Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 133, NWS State College, PA

August 15, 1997Cambria County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 15, 1997, 6:20 PM EDT for Cambria County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 40 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 15, 1997, 6:20 PM EDT (22:20 UTC)
Expired
Aug 15, 1997, 7:00 PM EDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Cambria County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 118 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 1997-08-15Temperature 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°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 1997-08-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 135 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1167 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
135 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
161 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.

035 
WUUS01 KCTP 152223 RRA
SVRCTP
PAC021-152300-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
620 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  700 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS......
 
IN  PENNSYLVANIA
 
   ...CAMBRIA COUNTY
 
AT 620 PM...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A CLUSTER OF
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR JOHNSTOWN NORTHEAST TO NEAR CARROLTOWN
IN NORTHERN CAMBRIA COUNTY. THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AND
WILL AFFECT MOST OF CAMBRIA COUNTY BEFORE 7 PM.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DONT USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
 
JUNG

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 Aug 15, 2:34 PM EDT, 3 hours 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 15, 2:34 PM EDT, 3 hours 46 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
230 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 1997

...ZONES SUGGESTIONS...
NONE.

...DISCUSSION...

SAT WV PIX SHOW STRONG VORT MAX ASSOC WITH OCCLUDED LOW MOVING
THROUGH UPPER LAKES ATTM.  COMPOSITE RADAR PIX NICELY SHOWS
OCCLUDED STRUCTURE OF THIS SYSTEM WITH TRIPLE POINT OVER S
MICHIGAN.

SFC MAP SHOWS WARM FRONT ADVANCING INTO SW PA. FIRST BATCH OF RAIN
ASSOC W/ISENTROPIC LIFT NOW MOVING THRU CTP CWA WITH SECOND AREA OF
PRECIP OVER W OHIO. SOME EMBEDDED TSRA IN THIS SECOND BATCH WHICH
SHOULD MOVE INTO WESTERN CTP CWA AFTER 21Z. LDS SHOWED A LONE
LIGHTNING STRIKE LAST HOUR IN WARM SECTOR IN FAR SW PA. LATEST SAT
PIX AT 1745 SHOWING CELL FIRING UP IN S OHIO.  THIS IS THE JUICY
AIR THAT WILL GET HERE OVERNIGHT.

A LOOK AT MODEL SOUNDINGS FROM UNV AND MDT INDICATES THAT WITH
PLENTY OF SUN TOMORROW AFT...LATE DAY THUNDERSTORMS CAN GET GOING.
WINDEX EVEN SUGGESTS POTENTIAL DAMAGING WINDS...BUT STRENGTH OF UPR
LEVEL RIDGING MAY BE AN INHIBITING FACTOR.

BELIEVE THE NEXT REAL THREAT FOR SVR WILL BE SUNDAY AFT ACROSS
NORTHERN PA AS STRONG COLD FRNT SAGS SOUTH INTO VERY WARM MOIST AIR
MASS.

OSTUNO

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 15, 4:39 PM EDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before
PAZ056-057-059-063>066-160230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - HOT WEATHER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
439 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 1997

...HOT WEATHER WILL RETURN TO THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY THIS
WEEKEND...

...FORECAST DETAILS...
A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORHTWARD THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA
TONIGHT...AND ALLOW VERY WARM AND HUMID AIR TO OVERSPREAD
THE REGION THIS WEEKEND.  HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE LOWER
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY WILL REACH 90 DEGREES SATURDAY...AND THE
MIDDLE 90S ON SUNDAY.  THESE HOT TEMPERATURES...COMBINED WITH
HIGH HUMIDITIES WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES AROUND 100 DEGREES
SATURDAY...AND 100 TO 105 DEGREES ON SUNDAY.

...PRECAUTIONS...
DURING TIMES OF HOT WEATHER...WEAR LIGHTWEIGHT...LIGHT COLORED
CLOTHING SINCE IT REFLECTS HEAT AND SUNLIGHT AND HELPS YOUR BODY
STAY COOLER.

YOU SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION AND BE AWARE THAT THOSE MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE HEAT INCLUDE THE ELDERLY...SMALL CHILDREN...
THOSE IN POOR HEALTH...AND ANYONE WHO WORKS OR PLAYS OUTDOORS FOR
LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
OFFICIAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS...STATEMENTS...
WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES FOR PENNSYLVANIA CAN BE FOUND
ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
HTTP://IWIN.NWS.NOAA/GOV/IWIN/PA/PA.HTML
OR  140.90.6.254/IWIN/PA/PA.HTML

JUNG
Special weather statement, Aug 15, 4:41 PM EDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before
PAZ056-057-059-063>066-160230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - HOT WEATHER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
439 PM EDT FRI AUG 15 1997

...HOT WEATHER WILL RETURN TO THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY THIS
WEEKEND...

...FORECAST DETAILS...
A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORHTWARD THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA
TONIGHT...AND ALLOW VERY WARM AND HUMID AIR TO OVERSPREAD
THE REGION THIS WEEKEND.  HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE LOWER
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY WILL REACH 90 DEGREES SATURDAY...AND THE
MIDDLE 90S ON SUNDAY.  THESE HOT TEMPERATURES...COMBINED WITH
HIGH HUMIDITIES WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDEX VALUES AROUND 100 DEGREES
SATURDAY...AND 100 TO 105 DEGREES ON SUNDAY.

...PRECAUTIONS...
DURING TIMES OF HOT WEATHER...WEAR LIGHTWEIGHT...LIGHT COLORED
CLOTHING SINCE IT REFLECTS HEAT AND SUNLIGHT AND HELPS YOUR BODY
STAY COOLER.

YOU SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION AND BE AWARE THAT THOSE MOST
SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE HEAT INCLUDE THE ELDERLY...SMALL CHILDREN...
THOSE IN POOR HEALTH...AND ANYONE WHO WORKS OR PLAYS OUTDOORS FOR
LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
OFFICIAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTS...STATEMENTS...
WATCHES...WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES FOR PENNSYLVANIA CAN BE FOUND
ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
HTTP://IWIN.NWS.NOAA/GOV/IWIN/PA/PA.HTML
OR  140.90.6.254/IWIN/PA/PA.HTML

JUNG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 15, 6:41 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPBlair49 min
Aug 15, 7:00 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPCentre65 min
Aug 15, 7:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPHuntingdon47 min
Aug 15, 7:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMifflin49 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1997Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

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.