Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1996

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Cleveland, OH

February 27, 1996Crawford County, Erie County, Pennsylvania; Ashtabula County, Ohio

NWS Cleveland, OH issued this flash flood warning at Feb 27, 1996, 8:28 PM EST for Crawford County, Erie County, Pennsylvania; Ashtabula County, Ohio. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 27, 1996, 8:28 PM EST (01:28 UTC)
Expired
Feb 27, 1996, 11:00 PM EST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Cleveland, OH
Area
Whole counties

Counties Ashtabula County, OH, Crawford County, PA, Erie County, PA

The radar

The Cleveland radar (KCLE), 139 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:44 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 167 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 1996-02-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 226 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 1996-02-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 88 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
226 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-64 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
863 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
88 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
146 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCLE 280129 RRA
FFWCLE
OHC007-PAC039-049-280400-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
828 PM EST TUE FEB 27 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CLEVELAND HAS ISSUED A
FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 PM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN  OHIO
 
   ...ASHTABULA COUNTY
 
IN  PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...CRAWFORD COUNTY...ERIE COUNTY
 
AT 820 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN CLEVELAND INDICATED
A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN EXTENED ALONG LAKE ERIE SHORES
FROM LAKE COUNTY OHIO TO ERIE COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MOVING INLAND AND WILL LIKELY CAUSED FLOODING ALONG MANY ROADWAYS
AS WELL AS SOME SMALL STREAMS.
 
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.
 
 
RINGO

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, Feb 27, 5:05 PM EST, 3 hours 23 minutes before
OHZ002-003-005>011-017>019-027>030-036-037-047-280000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
510 PM EST TUE FEB 27 1996

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH
CENTRAL OHIO. THE WATCH IS FOR THE AREA ROUGHLY WEST OF A LINE FROM
ELYRIA TO MANSFIELD TO MT. GILEAD.

THE UNUSUALLY WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS OVER THE AREA IN CONJUNCTION WITH A
STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SERVE TO TRIGGER WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TOPNIGHT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

THE FRONT WILL ENTER NORTHWEST OHIO BY 8 PM AND THEN SWEEP ACROSS THE
REMAINDER OF NORTHERN OHIO AND INTO NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA BY MIDNIGHT.
A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT.

AT 5 PM...NWS DOPPLER RADARS INDICATED SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
OVER EASTERN INDIANA WITH THE NORTHERNMOST STORM APPROACHING VAN WERT
COUNTY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING fNORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH.

STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWEST OHIO
BY 7 PM. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GABRIC
Special weather statement, Feb 27, 5:10 PM EST, 3 hours 18 minutes before
OHZ002-003-005>011-017>019-027>030-036-037-047-280000-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
510 PM EST TUE FEB 27 1996

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH
CENTRAL OHIO. THE WATCH IS FOR THE AREA ROUGHLY WEST OF A LINE FROM
ELYRIA TO MANSFIELD TO MT. GILEAD.

THE UNUSUALLY WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS OVER THE AREA IN CONJUNCTION WITH A
STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SERVE TO TRIGGER WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TOPNIGHT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE WITH
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

THE FRONT WILL ENTER NORTHWEST OHIO BY 8 PM AND THEN SWEEP ACROSS THE
REMAINDER OF NORTHERN OHIO AND INTO NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA BY MIDNIGHT.
A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT.

AT 5 PM...NWS DOPPLER RADARS INDICATED SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
OVER EASTERN INDIANA WITH THE NORTHERNMOST STORM APPROACHING VAN WERT
COUNTY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH.

STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWEST OHIO
BY 7 PM. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR UPDATES
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

GABRIC
Special weather statement, Feb 27, 7:15 PM EST, 1 hour 13 minutes before
OHZ002-003-005>007-017-280400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
715 PM EST TUE FEB 27 1996

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MOST OF NORTHWEST OHIO HAS BEEN
DISCONTINUED...

...A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHWEST OHIO UNTIL
4 AM ...

...A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SENECA COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM...

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHWEST OHIO HAS ENDED.
THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED EAST
AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE AWAY FROM NORTHWEST OHIO OVERNIGHT.

SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE IN MANY AREAS UNTIL
ABOUT MIDNIGHT AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE STILL POSSIBLE WHICH COULD
PRODUCE LOCAL FLOODING INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.

RIVERS AND LARGER WATERWAYS MAY CONTINUE TO RISE INTO THE DAYLIGHT HOURS
ON WEDNESDAY AND RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP
ALERT FOR RISING WATER.

KOSARIK
Special weather statement, Feb 27, 7:19 PM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes before
OHZ002-003-005>007-017-280400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
715 PM EST TUE FEB 27 1996

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MOST OF NORTHWEST OHIO HAS BEEN
DISCONTINUED...

...A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHWEST OHIO UNTIL
4 AM ...

...A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SENECA COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM...

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHWEST OHIO HAS ENDED.
THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED EAST
AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE AWAY FROM NORTHWEST OHIO OVERNIGHT.

SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE IN MANY AREAS UNTIL
ABOUT MIDNIGHT AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE STILL POSSIBLE WHICH COULD
PRODUCE LOCAL FLOODING INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.

RIVERS AND LARGER WATERWAYS MAY CONTINUE TO RISE INTO THE DAYLIGHT HOURS
ON WEDNESDAY AND RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP
ALERT FOR RISING WATER.

KOSARIK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 27, 7:35 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCLEHuron115 min
Feb 27, 7:39 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCLEMarion66 min
Feb 27, 8:02 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCLECuyahoga, Lorain118 min
Feb 27, 8:02 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCLELake118 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1996Flash Flood Warnings in Ohio, 1996Every flash flood warning in 1996

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.