Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 154, NWS State College, PA

August 16, 1997Potter County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 16, 1997, 7:36 PM EDT for Potter County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 64 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 16, 1997, 7:36 PM EDT (23:36 UTC)
Expired
Aug 16, 1997, 8:40 PM EDT
In force
64 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County Potter County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 147 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 1997-08-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 518 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 1997-08-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 126 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
518 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-21 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
740 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
126 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
187 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.2
Supercell composite
2.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KCTP 162337 RRA
SVRCTP
PAC105-170040-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
736 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 840 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

   ...NORTHERN POTTER COUNTY
 
AT 735 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS REACHING FROM ELLISBURG IN
NORTHERN POTTER COUNTY TO ELDRED IN NORTHERN MCKEAN COUNTY.

THE STORMS WILL BE AFFECTING AREAS IN POTTER COUNTY NORTH OF ROUTE
6 THROUGH 830 PM.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE TWEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.  STAY
INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

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 16, 2:06 PM EDT, 5 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 16, 2:06 PM EDT, 5 hours 30 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
205 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 1997

...ZONE SUGGESTIONS...
NONE...ZONES LOOK GOOD.

...DISCUSSION...
IR AND WV IMAGERY SHOWS SMALL MCS WORKG ACROSS N PA ATTM WITH A
STRONG LEWP TYPE SQUALL LINE...SIMILAR TO 5/19/97 EVENT.  THIS MCS
WILL CONTINUE PROPOAGATING THROUGH VERY FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT
THROUGH THE AFT INTO THE EVE SO LOOKS LIKE A LONG-LIVED EVENT...
AGAIN SIMILAR TO 5/19. MOST OF THE ACTION WILL STAY NORTH OF
I-80...BUT SOME SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS COULD OCCUR
ACROSS SOUTHERN PA WITH LATE AFT HEATING.  THINGS SHOULD QUIET DOWN
CONSIDERABLY FOR TONIGHT.

CONCERN FOR SUNDAY WILL BE PTNL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL/FLOODING IN PA.
EAST-WEST BOUNDARY SETS UP ACROSS STATE PARALLEL TO FLOW AS WITH
GOOD LL CONV AND STRONG LL JET ENTER THE FRAY.  THIS SITUATION
SHOULD BE LOOKED DURING LATER...LESS HECTIC...SHIFTS.

OSTUNO

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 16, 3:46 PM EDT, 3 hours 50 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-037-162050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
345 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS...CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS...AND PARTS OF THE UPPER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY HAS BEEN
CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES:

WARREN...MCKEAN...POTTER...TIOGA...ELK...CAMERON...CLINTON...
CLEARFIELD...AND CENTRE.

A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED EAST OF THIS AREA.
THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS ENDED FOR THE MOMENT.

OSTUNO

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
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 3:54 PM EDT, 3 hours 42 minutes before
PAZ041-042-046-049>053-058-170140-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
335 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9 PM FOR THE MID-SUSQUEHANNA
VALLEY...

THE COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE:

LYCOMING...SULLIVAN...UNION...SNYDER...NORTHUMBERLAND...
MONTOUR...COLUMBIA....AND SCHUYLKILL.

A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH A LONG HISTORY OF WIND DAMAGE
WILL MOVE THROUGH THIS AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THIS EVENING.
THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND
HEAVY DOWNPOURS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE
IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA.  PEOPLE IN0 THE WATCH AREA SHOULD WATCH
LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER
WARNINGS.

CORRECTED TO CHANGE WARNING TO WATCH IN HEADER.

OSTUNO
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 4:12 PM EDT, 3 hours 24 minutes before
PAZ004-170215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
412 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR WARREN COUNTY UNTIL 10
PM...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO FORM IN THE WARM AND HUMID AIR
OVER NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE
IN WARREN COUNTY THIS EVENING...AND A WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE A POSSIBILITY... NOT A CERTAINTY. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
PRODUCES WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR HAIL 3/4 INCH OR LARGER.

JUNG/HEAD
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 4:13 PM EDT, 3 hours 23 minutes before
PAZ004-170215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
412 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR WARREN COUNTY UNTIL 10
PM...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO FORM IN THE WARM AND HUMID AIR
OVER NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE
IN WARREN COUNTY THIS EVENING...AND A WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDzITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE A POSSIBILITY... NOT A CERTAINTY. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
PRODUCES WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR HAIL 3/4 INCH OR LARGER.

JUNG/HEAD
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:11 PM EDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before
PAZ041-042-046-049>053-058-162245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
611 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR LYCOMING...SULLIVAN...UNION...
SNYDER...NORTHUMBERLAND...MONTOUR...COLUMBIA... AND SCHUYLKILL
COUNTIES HAS BEEN CANCELLED AS OF 6 PM EDT. THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
MOVED EAST OF THE AREA ENDING THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR NOW.

HEAD
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:12 PM EDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
PAZ041-042-046-049>053-058-162245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
611 PM EDT SAT AUG 16 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR LYCOMING...SULLIVAN...UNION...
SNYDER...NORTHUMBERLAND...MONTOUR...COLUMBIA... AND SCHUYLKILL
COUNTIES HAS BEEN CANCELLED AS OF 6 PM EDT. THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
MOVED EAST OF THE AREA ENDING THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR NOW.

HEAD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 16, 11:32 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPWarren58 min
Aug 16, 12:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMcKean, Warren59 min
Aug 16, 12:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPElk62 min
Aug 16, 1:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCameron, Potter58 min
Aug 16, 1:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClearfield59 min
Aug 16, 1:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton62 min
Aug 16, 1:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPTioga62 min
Aug 16, 2:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLycoming64 min
Aug 16, 2:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCentre60 min
Aug 16, 2:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton63 min
Aug 16, 2:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClearfield31 min
Aug 16, 2:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSullivan64 min
Aug 16, 2:56 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPSullivan49 min
Aug 16, 3:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPColumbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland61 min
Aug 16, 3:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton, Union61 min
Aug 16, 3:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPNorthumberland, Snyder63 min
Aug 16, 3:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPColumbia63 min
Aug 16, 3:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSchuylkill62 min
Aug 16, 7:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMcKean61 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.