Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1995

Flash Flood Warning 46, NWS State College, PA

July 15, 1995Cambria County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 15, 1995, 9:32 PM EDT for Cambria County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 15, 1995, 9:32 PM EDT (01:32 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 1995, 12:30 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Cambria County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:32 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 118 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 1995-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2889 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 1995-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -3 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
2889 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-29 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1586 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
3 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-14 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 160134
FFWCTP
PAC021-160430-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
932 PM EDT SAT JUL 15 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1230 AM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS......
 
IN  PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...CAMBRIA COUNTY
 
AT 935 PM STATE COLLEGE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW SLOW MOVING
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN CAMBRIA COUNTY BETWEEN BELSANO AND
EBENSBURG. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ONLY SLOWLY EAST AND WILL
CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING ALONG THEIR PATH.
 
 
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.
 
LA CORTE

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 Jul 15, 2:57 PM EDT, 6 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 15, 2:57 PM EDT, 6 hours 35 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
255 PM EDT SAT JUL 15 1995

REMAINS OF THE COLD FRONT EXTEND FROM CAPE COD WEST ACROSS CENTRAL
PA TO NORTHERN OH AT 18Z.  SATELLITE SHOWED SUPPRESSION OF THE
CLOUDS ACROSS PA BEHIND THE BOUNDARY THAT ADVECTED OUT AHEAD OF THE
EARLY MORNINGS CONVECTION...DESPITE THE INCREDIBLE INSTABILITY ON
MORNING RAOB.  THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE BOUNDARY MOVED SOUTH AND
SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE STATE REACHING INTO OH THIS AFTERNOON.  NVA
QUITE EVIDENT ALOFT ACROSS WESTERN PA THIS AFTERNOON AND ALSO FAIR
INDICATION OF ANTICYCLONIC TURNING IN THE CLOUD MOTION ON THE
SATELLITE.  THIS PROBABLY ACCOUNTS FOR THE LACK OF CONVECTION
ACROSS THE AREA.

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE EXPLODED OUT AHEAD OF THE UPPER SHORT WAVE THAT
IS MOVING NORTHEAST FROM KENTUCKY INTO OH.  THAT SAME UPPER WAVE IS
PROGGED TO MOVE NORTHEAST AND SPREAD INTO WESTERN PA OVERNIGHT.
BEST CHANCE FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE AFT MIDNIGHT HERE IN
CENTRAL PA.  DOES APPEAR THAT WE/VE HIT THE PEAK OF THE HEAT WAVE
AND AS THE SURFACE RIDGE BUILDS SOUTH OVERNIGHT THAT JUST A BIT
LESS HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL BE OVER MOST OF THE AREA.  CONCUR WITH
NEED TO KEEP THE AXDVISORY UP UNTIL THUNDERSTORMS MOVE IN TONIGHT.

TED

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 15, 7:05 PM EDT, 2 hours 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
705 PM EDT SAT JUL 15 1995

PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>036-037-041-042-045-046-
049>053-056>059-063>066-160500-
WARREN-MCKEAN-ELK-CAMERON-POTTER-CLEARFIELD-NORTHERN CLINTON-
CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN-JUNIATA-SOMERSET-BEDFORD-
FULTON-FRANKLIN-TIOGA-LYCOMING-SULLIVAN-SOUTHERN CLINTON-
UNION-NORTHUMBERLAND-MONTOUR-COLUMBIA-SCHUYLKILL-SNYDER-
PERRY-DAUPHIN-CUMBERLAND-LEBANON-ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER-

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
VALID UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR MUCH OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TO
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
TIOGA  SULLIVAN  LYCOMING  UNION  MONTOUR  COLUMBIA  SNYDER
NORTHUMBERLAND  SCHUYLKILL  JUNIATA  PERRY  DAUPHIN AND LEBANON.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...
WARREN  MC KEAN  POTTER  ELK  CAMERON  CLEARFIELD  CLINTON  CENTRE
CAMBRIA  BLAIR  HUNTINGDON  SOMERSET  AND  BEDFORD.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL
10 PM...CAMBRIA AND SOMERSET.

HOT HUMID AND VERY UNSTABLE AIR OVER THE REGION IS PROVIDING THE
INGREDIENTS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POTENTIALLY FLOODING
RAINS. THE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY AND CAN
BECOME SEVERE IN A VERY SHORT TIME.

LA CORTE
Special weather statement, Jul 15, 7:09 PM EDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
705 PM EDT SAT JUL 15 1995

PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>036-037-041-042-045-046-
049>053-056>059-063>066-160500-
WARREN-MCKEAN-ELK-CAMERON-POTTER-CLEARFIELD-NORTHERN CLINTON-
CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN-JUNIATA-SOMERSET-BEDFORD-
FULTON-FRANKLIN-TIOGA-LYCOMING-SULLIVAN-SOUTHERN CLINTON-
UNION-NORTHUMBERLAND-MONTOUR-COLUMBIA-SCHUYLKILL-SNYDER-
PERRY-DAUPHIN-CUMBERLAND-LEBANON-ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER-

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
VALID UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR MUCH OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TO
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
TIOGA  SULLIVAN  LYCOMING  UNION  MONTOUR  COLUMBIA  SNYDER
NORTHUMBERLAND  SCHUYLKILL  JUNIATA  PERRY  DAUPHIN AND LEBANON.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...
WARREN  MC KEAN  POTTER  ELK  CAMERON  CLEARFIELD  CLINTON  CENTRE
CAMBRIA  BLAIR  HUNTINGDON  SOMERSET  AND  BEDFORD.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL
10 PM...CAMBRIA AND SOMERSET.

HOT HUMID AND VERY UNSTABLE AIR OVER THE REGION IS PROVIDING THE
INGREDIENTS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND POTENTIALLY FLOODING
RAINS. THE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY AND CAN
BECOME SEVERE IN A VERY SHORT TIME.

LA CORTE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 15, 8:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCumberland60 min
Jul 15, 8:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCambria68 min
Jul 15, 8:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPFranklin65 min
Jul 15, 9:24 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPFranklin3 hr
Jul 15, 9:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCumberland62 min
Jul 15, 9:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPFranklin65 min
Jul 15, 10:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCambria60 min
Jul 15, 10:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPBlair58 min
Jul 15, 10:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCambria65 min
Jul 15, 10:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPHuntingdon61 min
Jul 15, 11:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClearfield69 min
Jul 15, 11:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPBlair60 min
Jul 15, 11:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPFulton57 min
Jul 15, 11:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPBedford64 min
Jul 15, 11:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCentre58 min
Jul 16, 12:01 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPHuntingdon44 min
Jul 16, 12:09 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPFulton3 hr
Jul 16, 12:15 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMifflin60 min
Jul 16, 12:24 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPFranklin, Juniata, Perry81 min
Jul 16, 12:37 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton, Union68 min
Jul 16, 12:37 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSnyder68 min
Jul 16, 12:42 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPAdams, Cumberland78 min
Jul 16, 1:31 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPDauphin, York59 min
Jul 16, 1:57 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, Lebanon63 min
Jul 16, 2:57 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster33 min
Jul 16, 8:27 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPLancaster4 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.