Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1996

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 29, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

June 4, 1996Carbon County, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 4, 1996, 6:02 PM EDT for Carbon County, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 43 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
Jun 4, 1996, 6:02 PM EDT (22:02 UTC)
Expired
Jun 4, 1996, 6:45 PM EDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Whole counties

Counties Carbon County, PA, Lehigh County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 139 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:04 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, 6:10 PM EDTHail 0.75Lehighton, PA
Jun 4, 6:15 PM EDTHail 0.75Slatedale, 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

Brookhaven, NY (KOKX), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 235 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, Brookhaven, NY at 12:00Z on 1996-06-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Brookhaven, NY at 12:00Z on 1996-06-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -8 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
14 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 KPHL 042205
SVRPHL
PAC025-077-042245-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA/MOUNT HOLLY NJ
602 PM EDT TUE JUN 4 1996
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PHILADELPHIA/MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  645 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN  PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...SOUTHERN CARBON COUNTY...NORTHERN LEHIGH COUNTY
 
AT 600 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS
INDICATING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN EXTREME EASTERN
SCHUYLKILL COUNTY IN WEST PENN TOWNSHIP MOVING NORTHEAST
AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH.  THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE MOVING
INTO SOUTHERN CARBON AND NORTHERN LEHIGH COUNTIES BY 610 PM.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  PREPARE FOR STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...
LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAINS AND DEADLY LIGHTNING.  SHOULD THE STORM
APPROACH MOVE INSIDE QUICKLY. DO NOT STAND NEAR WINDOWS.  MOBILE
HOMES ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED.
 
TFG/JJM

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.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 4, 2:02 PM EDT, 4 hours before
NJZ014-024>026-050000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA/MOUNT HOLLY NJ
145 PM EDT MON JUN 3 1996

...THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THIS EVENING...

A WEAK COLD FRONT...MOVING SLOWLY EAST FROM OHIO...WILL PRODUCE SOME LIFT
TO MOIST AIR EAST OF THE FRONT. THE AIR AHEAD OF THE FRONT IS MODERATELY
UNSTABLE WITH COOL AIR ALOFT AND SOME SOLAR HEATING OF AIR NEAR THE
GROUND. CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SOME GENERALIZED THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY THIS EVENING BUT NOT FOR ANY TO GROW TO SEVERE PROPORTIONS.

IF ANY THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP...THEY WILL MOVE FROM SOUTH SOUTHWEST TO
NORTH NORTHEAST AT AROUND 35 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS WOULD BE ACCOMPANVIED
BY GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. CONDITIONS DO EXIST FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL HAIL IN ANY THUNDERSTORMS.

DOVICO
Special weather statement, Jun 4, 2:48 PM EDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
MDZ008-012-015-019-020-050100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA/MOUNT HOLLY NJ
250 PM EDT TUE JUN 4 1996

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR THE MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE
COUNTIES OF CECIL...QUEEN ANNE/S...KENT...CAROLINE AND TALBOT.
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE IN AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA.

A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE EASTERN OHIO VALLEY COUPLED WITH
VERY COLD TEMPERATURES AT HIGHER LEVELS OF OUR ATMOSPHERE WILL HELP
DEVELOP STRONG TO LOCALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE MIDDLE
ATLANTIC STATES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  A DEVELOPING LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM THE SOUTHWESTERN SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY
PENNSYLVANIA INTO THE EASTERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST.  THE SOUTHERN PART OF THIS LINE SHOULD REACH THE WATCH
AREA PROBABLY BETWEEN 5 AND 8 PM TODAY.

REMEMBER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA
SHOULD LOOK FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER WARNINGS
OR STATEMENTS OVER NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND/OR COMMERCIAL RADIO AND
TELEVISION.  IF YOU DO SEE THREATENING WEATHER...PLEASE TAKE SHELTER
INDOORS QUICKLY.

GIGI
Special weather statement, Jun 4, 4:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
PAZ054-055-060>062-067>071-DEZ001-NJZ001-007>010-012>020-022-025-026-
050300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PHILADELPHIA/MOUNT HOLLY NJ
425 PM EDT TUE JUN 4 1996

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT FOR MOST OF EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA...NEW JERSEY AND NORTHERN DELAWARE.

THE COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THIS WATCH IN PENNSYLVANIA ARE...CARBON...
MONROE...BERKS...LEHIGH...NORTHAMPTON...CHESTER...MONTGOMERY...BUCKS
...DELAWARE AND PHILADELPHIA

THE COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THIS WATCH IN NEW JERSEY ARE SUSSEX...WARREN
...MORRIS...HUNTERDON...SOMERSET...MIDDLESEX...MONMOUTH...MERCER...
BURLINGTON...OCEAN...CAMDEN...GLOUCESTER...ATLANTIC AND SALEM.

NEW CASTLE COUNTY DELAWARE IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS WATCH.

DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE IN AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA.  SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER CENTRAL
NEW JERSEY IN MONMOUTH...OCEAN AND BURLINGTON COUNTIES.  THESE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN AND
COULD BECOME SEVERE DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO.

FARTHER TO THE WEST A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...WITH A HISTORY OF
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH WAS
MOVING THROUGH THE SUSQUEHANNA BASIN.  WITH THE PRESENT MOTION AND IF
IT CAN MAINTAIN ITSELF THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS LINE WILL PASS
THROUGH PALMERTON AND READING BY 6 PM...STROUDSBURG...ALLENTOWN...
PHOENIXVILLE AND NEWARK DE BY 7 PM...SUSSEX...HACKETTSTOWN...
FLEMINGTON...PHILADELPHIA AND PILESGROVE BY 8 PM...MORRISTOWN...
BEDMINSTER...MOUNT HOLLY AND MILLVILLE BY 9 PM...NEW BRUNSWICK
...JACKSON AND HAMMONTON BY 10 PM AND REACH THE NEW JERSEY SHORE BY
11 PM.

A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE EASTERN OHIO VALLEY COUPLED WITH
VERY COLD TEMPERATURES AT HIGHER LEVELS OF OUR ATMOSPHERE WILL HELP
DEVELOP STRONG TO LOCALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE MIDDLE
ATLANTIC STATES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

REMEMBER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA
SHOULD L(OOK FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER WARNINGS
OR STATEMENTS OVER NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND/OR COMMERCIAL RADIO AND
TELEVISION.  IF YOU DO SEE THREATENING WEATHER...PLEASE TAKE SHELTER
INDOORS QUICKLY.

GIGI

The office that day

Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 4, 5:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBerks60 min
Jun 4, 6:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton52 min
Jun 4, 6:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIChester48 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.