Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 6, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 1, 1997, 4:09 PM EDT for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 66 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
- May 1, 1997, 4:09 PM EDT (20:09 UTC)
- Expired
- May 1, 1997, 5:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 66 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Lancaster County, PA
The radar
The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 152 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 4:20 PM EDT | Hail 0.75 | Mountville, PA | Dime size hail fell in Mountville. |
| May 1, 4:30 PM EDT | Hail 0.88 | Safe Harbor, PA | Hail the size of lima beans was reported in Safe Harbor. |
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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 4:00 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD (KAPG), launched 12:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 65 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 833 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 49 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 164 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 178 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KCTP 012007 RRA SVRCTP PAC071-012115- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 409 PM EDT THU MAY 1 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 515 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...... IN PENNSYLVANIA ...LANCASTER COUNTY AT 405 PM RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE STORM WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS JUST SOUTHWEST OF MARIETTA. THE STORM IS RACING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND WILL BE NEAR THE CITY OF LANCASTER BY 430 PM AND NEAR NEW HOLLAND AROUND 450 PM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING..2.AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. MARTIN
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 May 1, 2:52 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 1, 2:52 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 250 PM EDT THU MAY 1 1997 WATCHING A FEW TSTMS OVER NE PA BUT SO FAR NO INDICATION OF SVR. CURRENT SFC FRONT NEAR A HAR-IPT LINE. FRONT TO MOVE EAST OF PA BY 00Z. EARLIER TODAY WE HAD A RACE BETWEEN DRY AIR WORKING EAST AND GROWING INSTABILITY ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN PA DUE TO HEATING. LOOKS LIKE DRY JUST BARELY WON FOR OUR FCST/A. HIGH PRESSURE TO MOVE INTO FCST/A TONIGHT. RAMSDIS SHOWS AN AREA OF LOW CLDS MOVING INTO NW PA ATTM. EXPECT THIS AREA OF CLD COVER TO SLIDE ACROSS N PA THIS EVENING THEN SKIES SHOULD CLEAR ACROSS MOST OF FCST/A BY MIDNIGHT. NXT SYS TO APPROACH AREA LATE FRIDAY. EXPECT HI CLDS TO INCR ACROSS FCST/A DURING THE DAY WITH LOW/MID LEVEL CLDS MOVING IN FRIDAY NIGHT. ETA MODEL FCSTING PRECIP TO MOVE INTO W PA AFTER MIDNIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT. POTENT SYS TO SLIDE INTO AREA ON SAT WITH STRONG 8H JET OF 65KT MOVING OUT OF GULF TO0WARD PA. PHL...WRKZFP LOOK GOOD...SHORT ON TIME. WINTHER
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 1, 11:23 AM EDT, 4 hours 46 minutes before
PAZ041>042-046-051>053-057>059-065>066-012400- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1125 AM EDT THU MAY 1 1997 THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER SAYS THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON. THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES AND SURROUNDING AREAS EAST OF A LINE FROM WILLIAMSPORT TO HARRISBURG. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON. SHO0WERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. SKYWARN SPOTTER NETWORKS MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED THIS AFTERNOON. OSTUNO
Special weather statement, May 1, 11:25 AM EDT, 4 hours 44 minutes before
PAZ041>042-046-051>053-057>059-065>066-012400- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1125 AM EDT THU MAY 1 1997 THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER SAYS THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON. THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES AND SURROUNDING AREAS EAST OF A LINE FROM WILLIAMSPORT TO HARRISBURG. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. SKYWARN SPOTTER NETWORKS MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED THIS AFTERNOON. OSTUNO
Special weather statement, May 1, 3:55 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017-024-033-012400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - WIND ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 355 PM EDT THU MAY 1 1997 ...A WIND ADVISORY CONTINUES ACROSS ALL OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND LAUREL HIGHLANDS OF PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING... ...ADVISORY INFORMATION... THE WIND ADVISORY NOW INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA: WARREN... MCKEAN... POTTER... ELK... CAMERON... CLEARFIELD... CAMBRIA NORTHERN CLINTON...CENTRE...AND SOMERSET. ...WEATHER SYNOPSIS... A DEEP STORM SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE LOWER LAKES THIS AFTERNOON WILL KEEP STRONG WINDS ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. ...PRECAUTIONS... PEOPLE SHOULD SECURE LOOSE OUTSIDE OBJECTS. BE ALERT WHILE DRIVING SINCE WIRES AND TREE LIMBS MAY BE DOWNED BY THE GUSTY WINDS. IF YOU DRIVE A HIGH PROFILE VEHICLE...KEEP A FIRM GRIP ON THE WHEEL. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL TELEVISION... RADIO OR CABLE TV STATION FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND UPDATES. MARTIN
Special weather statement, May 1, 3:59 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017-024-033-012400- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - WIND ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 355 PM EDT THU MAY 1 1997 ...A WIND ADVISORY CONTINUES ACROSS ALL OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS AND LAUREL HIGHLANDS OF PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING... ...ADVISORY INFORMATION... THE WIND ADVISORY NOW INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA: WARREN... MCKEAN... POTTER... ELK... CAMERON... CLEARFIELD... CAMBRIA NORTHERN CLINTON...CENTRE...AND SOMERSET. ...WEATHER SYNOPSIS... A DEEP STORM SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE LOWER LAKES THIS AFTERNOON WILL KEEP STRONG WINDS ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. ...PRECAUTIONS... PEOPLE SHOULD SECURE LOOSE OUTSIDE OBJECTS. BE ALERT WHILE DRIVING SINCE WIRES AND TREE LIMBS MAY BE DOWNED BY THE GUSTY WINDS. IF YOU DRIVE A HIGH PROFILE VEHICLE...KEEP A FIRM GRIP ON THE WHEEL. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL TELEVISION... RADIO OR CABLE TV STATION FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND UPDATES. MARTIN
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 3:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Dauphin | 29 min |
| May 1, 3:48 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Schuylkill | 57 min |
| May 1, 4:22 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | York | 68 min |
| May 1, 4:41 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Schuylkill | 49 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.