Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 2, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 29, 1997, 12:35 PM EST for Adams County, York County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 55 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
- Mar 29, 1997, 12:35 PM EST (17:35 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 29, 1997, 1:30 PM EST
- In force
- 55 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Adams County, PA, York County, PA
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:36 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.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 12:15 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 12:00Z, 5.6 hours before the alert went out and 257 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
- 301 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -49 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 433 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 50 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 89 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 117 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KCTP 291737 RRA SVRCTP PAC001-133-291830- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1235 PM EST SAT MAR 29 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 130 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...S... IN PENNSYLVANIA ...SOUTHEASTERN ADAMS COUNTY...SOUTHERN YORK COUNTY AT 1233 PM EST... DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM APPROACHING LITTLESTOWN. THE STORM WILL REACH HANOVER AND PARKSVILLE BY 1255 PM. THE STORM WILL REMAIN CLOSE TO THE MARYLAND BORDER AS IT REACHES I-83 BY 115 PM. LARGE HAIL IS THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THIS STORM. WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DON'T USE TELEPHONES OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS. NICOSIA/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 Mar 29, 9:45 AM EST, 2 hours 50 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 29, 9:45 AM EST, 2 hours 50 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 945 AM EST SAT MAR 29 1997 KEEP HI POPS FOR RW/TRW IN ZONES... MENTION CHC FOR HAIL. ...DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM WEATHER MAIN CONCERN. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PEA TO 1/2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL OVER THE LAURELS AND ALSO BEDFORD COUNTY. HAIL WHITENED THE GROUND ON MT DAVIS IN SOMERSET COUNTY EARLIER. KPBZ AND KCCX 88D SHOWS SCTRD CONVECTION MOVING INTO CNTRL PA IN ASSCTN WITH MIDDLE LVL COOLING THAT WAS TAKEN PLACE AS THE UPR LVL WAVE MOVE INTO WRN PA. KCCX VWP SHOWS S-SW FLO AHEAD OF UPR LVL WAVE WHICH WAS INCREASE LOW TO MIDDLE LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT UNDERNEATH SIGNIFICANT COOLING ALOFT TRIGGERING THE CONVECTION. THINK HAIL MENTIONED IN SC/C MTN ZONES A GOOD IDEA. WORRIED ABT SUS VLLY LATER TODAY. WITH DIURNAL HEATING RAISING SFC TEMPS INTO THE 60S AT THE TIME THE UPR WAVE APPROACHES WITH IT/S ATTENDANT MIDDLE LEVEL COOLING... CAPES SHUD TOP 1000 J/KG WITH DECENT SHEAR PROFILES IN THE LOW-LVL/S TO SUPPORT LINEAR CONVECTION AND POTENTIAL SVR WX. SPOTTERS IN SC PA REPORTED GUSTS TO 35 MPH FROM THE TRW IN SC MTNS NOW SO GUSTY WINDS MAY BE A PROBLEM GIVEN DRY MID-LEVEL AIR WORKING IN WITH UPR LVL WAVE. THUS... IN ADDTN TO LARGE HAIL THINK SOME STRG DMGG WINDS PSBL SUS VLLY THIS AFTERN IF ENUF HEATING TAKES PLACE WHEN WAVE COMES THRU. WILL BE MONITORING THRU THE AFTRN. THAT/S IT. ...LAKE SNOW OUTLOOK... SAT 7 AM TO SAT 7 PM...N SAT 7 PM TO SUN 7 AM...N SUN 7 AM TO SUN 7 PM...N NICOSIA
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 11:04 AM EST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
PAZ056-057-059-063>066-292300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1105 AM EST SAT MAR 29 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON IN THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGION FROM EARLY TO MID-AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS EAST ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANUIA. LARGE HAIL... 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR GREATER... WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW LOCALES COULD SEE DAMAGING WINDS AS WELL. THE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE EAST OF THE AREA BY EARLY EVENING. PERSONS PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS... POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCHES OR WARNINGS. REMEMBER... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH AND/OR HAIL 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR GREATER. ALL THUNDERSTORMS CONTAIN DEADLY LIGHTING. NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 11:05 AM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes before
PAZ056-057-059-063>066-292300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1105 AM EST SAT MAR 29 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON IN THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGION FROM EARLY TO MID-AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS EAST ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANUIA. LARGE HAIL... 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR GREATER... WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW LOCALES COULD SEE DAMAGING WINDS AS WELL. THE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE EAST OF THE AREA BY EARLY EVENING. PERSONS PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS... POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCHES OR WARNINGS. REMEMBER... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ARE ISSUED FOR THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH AND/OR HAIL 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER OR GREATER. ALL THUNDERSTORMS CONTAIN DEADLY LIGHTING. NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 12:24 PM EST, 11 minutes before
PAZ036-056-057-059-063>066-292300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1225 PM EST SAT MAR 29 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGION UNTIL 6 PM EST... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 6 PM EST... FRANKLIN... DAUHPIN... CUMBERLAND... ADAMS... LEBANON... YORK AND LANCASTER. THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE WATCH AREA FROM EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTAIN HAIL AS LARGE AS GOLF BALLS. IN ADDITION... DAMAGING WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FROM THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL END BY EARLY EVENING. A COLD FRONT THAT WAS CUTTING ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGION BY LATE AFTERNOON TRIGGERING THE THUNDERSTORMS. PERSONS PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES OR IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... YOUR FAVORITE TV... CABLE TV OR RADIO STATION FOR THE LATEST ON THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.n LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND LATER STATEMENTS. NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Mar 29, 12:25 PM EST, 10 minutes before
PAZ036-056-057-059-063>066-292300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1225 PM EST SAT MAR 29 1997 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGION UNTIL 6 PM EST... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES UNTIL 6 PM EST... FRANKLIN... DAUHPIN... CUMBERLAND... ADAMS... LEBANON... YORK AND LANCASTER. THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE WATCH AREA FROM EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTAIN HAIL AS LARGE AS GOLF BALLS. IN ADDITION... DAMAGING WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FROM THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL END BY EARLY EVENING. A COLD FRONT THAT WAS CUTTING ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA WILL SWEEP THROUGH THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY REGION BY LATE AFTERNOON TRIGGERING THE THUNDERSTORMS. PERSONS PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES OR IF WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... YOUR FAVORITE TV... CABLE TV OR RADIO STATION FOR THE LATEST ON THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER EVENT. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND LATER STATEMENTS. NICOSIA
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 9:47 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Bedford, Huntingdon | 43 min |
| Mar 29, 2:19 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lancaster | 26 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.