
PAZ012-037-038-041-042-045-046-049>052-181750-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLIAMSPORT PA
1250 AM EDT THU AUG 18 1994

RADIO STATION WX-55 WILLIAMSPORT PENNSYLVANIA IS BACK ON THE AIR.

FJG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 17, 11:25 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPCameron2 hr
Aug 18, 1:08 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPLycoming2 hr
Aug 18, 1:23 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPTioga2 hr
Aug 18, 2:39 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPUnion2 hr
Aug 18, 3:05 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPTioga3 hr
Aug 18, 3:10 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPLycoming3 hr
Aug 18, 3:40 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPClearfield, Clinton4 hr
Aug 18, 3:52 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPCentre4 hr
Aug 18, 4:25 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPTioga6 hr
Aug 18, 4:34 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPLycoming, Union5 hr
Aug 18, 9:00 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPCameron3 hr
Aug 18, 9:57 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPLycoming, Tioga3 hr
Aug 18, 1:00 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPLycoming5 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.