Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1995
Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jan 20, 1995, 8:15 AM EST for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 4 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jan 20, 1995, 8:15 AM EST (13:15 UTC)
- Expired
- Jan 20, 1995, 12:15 PM EST
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Lancaster County, PA
The nearest sounding before it
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 157 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 473 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 81 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -41 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -29 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KHAR 201331 COR FFWCTP PAC071-201715- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLOOD WARNING FOR SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS...CORRECTED FOR UTC TIME NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 0815 AM EST FRI JAN 20 1995 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A FLOOD WARNING FOR SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...... IN PENNSYLVANIA ...LANCASTER COUNTY HEAVY RAINFALL HAS OCCURRED OVERNIGHT INTO THIS MORNING ACROSS LANCASTER COUNTY. THIS RAIN HAS RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL RISES ON STREAMS IN THE COUNTY. AT 0815 LITTLE CHICKES CREEK NEAR MT JOY WAS 6.1 FEET AND RISING. RISES ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ON STREAMS IN THE COUNTY THROUGH THE REST OF THIS MORNING. THE RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO TAPER OFF THIS MORNING AS WELL. SOME FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AREAS IS LIKELY THIS MORNING AS WELL AS PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. MOTORISTS ARE ENCOURGED TO USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING THIS MORNING. f 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. MARTIN
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.
NWS State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jan 20, 1:32 AM EST, 6 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 20, 1:32 AM EST, 6 hours 43 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
130 AM EST FRI JAN 20 1995
LARGE SLOW MOVG STORM TO AFFECT PA THRU FCST PD. LATEST SFC ANYLS
SHOWS AN ELONGATED SFC LO FROM OH TO WV. TROF/OCCLUSION EXTNS
FROM NW TO SE FROM LO INTO CAROLINAS. SYS IS WRAPPED UP WITH COLD
AIR RACING EWRD ACRS SRN U.S AND WRM REMAINS WELL TO NE OF SYS.
BAND OF CONVECTIVE SHOWRS WAS WELL-DEFINED ON 88D/S CURRENTLY
MOVG INTO SW PA. IR SATL LOOP SHOWS THIS BAND ALSO MOVG SLOWY
NEWRD. 00Z UPR AIR DATA SHOWS A DECENT LLJ AT 850 MB ADVECTING
MOISTURE NE OF LOW ACRS OH-WV. THIS LLJ FEATURE WAS SUPPLYING
MOISTURE INTO A STRG AGEOSTROPHIC UPR LVL CIRCULATION ASSCTD WITH
A LEFT FRONT QUAD OF AN UPR LVL JET THAT WAS ACRS SRN U.S. AS
RESULT... STRG UPR LVL DIVRGCE WAS OCCURING ACRS OH-WV AT 00Z ON
MODEL INTIALIZATIONS. GRIDDED DATA SHOWS STRG Q-VECTOR CONV ACRS
THE OH VVLY ALSO IN ASSCTN WITH THIS LEFT FRNT QUAD OF UPR LVL
JET. THE RIBBON OF LOW-LVL MOISTURE AHEAD OF THIS LOW WAS NOT
ONLY PROVIDING MOISTURE FOR PRECIP BUT ALSO LWRG STATIC
STABILITIES AHEAD OF LOW... ENHANCING UVV/S ASSCTD WITH THE ABOVE
Q-G FRCG. THIS WAS LEADING TO THE OBSERVED WELL-DVLPED BAND OF
PRECIP THAT WAS MOVG INTO PA ATTM. LOW-LVL JET AS WELL AS THE UPR
LVL Q-G FRCG SLIDE EWRD OVERNIGHT AND FRI MORN SUPPORTING THIS
HEAVIER BAND OF PRECIP AS IT MOVS ACRS PA. BY 12Z IT SHUD BE
RIGHT ACRS CNTRL PA FROM PHL-ERI (APPROX). BAND WILL MOV N OF ST
BY AFTERNOON INTO NEW ENGLAND BY TONIGHT. COLDER AIR WILL WORK
INTO ST AFTER LOW PASSES E BY 36 HRS. SIGNIFICANT PRECIP WILL BE
NE OF REGION BY THIS TIME. HOWEVER... SOME WRAP AROUND
DEFORMATION PRECIP IS LIKELY TONIGHT ACRS FA AS LOW WINDS UP FROM
SFC TO 500 MB NR LI. MODELS INDICATE THAT IS SHUD BE COLD ENUF
FOR WET SNOW TONIGHT. CHANGEOVER FROM LIGHT RAIN TO LIGHT SNOW
WILL OCCUR FROM SW TO NE OVERNIGHT. ATTM... THINK AN INCH OR TWO
PSBL NRN MTNS AND LAUREL HIGHLANDS BT 12Z SAT ... LESSER AMTS
VLLYS. LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES CONT ON SAT AS SYS MOVS FURTHER NE
OFF NEW ENGLAND COAST BY 00Z SUN.
WILL CONCENTRATE ON NOW/S AND SPS/S OVERNIGHT AS RW SPREADS
RAPIDLY ACRS CNTRL PA AND FOG CONTS TO BE PROBLEM OVER MUCH OF
REGION.
