Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1995

Flash Flood Warning 48, NWS State College, PA

July 16, 1995Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 16, 1995, 8:27 AM EDT for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 16, 1995, 8:27 AM EDT (12:27 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 1995, 12:30 PM EDT
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, 0.5 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1995-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 117 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1995-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -86 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
117 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-494 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1454 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-86 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
24 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 161227
FFWCTP
PAC071-161630-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
827 AM EDT SUN JUL 16 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1230 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS......
 
IN  PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...LANCASTER COUNTY
 
AT 820 AM EDT THE STAGE OF THE LITTLE CHICKIES CREEK HAD REACHED FLOOD
STAGE OF 8 FEET.  THE CREEK SHOULD BE NEARING IT/S CREST AT THIS TIME
AND SOME LOWLAND FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE CREEK THROUGH THE MORNINHOURS. NO ADDED RAINFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA INTO EARLY AFTERNOO
 
 
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.
 
DUNHAM

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, 17 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 15, 2:57 PM EDT, 17 hours 30 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 16, 2:39 AM EDT, 5 hours 48 minutes before
PAZ018-019-025>028-034>036-160800-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
239 AM EDT SUN JUL 16 1995

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

CENTER... BLAIR... HUNTINGDON... MIFFLIN... JUNIATA... BEDFORD...
FULTON... AND FRANKLIN.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MOVED THROUGH THE AREA EARLIER TONIGHT
HAVE NOW MOVED INTO EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.  THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER OVER THE ABOVE COUNTIES HAS ENDED.

JUNG
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 2:47 AM EDT, 5 hours 40 minutes before
PAZ018-019-025>028-034>036-160800-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
239 AM EDT SUN JUL 16 1995

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

CENTER... BLAIR... HUNTINGDON... MIFFLIN... JUNIATA... BEDFORD...
FULTON... AND FRANKLIN.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MOVED THROUGH THE AREA EARLIER TONIGHT
HAVE NOW MOVED INTO EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.  THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER OVER THE ABOVE COUNTIES HAS ENDED.

JUNG
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 4:32 AM EDT, 3 hours 55 minutes before
PAZ050-052-056>059-063>066-161100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
435 AM EDT SUN JUL 16 1995

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGION OF PENNSYLVANIA...

ADAMS... YORK... LANCASTER... DAUPHIN... CUMBERLAND... PERRY...

SNYDER... SCHUYLKILL... NORTHUMBERLAND AND LEBANON.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MOVED THROUGH THE AREA EARLIER TONIGHT
HAVE NOW MOVED WELL TO THE EAST.  THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER OVER THE ABOVE COUNTIES HAS ENDED.

NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 4:35 AM EDT, 3 hours 52 minutes before
PAZ050-052-056>059-063>066-161100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
435 AM EDT SUN JUL 16 1995

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGION OF PENNSYLVANIA...

ADAMS... YORK... LANCASTER... DAUPHIN... CUMBERLAND... PERRY...

SNYDER... SCHUYLKILL... NORTHUMBERLAND AND LEBANON.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MOVED THROUGH THE AREA EARLIER TONIGHT
HAVE NOW MOVED WELL TO THE EAST.  THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER OVER THE ABOVE COUNTIES HAS ENDED.

NICOSIA
Local storm report, Jul 16, 6:48 AM EDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
650 AM EDT SUN JUL 16 1995

...THE FOLLOWING IS A PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE SEVERE WEATHER
AND FLASH FLOODING OBSERVED DURING SATURDAY EVENING AND EARLY SUNDAY
JULY 15 THROUGH 16.  TIMES ARE IN EDT.  ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS
MAY BE MADE AFTER FURTHER INFORMATION IS RECEIVED AND
PROCESSED...

TIME EDT    COUNTY       STATE   REMARKS/LOCATIONS
========    ======       =====   =================

9 PM       CUMBERLAND     PA    POWERLINES DOWN IN NEWBURGH.
(APPROX)

930 PM     FRANKLIN       PA    TREES DOWN IN PLESANT HILL AND
                                ROXBURY

953 PM     CAMBRIA        PA    DIME SIZED HAIL IN BELSANO

1022 PM    FRANKLIN       PA    TREE FELL ON A TOWER ON NORTH MOUNTAIN

1110 PM    CAMBRIA        PA    STREETS FLOODED AND CLOSED IN JOHNSTOWN

1140 PM    CLEARFIELD     PA    TREES DOWN IN COLEPORT AND FLINTOWN

1209 AM    CENTRE         PA    WIND GUST TO 59 MPH AT PENN STATE
                                UNIVERSITY ON TOP OF WALKER BUILDING
                                (STATE COLLEGE).

