Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1996
Tornado Warning 19, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Jul 19, 1996, 1:55 PM EDT for Franklin County, Fulton County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 65 min. 2 reports 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
- Jul 19, 1996, 1:55 PM EDT (17:55 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 19, 1996, 3:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 65 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Franklin County, PA, Fulton County, PA
The radar
The State College radar (KCCX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:56 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 2:00 PM EDT | Tornado F0 | Needmore, PA | |
| Jul 19, 2:30 PM EDT | Tornado F1 | Waynesboro, 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, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 117 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
- 531 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -151 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 810 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 43 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 207 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 229 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.7
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KCTP 191755 TORCTP PAC055-057-191900- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 155 PM EDT FRI JUL 19 1996 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 300 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...S... IN PENNSYLVANIA ...FRANKLIN COUNTY...FULTON COUNTY AT 151 PM STATE COLLEGE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED TWO STRONGLY ROTATING THUNDERSTORMS. ONE STORM IS NEAR ST THOMAS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY AND IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND WILL PASS NEAR MARION BY 215 PM... AND WAYNESBORO BY 230 PM... THE SECOND STORM WAS JUST SOUTH OF BREEZEWOOD IN EXTREME WESTERN FULTON COUNTY. THE STORM WILL PASS ABOUT 5 MI NORTH OF NEEDMORE BY 215 PM. THESE STORMS HAVE STRONG POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE TORNADOES. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...S,EEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS... OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS. LA CORTE
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Jul 19, 9:44 AM EDT, 4 hours 11 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 19, 9:44 AM EDT, 4 hours 11 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 945 AM EDT FRI JUL 19 1996 ZONE SUGGESTIONS... ...PIT/PHL...COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY TRIGGER ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTION. SHOULD BE MORE OF A SEVERE THREAT THAN PAST 24HRS. THINK BEST THREAT WILL BE SE SXNS. ...DISCUSSION... OVERNIGHT HEAVY RAINS ARE A HUMBLING REMINDER OF THE POWER OF THE MCS. ACTIVITY FIRED LATE IN DAY OVER WISCONSIN AND BLEW UP TO AN MCS AS CROSSED LAKES INTO NRN PA. ACTIVITY WINDING DOWN RAPIDLY LEAVING BEHIND A HUMID AIRMASS WAITING FOR THE COLD FRONT TO CRASH INTO IT. COLD FRONT WILL BE PASSING THROUGH DURING MAX HEATING FOR MOST LOCATIONS. SHUD SEE RESPECTABLE AMOUNT OF SUN TODAY AS COMPENSATING SUBSIDENCE BEHIND MCS DRIES US OUT AT LEAST TEMPORARILY. COLD FRONT WILL BE HEADING INTO FAIRLY UNSTABLE VERY HUMID AIRMASS BUT AT LEAST A COUPLE OF FACTORS WILL BE WORKING AGAINST WIDESPREAD SEVERE. BIGGEST PLAYER WILL BE VERY WARM MID LEVEL TEMPS. NEXT FACTOR WILL BE WESTERLY LOW LEVEL WINDS. POSITIVE FACTORS WILL BE DEVELOPING LEFT EXIT REGION OF JET MOVING DOWN OVER REGION ON TOP OF AT LEAST SOME MEASURE OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE. STRONG P-VORT MAX DROPPING SE ACROSS REGION SHOULD AID IN SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT AHEAD OF FRONT. WUD DRAW LINE FROM ABOUT IPT TO AOO WITH BEST CHC SEVERE SE OF THE LINE. MESO AND SYNOPTIC ETA PAINT LI/SSI'S IN THE SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE RANGE...HOLDING BEST INSTABILITY BACK IN OHIO VALLEY. W`ESTERLY LOW LEVEL JET FCST TO EXCEED 40KT. WINDS ARE WESTERLY IN LOW LEVELS BUT FCST TO NW UP TO 500MB. GOOD SHEAR PROFILES FOR ANYTHING THAT DOES MANAGE TO FIRE. LA CORTE
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 19, 10:14 AM EDT, 3 hours 41 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>05 3-056>059-063>066-191600- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1015 AM EDT FRI JUL 19 1996 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 804 FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HAS BEEN CANCELED. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAS DIMINISHED FOR THE TIME BEING. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP DURING THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE~ REGION. SKYWARN SPOTTER NETWORKS MAY NEED TO BE REACTIVATED THIS AFTERNOON. HEAD
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 19, 4:35 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 5 hr |
| Jul 19, 4:48 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 57 min |
| Jul 19, 5:09 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Blair, Cambria | 66 min |
| Jul 19, 5:09 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Centre | 66 min |
| Jul 19, 5:09 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Blair, Cambria | 66 min |
| Jul 19, 5:09 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Centre | 66 min |
| Jul 19, 5:26 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Huntingdon | 64 min |
| Jul 19, 5:56 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Blair, Cambria | 3 hr |
| Jul 19, 6:03 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Huntingdon | 3 hr |
| Jul 19, 6:26 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Huntingdon | 64 min |
| Jul 19, 6:35 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Juniata, Mifflin | 3 hr |
| Jul 19, 7:37 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Franklin, Fulton | 4 hr |
| Jul 19, 7:37 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Bedford | 4 hr |
| Jul 19, 9:19 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 3 hr |
| Jul 19, 10:58 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Blair | 3 hr |
| Jul 19, 10:58 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 7 hr |
| Jul 19, 11:06 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 54 min |
| Jul 19, 11:09 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 51 min |
| Jul 19, 11:15 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 30 min |
| Jul 19, 11:27 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Blair, Cambria | 48 min |
| Jul 19, 11:55 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Blair | 50 min |
| Jul 19, 11:59 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Cambria | 61 min |
| Jul 19, 12:08 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Huntingdon | 67 min |
| Jul 19, 12:30 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Blair | 45 min |
| Jul 19, 12:36 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Mifflin | 39 min |
| Jul 19, 12:46 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Blair, Huntingdon | 3 hr |
| Jul 19, 12:46 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Cambria | 3 hr |
| Jul 19, 12:53 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Bedford | 52 min |
| Jul 19, 12:59 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Franklin, Huntingdon | 61 min |
| Jul 19, 1:17 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Cumberland | 58 min |
| Jul 19, 1:28 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Bedford, Fulton | 4 hr |
| Jul 19, 1:28 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Franklin | 4 hr |
| Jul 19, 1:35 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Fulton | 55 min |
| Jul 19, 1:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Bedford | 63 min |
| Jul 19, 1:47 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Adams | 58 min |
| Jul 19, 2:31 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Adams | 59 min |
| Jul 19, 2:51 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | York | 54 min |
| Jul 19, 5:31 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Bedford, Somerset | 4 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1996Every tornado warning in 1996Tornadoes 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.