Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 49, NWS State College, PA

June 4, 1996Adams County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 4, 1996, 3:29 PM EDT for Adams County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 61 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 4, 1996, 3:29 PM EDT (19:29 UTC)
Expired
Jun 4, 1996, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Adams County, PA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 102 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:31 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 4, 4:00 PM EDTHail 0.75Biglerville, PA

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 7.5 hours before the alert went out and 104 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 1996-06-04Temperature 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 1996-06-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 30 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
-76 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
875 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
135 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 041930
SVRCTP
PAC001-042030-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
329 PM EDT TUE JUN 4 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS......
 
IN  PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...ADAMS COUNTY
 
AT 328 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR
BIGLERVILLE. THE STORM WILL REACH NEAR YORK SPRINGS BY 345 PM. DOPPLER
RADAR ALSO SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTH-CENTRAL MARYLAND WILL
PASS SOUTH OF GETTYSBURG BETWEEN 345 AND 400 PM AND REACH NEAR
MC SHERRYSTOWN BY 415 PM.
 
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
 
WINTHER

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jun 4, 2:43 PM EDT, 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 4, 2:43 PM EDT, 46 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
240 PM EDT TUE JUN 4 1996

GETTING RATHER BUSY AROUND HERE...
VIL OF THE DAY...35 FOR CURRENT ACTIVITY. GREENCASTLE HAD A 1/2-
3/4 INCH WITH A VIL OF 35. ANOTHER REPORT OF 5/6 INCH HAIL WITH
VILS IN THE UPPER 30'S (ALSO IN FRANKLIN CNTY).

ATM BECOMING MORE UNSTABLE AS COLDER TEMPS MOVE INTO REGION AT
5H. ADAP INDICATES BEST MOIST CONVERGENCE/INSTABILITY ACROSS
SOUTH-CENTRAL PA ATTM.

RW/TRW WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVE HRS WITH MODELS INDICATING BEST
FORCING ACROSS SE PA AND NW PA. ACTIVITY SHOULD DIE DOWN AFTER
MIDNIGHT WITH DIURNAL HEATING LOST.

ANOTHER SHRTWV WILL CLIP N PA WED AFTN/EVE SO ANOTHER SHOT OF RW-
FOR THIS AREA WED AFTN.

WINTHER

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 4, 11:20 AM EDT, 4 hours 9 minutes before
PAZ004>06-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041>042-045>046-
049>053-056>059-063>066-050300-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR PENNSYLVANIA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1115 AM EDT TUE JUN 4 1996

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER SAYS THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
WEATHER ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES AND SURROUNDING AREAS OF
BRADFORD...JOHNSTOWN...STATE COLLEGE...WILLIAMSPORT...AND
HARRXISBURG.

CONDITIONS LATER THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR
THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH MAY BECOME SEVERE.

SKYWARN SPOTTER NETWORKS MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

OSTUNO
Special weather statement, Jun 4, 1:20 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
PAZ004-042300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
115 PM EDT TUE JUNE 4 1996

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WARREN COUNTY UNTIL 700 PM...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN KANSAS CITY HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF OHIO AND EXTREME WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 7 PM EDT.

THE COMBINATION OF AN UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND DAYTIME HEATING WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY
THIS AFTERNOON THEN SPREAD EAST AND REACH WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.

WINTHER
Special weather statement, Jun 4, 1:22 PM EDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
PAZ004-042300-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
115 PM EDT TUE JUNE 4 1996

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR WARREN COUNTY UNTIL 700 PM...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN KANSAS CITY HAS ISSUED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF OHIO AND EXTREME WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 7 PM EDT.

THE COMBINATION OF AN UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND DAYTIME HEATING WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY
THIS AFTERNOON THEN SPREAD EAST AND REACH WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE SEVERE
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.

WINTHER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 4, 2:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCumberland, Franklin, Juniata, Perry67 min
Jun 4, 3:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSnyder65 min
Jun 4, 3:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLycoming51 min
Jun 4, 3:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPNorthumberland62 min
Jun 4, 3:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPYork57 min
Jun 4, 4:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPColumbia45 min
Jun 4, 4:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPFranklin60 min
Jun 4, 4:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSchuylkill58 min
Jun 4, 4:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPYork36 min
Jun 4, 5:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster65 min
Jun 4, 5:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCentre, Huntingdon62 min
Jun 4, 5:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPYork44 min
Jun 4, 6:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMifflin69 min
Jun 4, 6:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster52 min
Jun 4, 7:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSnyder67 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1996Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.