Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1996
Flash Flood Warning 16, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jan 19, 1996, 8:55 AM EST for 4 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 6 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
- Jan 19, 1996, 8:55 AM EST (13:55 UTC)
- Expired
- Jan 19, 1996, 3:00 PM EST
- In force
- 6 hr
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Cameron County, PA, Elk County, PA, McKean County, PA, Warren County, PA
The radar
The State College radar (KCCX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:56 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 12:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 180 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
- 4 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -1 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 519 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 64 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -212 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -237 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 KCTP 191355 FFWCTP PAC009-013-021-023-033-047-057-061-083-111-123-192000- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 855 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS EXTENDED THE FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 300 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN PENNSYLVANIA ...BEDFORD COUNTY...BLAIR COUNTY...CAMBRIA COUNTY ...CAMERON COUNTY...CLEARFIELD COUNTY...ELK COUNTY...FULTON COUNTY ...HUNTINGDON COUNTY...MCKEAN COUNTY...SOMERSET COUNTY ...WARREN COUNTY THE FLOOD WARNINGS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON. HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER MUCH OF THE AREA THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING...THEN END EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON. RAINFALL IN EXCESS OF 3 INCHES HAS BEEN INDICATED BY RADAR IN PARTS OF THE AREA. RAPID SNOWMELT AND THE HEAVY RAINS ARE CAUSING SEVERE FLOODING IN MANY LOCATIONS. ROADS AND BASEMENTS ARE FLOODED IN MANY LOCALITIES. EVACUATIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN BEDFORD AND WARREN COUNTIES. AGAIN THIS IS A SEVERE FLOOD EVENT. DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED AREAS. MOUNT DAVIS IN SOMERSET COUNTY REPORTED 2 INCHES OF RAIN...THAT HAS NOW TURNED TO SNOW. 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 Jan 19, 3:07 AM EST, 5 hours 48 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 19, 3:07 AM EST, 5 hours 48 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 300 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996 HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO BOTH PIT AND PHL FOR COORD. RADAR WENT DOWN FOR .5 HR BUT BACK-UP NOW. RADAR SHOWS AN AREA OF PRECIP MOVING THRU THE UPPER SUS ATTM. PRECIP AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN BETWEEN .25 TO .50 AS A RESULT. COLD FRONT JUST W OF A CLE-ZZV LINE AND MOVING EAST. FRONT WILL MOVE INTO CENTRAL PA ARND 16Z AND INTO EAST PA 18-19Z. QUICK BURST OF SNOW LIKLY BEHIND FRONT AS COLD AIR RACES EAST AT SFC AND DIFF VORT ADV QUICKLY FOLLOWS. NO FLOODING PROBLEMS ATTM BUT EXPECT THAT WILL CHANGE LATER THIS MORNING AS RAIN MOVES INTO CENTRAL PA. SEEMS CONSENSUS IS TO FOLLOW ETA/AVN FCST PRECIP AMOUNTS. NOTICED NGM TRIES TO FORM A WAVE ON FRONT ACROSS VA AND QUICKLY LIFT IT NE. IF THIS OCCURED...FRONT WOULD SLOW A BIT ALLOWING E PA TO SEE GREATER PRECIP AMOUNTS. COMBINATION OF SNOW MELT AND 1 INCH OF RAIN WILL CREATE URBAN FLOODING PROBLEMS. FAIR WX FOR SAT. PIT/PHL AGREE WITH THINKING. ...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 WINTHER
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jan 19, 6:11 AM EST, 2 hours 44 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-191715- BULLETIN - SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - FLOOD WATCH/WIND ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 611 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996 ...FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR SMALL STREAMS...POOR DRAINAGE AND URBAN AREAS OVER MUCH OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... ...A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF PENNSYLVANIA... ...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA TODAY. THIS INCLUDES THE NORTHERN...CENTRAL...SOUTH-CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND LAUREL HIGHLANDS... STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AS A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES EAST. THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE EAST REACHING A WILLIAMSPORT...HARRISBURG LINE BETWEEN 2-3 PM THIS AFTERNOON. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY RAINS ALONG THE FRONT AND RAPID SNOW MELT MAY PRODUCE FLOODING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS IN THE WATCH AREA. IN ADDITION...ICE JAMS ARE ALSO QUITE POSSIBLE WHICH MAY LEAD TO VERY RAPID RISES ALONG RIVERS...CREEKS AND STREAMS. A WIND ADVISORY IS ALSO IN EFFECT ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. WINDS GUSTING BETWEEN 20 TO 40 MPH ARE LIKLY ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 60 MPH POSSIBLE ALONG THE HIGHER RIDGES. 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, Jan 19, 6:13 AM EST, 2 hours 42 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-191715- BULLETIN - SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - FLOOD WATCH/WIND ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 611 AM EST FRI JAN 19 1996 ...FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR SMALL STREAMS...POOR DRAINAGE AND URBAN AREAS OVER MUCH OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... ...A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF PENNSYLVANIA... ...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA TODAY. THIS INCLUDES THE NORTHERN...CENTRAL...SOUTH-CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND LAUREL HIGHLANDS... STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AS A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES EAST. THE FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE EAST REACHING A WILLIAMSPORT...HARRISBURG LINE BETWEEN 2-3 PM THIS AFTERNOON. THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY RAINS ALONG THE FRONT AND RAPID SNOW MELT MAY PRODUCE FLOODING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS IN THE WATCH AREA. IN ADDITION...ICE JAMS ARE ALSO QUITE POSSIBLE WHICH MAY LEAD TO VERY RAPID RISES ALONG RIVERS...CREEKS AND STREAMS. A WIND ADVISORY IS ALSO IN EFFECT ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. WINDS GUSTING BETWEEN 20 TO 40 MPH ARE LIKLY ACROSS THE A DVISORY AREA WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 60 MPH POSSIBLE ALONG THE HIGHER RIDGES. 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
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 19, 5:00 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Elk, McKean, Warren | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 5:00 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Cambria, Somerset | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 5:00 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 6:23 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Blair, Centre, Clinton, Huntingdon | 4 hr |
| Jan 19, 6:23 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Cameron, Potter | 4 hr |
| Jan 19, 6:23 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Bedford, Fulton | 4 hr |
| Jan 19, 6:47 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Mifflin, Union | 4 hr |
| Jan 19, 6:47 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Lycoming, Tioga | 4 hr |
| Jan 19, 6:47 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Adams, Cumberland, Franklin | 4 hr |
| Jan 19, 6:47 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Juniata, Perry, Snyder | 4 hr |
| Jan 19, 7:01 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Northumberland, Schuylkill, York | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 7:01 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Columbia, Sullivan | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 7:01 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Montour | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 8:55 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Bedford, Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon | 6 hr |
| Jan 19, 8:55 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Cambria, Clearfield, Somerset | 6 hr |
| Jan 19, 9:17 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Cumberland, Franklin, Juniata, Perry | 6 hr |
| Jan 19, 9:17 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Lycoming, Potter, Tioga | 6 hr |
| Jan 19, 9:17 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Adams | 6 hr |
| Jan 19, 9:17 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Centre, Mifflin | 6 hr |
| Jan 19, 9:17 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Clinton | 6 hr |
| Jan 19, 10:07 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Columbia, Dauphin, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Snyder and 1 more | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 10:07 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Lancaster, Lebanon, York | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 10:07 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Sullivan | 5 hr |
| Jan 19, 11:37 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | McKean | 3 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 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.