LAKE SNOW OUTLOOK...
FRI 7 AM TO FRI 7 PM...N
FRI 7 PM TO SAT 7 AM...N
SAT 7 AM TO SAT 7 PM...N (NOT COLD ENUF AT 850 MB YET DESPITE
NW FLO)
NICOSIAIn the hours before
Special weather statement, Jan 20, 6:28 AM EST, 1 hour 47 minutes before
PAZ066-201330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORMS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 628 AM EST FRI JAN 20 1995 ...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH LANCASTER COUNTY... AT 625 AM EST... DOPPLER RADAR FROM MT HOLLY SHOWED A FEW THUNDERSTORMS IN LANCASTER COUNTY. THE STORMS WILL EXIT LANCASTER COUNTY BY 7 AM. THE THUNDERSTROMS WILL PRODUCE LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN LANCASTER COUNTY. IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS...CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND KEEP A WEATHER EYE ON THE SKY. NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Jan 20, 6:30 AM EST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
PAZ066-201330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORMS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 628 AM EST FRI JAN 20 1995 ...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH LANCASTER COUNTY... AT 625 AM EST... DOPPLER RADAR FROM MT HOLLY SHOWED A FEW THUNDERSTORMS IN LANCASTER COUNTY. THE STORMS WILL EXIT LANCASTER COUNTY BY 7 AM. THE THUNDERSTROMS WILL PRODUCE LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN LANCASTER COUNTY. IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS...CHECK THE LA|TEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND KEEP A WEATHER EYE ON THE SKY. NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Jan 20, 6:42 AM EST, 1 hour 33 minutes before
PAZ006-036-037-041-042-046-049>053-056>059-063>066-201345- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORMS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 642 AM EST FRI JAN 20 1995 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA AND WEST BRANCH VALLEYS AND THROUGH NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN 7 AND 8 AM... AT 635 AM EST... DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING INTO THE WEST BRANCH AND MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS AND INTO TIOGA AND LYCOMING COUNTIES. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH SULLIVAN... COLUMBIA AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTIES BY AROUND 8 AM. IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS...CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND KEEP A WEATHER EYE ON THE SKY. NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Jan 20, 6:43 AM EST, 1 hour 32 minutes before
PAZ006-036-037-041-042-046-049>053-056>059-063>066-201345- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORMS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 642 AM EST FRI JAN 20 1995 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA AND WEST BRANCH VALLEYS AND THROUGH NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN 7 AND 8 AM... AT 635 AM EST... DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING INTO THE WEST BRANCH AND MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEYS AND INTO TIOGA AND LYCOMING COUNTIES. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH SULLIVAN... COLUMBIA AND SCHUYLKILL COUNTIES BY AROUND 8 AM. IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS...CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION AND KEEP A WEATHER EYE ON THE SKY. NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Jan 20, 8:02 AM EST, 13 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-201500- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND NOWCAST - HEAVY RAINS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 802 AM EST FRI JAN 20 1995 ...SPOTTY HEAVY RAINS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL OVER CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH MID MORNING... AT 8 AM...MOST OF RAIN WAS NORTH AND EAST OF A ERIE...STATE COLLEGE...CHAMBERSBURG LINE. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS MAINLY ACROSS THE UPPER AND MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGIONS. THE RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH AND WEAKEN SOME THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA OVERNIGHT...AND PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. ...IN ADDITION...A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM FOR YORK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA...WHERE MORE WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS EXPECTED... MARTIN
Special weather statement, Jan 20, 8:03 AM EST, 12 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-201500- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND NOWCAST - HEAVY RAINS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 802 AM EST FRI JAN 20 1995 ...SPOTTY HEAVY RAINS WILL CONTINUE TO FALL OVER CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH MID MORNING... AT 8 AM...MOST OF RAIN WAS NORTH AND EAST OF A ERIE...STATE COLLEGE...CHAMBERSBURG LINE. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS MAINLY ACROSS THE UPPER AND MIDDLE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGIONS. THE RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH AND WEAKEN SOME THIS MORNING. HOWEVER...BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA OVERNIGHT...AND PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING. ...IN ADDITION...A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM FOR YORK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA...WHERE MORE WIDESPREAD FLOODING IS EXPECTED... MARTIN
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 20, 7:00 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | York | 3 hr |
| Jan 20, 8:30 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Lycoming, Snyder, Union | 4 hr |
| Jan 20, 8:48 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Centre, Clinton | 4 hr |
| Jan 20, 8:58 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Potter, Tioga | 5 hr |
| Jan 20, 11:05 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | York | 5 hr |
| Jan 20, 12:39 PM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Lancaster | 3 hr |
| Jan 20, 12:39 PM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Snyder, Union | 3 hr |
| Jan 20, 12:39 PM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Lycoming, Potter, Tioga | 3 hr |
| Jan 20, 2:51 PM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Huntingdon | 7 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1995Every flash flood warning in 1995
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.