Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 82, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

July 28, 1997Marion County, Monongalia County, West Virginia

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 28, 1997, 2:34 PM EDT for Marion County, Monongalia County, West Virginia. It was in force for 41 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
Jul 28, 1997, 2:34 PM EDT (18:34 UTC)
Expired
Jul 28, 1997, 3:15 PM EDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Marion County, WV, Monongalia County, WV

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 107 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:38 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
Jul 28, 2:40 PM EDTThunderstorm WindMannington, WVTrees were downed by thunderstorm winds.
Jul 28, 2:45 PM EDTThunderstorm WindMorgantown, WVPower lines were downed by thunderstorm winds.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 28, 1:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 6.6 hours before the alert went out and 93 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 1997-07-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 448 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 1997-07-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 70 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
448 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-84 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
813 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
70 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
84 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 KPIT 281831 RRA
SVRPIT
MDC023-WVC049-061-077-281915-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
234 PM EDT MON JUL 28 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  315 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN THE MARYLAND PANHANDLE
 
   ...GARRETT COUNTY
 
 
IN NORTH WEST VIRGINIA
 
   ...MARION COUNTY...MONONGALIA COUNTY...PRESTON COUNTY
 
AT 230 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS FROM EASTERN FAYETTE COUNTY EXTENDING BACK INTO WETZEL
COUNTY. THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF DAMAGING WINDS THAT HAVE DOWNED
TREES. DAMAGING WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED. LARGE HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS
ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.
 
TAKE SHELTER INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.
DON'T USE TELEPHONES OR APPLIANCES UNLESS IT'S AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE
STORM HAS PASSED.  DO NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
 

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

Local storm report, Jul 28, 1:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA
100 PM EDT MON JUL 28 1997

TIME(EST)  ....CITY LOCATION....     STATE...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ...COUNTY LOCATION...
1150 AM     COSHOCTON                OH    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    COSHOCTON                      TREE LIMBS DOWN

1249 PM     BARNESVILLE              OH    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    BELMONT                        BARN BLOWN DOWN
Local storm report, Jul 28, 1:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA
100 PM EDT MON JUL 28 1997

TIME(EST)  ....CITY LOCATION....     STATE...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ...COUNTY LOCATION...
1150 AM     COSHOCTON                OH    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    COSHOCTON                      TREE LIMBS DOWN

1249 PM     BARNESVILLE              OH    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    BELMONT                        BARN BLOWN DOWN
Special weather statement, Jul 28, 2:04 PM EDT, 30 minutes before
PAZ021-031-030-032-0
Special weather statement, Jul 28, 2:15 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
PAZ013>016-020>023-029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-MDZ001-282300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT-  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
215 PM EDT MON JUL 28 1997

A SEVERE STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT TIL 700 PM FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...

IN WEST VIRGINIA
MARION... MONONAGALIA... PRESTON... TUCKER

IN PENNSYLVANIA
ALLEGHENY... WASHINGTON... GREENE... FAYETTE... WESTMORELAND

IN MARYLAND
GARRETT

A COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME THAT MAY BE SEVERE... WILL DEVELOP
ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. AS A RESULT...A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 700 PM FOR THE ABOVE COUNTIES.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP IN AND CLOSE TO
THE WATCH AREA.

HAVE A SAFE SHELTER NEARBY.  LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE
READY TO MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

STAY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR
YOUR FAVORITE RADIO...TV OR CABLE TV STATION.
Special weather statement, Jul 28, 2:17 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
PAZ013>016-020>023-029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-MDZ001-282300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT-  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
215 PM EDT MON JUL 28 1997

A SEVERE STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT TIL 700 PM FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...

IN WEST VIRGINIA
MARION... MONONAGALIA... PRESTON... TUCKER

IN PENNSYLVANIA
ALLEGHENY... WASHINGTON... GREENE... FAYETTE... WESTMORELAND

IN MARYLAND
GARRETT

A COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME THAT MAY BE SEVERE... WILL DEVELOP
ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. AS A RESULT...A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 700 PM FOR THE ABOVE COUNTIES.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP IN AND CLOSE TO
THE WATCH AREA.

HAVE A SAFE SHELTER NEARBY.  LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE
READY TO MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

STAY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST FORECASTS FROM NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR
YOUR FAVORITE RADIO...TV OR CABLE TV STATION.
Local storm report, Jul 28, 2:30 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA
230 PM EDT MON JUL 28 1997

TIME(EST)  ....CITY LOCATION....     STATE...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ...COUNTY LOCATION...
1150 AM     COSHOCTON                OH    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    COSHOCTON                      TREE LIMBS DOWN

1249 PM     BARNESVILLE              OH    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    BELMONT                        BARN BLOWN DOWN

0200 PM     SCENERY HILL             PA    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    WASHINGTON                     NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

0200 PM     WAYNESBURG               PA    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    GREENE                         TREES DOWN

215 PM      UNIONTOWN                PA    WIND DAMAGE
07/28/97    FAYETTE                        TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT COUNTY

PALKO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 28, 1:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZMarshall29 min
Jul 28, 1:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZWetzel49 min
Jul 28, 2:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZWetzel60 min
Jul 28, 2:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZPreston41 min
Jul 28, 3:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZTucker42 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 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.