1218 AM    HUNTINGDON     PA    TREES DOWN IN ROBERTSDALE AND BROADTOP

1220 AM    BEDFORD        PA    TREES AND POLE DOWN ACROSS OVER
-  1 AM                         SEVERAL PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

1230  AM   MIFFLIN        PA    TREES DOWN GRANDVILLE TOWNSHIP
                                WIRES DOWN IN LEWISTOWN

1230  AM   FRANKLIN       PA    MERCERSBURG NUMEROUS TREES AND
                                POWERLINES DOWN. TREES AND TREE LIMBS
                                DOWN IN FAYETEVILLE AND UPPER
                                STRASBURG

1236 AM    FRANKLIN       PA    WINDS TO 60 MPH AND TREE BRANCHES DOWN
                                IN GREENCASTLE.

100  AM    UNION          PA    TREES DOWN IN GREGG TOWNSHIP AND
                                WATSONTOWN  (APPROX)

100  AM    JUNIATA        PA    WIND GUST TO 50 MPH IN NOOK, TREE DOWN
                                IN BEALE TOWNSHIP.

130  AM    ADAMS          PA    TREES DOWN IN FAIRFIELD

135  AM    YORK           PA    TREES DOWN IN DILLSBURG

140  AM    YORK           PA    TREES DOWN IN HANOVER

210  AM    DAUPHIN        PA    WIND GUST TO 60 MPH AT MIDDLETOWN
                                AIRPORT

212  AM    LEBANON        PA    TREE DOWN IN COLEBROOK AND MT GRETNA

215  AM    YORK           PA    TREES DOWN IN RED LION.

2-3  AM    LANCASTER      PA    LARGE NUMBER OF TREES DOWN ACROSS
                                THE COUNTY.

245  AM    LANCASTER      PA    TWO ROOFS WERE BLOWN OFF HOUSES IN
                                THE EPHRATA \AREA. SEVERAL FARM
                                BUILDINGS HAD SIDING BLOWN OFF NEAR
                                MANHIEM. 31000 CUSTOMERS WERE WITHOUT
                                POWER AS OF 4 AM.

NICOSIA
Local storm report, Jul 16, 6:50 AM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
650 AM EDT SUN JUL 16 1995

...THE FOLLOWING IS A PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE SEVERE WEATHER
AND FLASH FLOODING OBSERVED DURING SATURDAY EVENING AND EARLY SUNDAY
JULY 15 THROUGH 16.  TIMES ARE IN EDT.  ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS
MAY BE MADE AFTER FURTHER INFORMATION IS RECEIVED AND
PROCESSED...

TIME EDT    COUNTY       STATE   REMARKS/LOCATIONS
========    ======       =====   =================

9 PM       CUMBERLAND     PA    POWERLINES DOWN IN NEWBURGH.
(APPROX)

930 PM     FRANKLIN       PA    TREES DOWN IN PLESANT HILL AND
                                ROXBURY

953 PM     CAMBRIA        PA    DIME SIZED HAIL IN BELSANO

1022 PM    FRANKLIN       PA    TREE FELL ON A TOWER ON NORTH MOUNTAIN

1110 PM    CAMBRIA        PA    STREETS FLOODED AND CLOSED IN JOHNSTOWN

1140 PM    CLEARFIELD     PA    TREES DOWN IN COLEPORT AND FLINTOWN

1209 AM    CENTRE         PA    WIND GUST TO 59 MPH AT PENN STATE
                                UNIVERSITY ON TOP OF WALKER BUILDING
                                (STATE COLLEGE).

1218 AM    HUNTINGDON     PA    TREES DOWN IN ROBERTSDALE AND BROADTOP

1220 AM    BEDFORD        PA    TREES AND POLE DOWN ACROSS OVER
-  1 AM                         SEVERAL PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

1230  AM   MIFFLIN        PA    TREES DOWN GRANDVILLE TOWNSHIP
                                WIRES DOWN IN LEWISTOWN

1230  AM   FRANKLIN       PA    MERCERSBURG NUMEROUS TREES AND
                                POWERLINES DOWN. TREES AND TREE LIMBS
                                DOWN IN FAYETEVILLE AND UPPER
                                STRASBURG

1236 AM    FRANKLIN       PA    WINDS TO 60 MPH AND TREE BRANCHES DOWN
                                IN GREENCASTLE.

100  AM    UNION          PA    TREES DOWN IN GREGG TOWNSHIP AND
                                WATSONTOWN  (APPROX)

100  AM    JUNIATA        PA    WIND GUST TO 50 MPH IN NOOK, TREE DOWN
                                IN BEALE TOWNSHIP.

130  AM    ADAMS          PA    TREES DOWN IN FAIRFIELD

135  AM    YORK           PA    TREES DOWN IN DILLSBURG

140  AM    YORK           PA    TREES DOWN IN HANOVER

210  AM    DAUPHIN        PA    WIND GUST TO 60 MPH AT MIDDLETOWN
                                AIRPORT

212  AM    LEBANON        PA    TREE DOWN IN COLEBROOK AND MT GRETNA

215  AM    YORK           PA    TREES DOWN IN RED LION.

2-3  AM    LANCASTER      PA    LARGE NUMBER OF TREES DOWN ACROSS
                                THE COUNTY.

245  AM    LANCASTER      PA    TWO ROOFS WERE BLOWN OFF HOUSES IN
                                THE EPHRATA AREA. SEVERAL FARM
                                BUILDINGS HAD SIDING BLOWN OFF NEAR
                                MANHIEM. 31000 CUSTOMERS WERE WITHOUT
                                POWER AS OF 4 AM.

NICOSIA

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, 9:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPCambria3 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

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.