Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1996

Flash Flood Warning 198, NWS State College, PA

November 8, 1996Tioga County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Nov 8, 1996, 1:48 PM EST for Tioga County, Pennsylvania. 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
Nov 8, 1996, 1:48 PM EST (18:48 UTC)
Expired
Nov 8, 1996, 4:45 PM EST
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Tioga County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 113 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:49 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

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 175 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 1996-11-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 1996-11-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -98 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
497 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
82 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-98 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-101 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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 Nov 8, 9:56 AM EST, 3 hours 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 8, 9:56 AM EST, 3 hours 52 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
950 AM EST FRI NOV 8 1996

...ZONE SUGGESTIONS/COORDINATION...
PER CORD WILL KEEP FFA AS IS...TOR WATCH FOR CENTRAL PA INCLUDING
THE LOWER SUS TIL 3 PM.

GETTING REPORTS OF SEVERE FLOODING ACROSS NORTH-CENTRAL
PA...ESPECIALLY TIOGA COUNTY WHERE EVACUATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE.
ALSO GOT REPORTS OF WIND DAMAGE ACROSS S PA WITH SHARP SQUALL LINE
FEATURE.

COLD FRONT TO MOVE SLOWLY EAST NEXT 12 HRS...HVY RAINS FOR E PA A
GOOD BET THIS AFTN. TRW WILL ALSO BE A THREAT.

...LAKE SNOW OUTLOOK...
FRI 12 NOON - 7PM...N
FRI 7PM - SAT 7AM...N
SAT 7AM - SAT 7PM...Y (LATE IN THE PERIOD)

WINTHER

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Nov 8, 9:45 AM EST, 4 hours 3 minutes before
PAZ012-018-019-026>028-035>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-056>059-
063>066-082000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
935 AM EST FRI NOV 8 1996

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF
EASTERN AND CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 300 PM THIS AFTERNOON. THE
COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE:

ADAMS... CENTRE... CLINTON... DAUPHIN... HUNTINGDON... LANCASTER...
SNYDER... FRANKLIN... JUNIATA... LEBANON... LYCOMING...
NORTHUMBERLAND... SOMERSET... TIOGA... CUMBERLAND... FULTON...
MIFFLIN... MONTOUR... PERRY... SCHUYLKILL... SULLIVAN... UNION...
YORK.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THIS STATE LATE THIS MORNING
AND EARLY AFTERNOON. HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH THUNDERSTORMS...SOME
SEVERE WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT. IN ADDITION...CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE TO PRODUCE ISOLATED TORNADOES.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS> CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
Local storm report, Nov 8, 10:55 AM EST, 2 hours 53 minutes before
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Local storm report, Nov 8, 10:57 AM EST, 2 hours 51 minutes before
PAZ004-005-010-011-017>019-024>027-033>035-301800-
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1055 AM EST FRI NOV 8 1996

...PROBABLE TORNADO IN BEDFORD COUNTY...

REPORTS FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN BEDFORD COUNTY INDICATE THAT
A TORNADO PROBABLY TOUCHED DOWN IN WOLFSBURG ABOUT 830 AM EST THIS
MORNING.  9 HOMES AND 2 BUSINESSES WERE DAMAGED...1 HOME AND 2
GARAGES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED.  3 HOMES AND A TRAILER WERE
HEAVILY DAMAGED.  TWO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.  THERE WERE NO
DEATHS.

AN EYEWITNESS REPORTED SEEING A FUNNEL CLOUD IN WOLFSBURG.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DESCRIPTION OF THE DAMAGE ALSO INDICATED THAT
THIS EVENT WAS PROBABLY A TORNADO.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PLAN TO SURVEY
THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON.

DUNHAM
Local storm report, Nov 8, 11:15 AM EST, 2 hours 33 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1115 AM EST FRI NOV 08 1996

...THE FOLLOWING IS A PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE SEVERE WEATHER AND
FLOODING OBSERVED DURING THE SEVERE WX AND FLASH FLOOD EVENT FRIDAY
MORNING. ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS MAY BE MADE AFTER FURTHER INFORMATION
IS RECEIVED AND PROCESSED...

TIME EST   ...CITY LOCATION..........ST   ...EVENT/REMARKS
           ...COUNTY LOCATION........

