Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 9, NWS Pittsburgh, PA
NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 1997, 3:36 PM EDT for Allegheny County, Butler County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 54 min. 6 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 3, 1997, 3:36 PM EDT (19:36 UTC)
- Expired
- May 3, 1997, 4:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 54 min
- Issued by
- NWS Pittsburgh, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Allegheny County, PA, Butler County, PA
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 3:45 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Butler, PA | Trees and power lines were downed throughout the county. |
| May 3, 3:50 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Wexford, PA | Several trees were downed in North Park. |
| May 3, 3:55 PM EDT | Hail 0.75 | Bridgeville, PA | A Skywarn Accruement Radio Operator reported three-quarter inch diameter hail. |
| May 3, 4:00 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Verona, PA | A Skywarn Amtrak Radio Operator reported a few small trees downed. |
| May 3, 4:07 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Pittsburgh, PA | Trees and power lines were reported downed within the city of Pittsburgh. |
| May 3, 4:12 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Penn Hills, PA | Large branches were downed near Mt. Carmel Cemetery |
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 nearest sounding before it
Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 34 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
- 12 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -73 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 579 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 66 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 478 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 446 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 KPIT 031937 RRA SVRPIT PAC003-019-032030- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 336 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 430 PM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN WEST PENNSYLVANIA ...ALLEGHENY COUNTY...BUTLER COUNTY A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO BUTLER AND ALLEGHENY COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA BY 345 PM. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR VERY STRONG WINDS WHICH WILL TOPPLE TREES AND DOWN POWERS. WINDS COULD GUST OVER 60 MPH. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A STRONG BUILDING. DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND DEADL(Y LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
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
Special weather statement, May 3, 11:10 AM EDT, 4 hours 26 minutes before
PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-MDZ001- OHZ039>041-O48>050-057>059-068-069-041200- SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 1110 AM EDT SAT MAY 3 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS AND POSSIBLY HAIL THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THESE FOLLOWING AREAS.. EAST CENTRAL OHIO... WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... EXTREME NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA... EXTREME WESTERN MARYLAND. ...HAZARD SPECIFICS... BEWARE OF RAPIDLY MOVING THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON THAT CAN GENERATE WIND GUSTS OVER 50 MPH AND SOME HAIL. THE WIND GUSTS MAY GET HIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE DAMAGE. THE HAIL SHOULD BE LIMITED IN SIZE BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SMALL HAILSTONES COVERING THE GROUND TO A DEPTH OF AN INCH OR SO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. REGARDING RAINFALL...ANY DOWNPOURS SHOULD BE BE BRIEF. REGARDING LIGHTNING...THERE CAN BE CLOUD TO GROUND STROKES...WHICH OF COURSE ARE ALWAYS DANGEROUS. BUT THESE STROKES SHOULD NOT BE FREQUENT. ...HAZARD TIMING... THE PERIOD FOR THE MOST HEIGHTENED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WEATHER AWARENESS ARE AS FOLLOWS... IN EAST CENTRAL OHIO...EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...TIL AROUND 3 OR 4 PM. IN FAR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND WESTERN MARYLAND...ALL AFTERNOON TIL AROUND 6 TO 7 PM. THE FOCUS OF THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT AND FOR UP TO ABOUT 3 HOURS AFTERWARDS AS COLD AIR ARRIVES ALOFT TO INCREASE THE ATMOSPHERES INSTABILITY. THE TIMES OF FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL BE AS FOLLOWS... ZANESVILLE OH....AROUND 11 AM. WHEELING WV AROUND 12 NOON FRANKLIN PA...PITTSBURGH PA AND MORGANTOWN...AROUND 1 PM. BROOKVILLE PA...LATROBE PA AND CONNELLSVILLE PA...AROUND 2 PM. DEEP CREEK LAKE MD...AROUND 3 PM. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. ...SKYWARN... SKYWARN OBSERVERS...CALL IN REPORTS OF DAMAGE AND SIGNIFICANT WIND GUSTS AND HAIL AS NEEDED. GIORDANO/MURPHY
Local storm report, May 3, 2:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE PITTSBURGH PA
230 PM EDT THU MAY 03 1997
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
127 PM SHARON PA .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/97 MERCER AMATEUR RADIO/SKYWARN
145 PM FREDONIA PA .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/97 MERCER SKYWARN
GIORDANO/MURPHY
&Local storm report, May 3, 2:25 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE PITTSBURGH PA
230 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 1997
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
127 PM SHARON PA .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/97 MERCER AMATEUR RADIO/SKYWARN
145 PM FREDONIA PA .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/97 MERCER SKYWARN
GIORDANO/MURPHY
0Local storm report, May 3, 2:30 PM EDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE PITTSBURGH PA
230 PM EDT SAT MAY 03 1997
TIME(EST) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
127 PM SHARON PA .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/97 MERCER AMATEUR RADIO/SKYWARN
145 PM FREDONIA PA .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/97 MERCER SKYWARN
GIORDANO/MURPHYSpecial weather statement, May 3, 2:58 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016- 020>023-029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-032005- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 259 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE REGION WITH SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM. EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO PUSH ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...EAST-CENTRAL OHIO AND GARRETT COUNTY MARYLAND. THEY WILL PRODUCE HAIL RANGING IN SIZE FROM ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH TO ONE HALF INCH. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH. WINDS WILL ALSO GUST OUT OF THE WEST TO NEAR 50 MPH ALONG WITH OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING AND SOME BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. SOME OF THE STRONGEST STORMS AT 255 PM WERE OVER BUTLER AND ARMSTRONG COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA. ANOTHER LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING INTO COLUMBIANA...CARROLL...AND BELMONT COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WILL ALSO HAVE SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. A FRONTAL SYSTEM ACROSS EASTERN OHIO WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL POP UP AS THE FRONT COMES THROUGH. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET AS COOLER DRIER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION.
Special weather statement, May 3, 2:59 PM EDT, 37 minutes before
MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016- 020>023-029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-032005- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 259 PM EDT SAT MAY 3 1997 ...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS THE REGION WITH SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM. EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO PUSH ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...EAST-CENTRAL OHIO AND GARRETT COUNTY MARYLAND. THEY WILL PRODUCE HAIL RANGING IN SIZE FROM ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH TO ONE HALF INCH. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD PRODUCE HAIL UP TO THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH. WINDS WILL ALSO GUST OUT OF THE WEST TO NEAR 50 MPH ALONG WITH OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING AND SOME BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. SOME OF THE STRONGEST STORMS AT 255 PM WERE OVER BUTLER AND ARMSTRONG COUNTIES IN PENNSYLVANIA. ANOTHER LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING INTO COLUMBIANA...CARROLL...AND BELMONT COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WILL ALSO HAVE SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. A FRONTAL SYSTEM ACROSS EASTERN OHIO WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL POP UP AS THE FRONT COMES THROUGH. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET AS COOLER DRIER AIR MOVES INTO THE REGION.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 1:23 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Mercer | 67 min |
| May 3, 1:57 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Washington | 63 min |
| May 3, 3:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Beaver | 45 min |
| May 3, 3:24 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Washington | 51 min |
| May 3, 3:26 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Lawrence | 49 min |
| May 3, 3:29 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Mercer | 46 min |
| May 3, 3:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Fayette | 30 min |
| May 3, 4:07 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Armstrong, Westmoreland | 68 min |
| May 3, 4:37 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Venango | 53 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.