650 AM      BEDFORD                   PA   FLOODING
11/08/96    BEDFORD                        STREET AND BASEMENT
                                           FLOODING

820 AM     WELLSBORO                 PA   FLOODING
11/08/96   TIOGA                          SEVERAL ROADS CLOSED

830 AM     WOLFSBURG                 PA   TORNADO
11/08/96   BEDFORD                        HOUSE DESTROYED
                                          TREES/WIRES DOWN

915 AM     SMITH TWP                 PA   WIND DAMAGE
11/08/96   BEDFORD                        WIRES DOWN ON RT 22

930 AM     WARRIORS MARK TWP         PA   WIND DAMAGE
11/08/96   HUNTINGDON                     POWER POLES/TREES
                                          DOWN ON SR 4025

940 AM     STATE COLLEGE             PA   WIND DAMAGE
11/08/96   CENTRE                         55 MPH GUST

1005       BURNHAM                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
11/08/96   MIFFLIN                        ROOF OFF CAR WASH

FITZGERALD
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 11:52 AM EST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>036-082100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1152 AM EST FRI NOV 8 1996

...TORNADO WATCH CANCELED FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MOUNTAINS...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON...

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES REMAIN UNDER A FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 4
PM...

CLINTON... CENTRE... MIFFLIN... JUNIATA... FRANKLIN... FULTON...
AND HUNTINGDON.

THE COLD FRONT...RESPONSIBLE FOR NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER
AS WELL AS A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN BEDFORD COUNTY...HAS PUSHED EAST
OF THE AREA LATE FRIDAY MORNING. THEREFORE...THE THREAT FOR SEVERE
WEATHER AND TORNADOES IS OVER ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF
PENNSYLVANIA.

BEHIND THE FRONT...LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE RAIN WILL
CONTINUE OVER THE AREA THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. THIS WILL PROLONG THE
THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING INTO LATE AFTERNOON.

FITZGERALD
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 11:54 AM EST, 1 hour 54 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>036-082100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1152 AM EST FRI NOV 8 1996

...TORNADO WATCH CANCELED FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA MOUNTAINS...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON...

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES REMAIN UNDER A FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 4
PM...

CLINTON... CENTRE... MIFFLIN... JUNIATA... FRANKLIN... FULTON...
AND HUNTINGDON.

THE COLD FRONT...RESPONSIBLE FOR NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER
AS WELL AS A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN BEDFORD COUNTY...HAS PUSHED EAST
OF THE AREA LATE FRIDAY MORNING. THEREFORE...THE THREAT FOR SEVERE
WEATHER AND TORNADOES IS OVER ACROSS THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF
PENNSYLVANIA.

BEHIND THE FRONT...LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE RAIN WILL
CONTINUE OVER THE AREA THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. THIS WILL PROLONG THE
THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING INTO LATE AFTERNOON.

FITZGERALD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 8, 8:14 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPTioga3 hr
Nov 8, 8:41 AM ESTTornado WarningCTPBedford, Blair49 min
Nov 8, 8:48 AM ESTTornado WarningCTPFulton, Huntingdon72 min
Nov 8, 9:02 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPBlair, Centre4 hr
Nov 8, 9:02 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPClinton, Lycoming4 hr
Nov 8, 9:20 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCentre, Mifflin55 min
Nov 8, 9:20 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPJuniata55 min
Nov 8, 9:51 AM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPPotter, Tioga4 hr
Nov 8, 9:58 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton, Lycoming62 min
Nov 8, 10:06 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPTioga69 min
Nov 8, 10:11 AM ESTTornado WarningCTPLycoming, Tioga49 min
Nov 8, 10:29 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSnyder, Union46 min
Nov 8, 10:29 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPPerry46 min
Nov 8, 10:45 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPDauphin, Montour, Northumberland60 min
Nov 8, 11:09 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPColumbia, Sullivan66 min
Nov 8, 11:30 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLebanon, Schuylkill60 min
Nov 8, 2:19 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, York56 min
Nov 8, 3:46 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster59 min
Nov 8, 3:59 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPYork4 hr
Nov 8, 4:05 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPLebanon, Schuylkill4 hr
Nov 8, 4:05 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPLancaster4 hr
Nov 8, 4:23 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPTioga5 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.