Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 159, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 30, 1998, 6:00 PM EDT for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 20 min. 1 report 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
- Jun 30, 1998, 6:00 PM EDT (22:00 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 30, 1998, 6:20 PM EDT
- In force
- 20 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Cumberland County, PA
The radar
The State College radar (KCCX), 105 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 6:10 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 51 | Shiremanstown, PA | Trees down. A large sale tent at the mall in Camp Hill was blown over by the storm. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 3:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD (KAPG), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 126 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
- 388 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -142 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1230 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 42 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 65 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 159 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.1
- Supercell composite
- 3.6
The text
The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.
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 Jun 30, 12:55 PM EDT, 5 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 30, 12:55 PM EDT, 5 hours 5 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1255 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1998 ...ZONE SUGGESTIONS... WILL ATTEMPT TO GET WRKZONES TO PIT AND PHL BY 130 PM...THEN DEAL WITH POTENTIAL CONVECTION. ...DISCUSSION... CONVECTION MAINTAINING ALONG EAST-WEST LINE OVER UPPR SUSQ VALLEY MAINLY NORTH OF IPT. THIS IS A WELL DEFINED OUTFLOW BOUNDARY LAID DOWN FROM EARLIER CONVECTION WHICH RACED ACROSS AND DROPPED QUICK SHOTS OF HEAVY RAIN. QUESTION FOR THE EVENING IS WHERE WILL MORE SIGNIFICANT CONVECTION...IF ANY...FOCUS WITH APPROACH UNSEASONABLY STRONG COLD FRONT MOVING OUT OF LOWER LAKES. REFRESHINGLY DRY AIR ON TAP TO LAST INTO THE END OF THE WEEK ONCE ALL IS SAID AND DONE. MESO ANAL SHOWS POTENTIAL OUTFLOW MERGER FOR NRN TIER COUNTIES EAST OF BFD. PROBLEM IS THAT THE INSTABILITY CONTINUES TO BE LACKING AS AIRMASS HAS YET TO START TO RECOVER FROM MORNING HEAVY CLOUDCOVER. WESTERLY FLOW IS LIMITING LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE IN THE WARM SECTOR AS WELL...WITH LEE SIDE TROF STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF FORMING OVER LOWER SUSQ. AS UPPER JET STREAK APPROACHES...THERE SHUD BE SOME TENDENCY FOR LOW LEVEL FLOW TO RESPOND MORE TO THE SOUTHWEST... BUT REMAINS TO BE SEEN HOW MUCH THIS CAN OVERCOME LEE SIDE TROF EFFECTS. STILL LOOKS LIKE LOWER SUSQ MAY BE UNDER THE GUN...BUT CONVECTION FIRING OVER OHIO LOOKS LIKE A PROBLEM FOR WRN SECTIONS AS WELL. CONCENTRATING ON THE MED TERM...FRONT WILL BRING MORE SLEEPER -FRIENDLY WEATHER INTO THE REGION STARTING LATER TONIGHT...AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. QUESTION FOR WED IS IF STRAY RW/TRW WILL ACCOMPANY SECONDARY SURGE OF COOL AIR. LAPSE RATES ARE MADE TO SHOOT UP WITH LIS IN IN THE AREA OF ZERO AS SFC BOUNDARY AND UPPER SHORTWAVE SLIDE SOUTHEAST. QPF IS KEPT SPARSE BUT HIGH SUN SHUD HELP INSTABILITY. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS SHOW POTENTIAL FOR LOW LEVEL SC DECK...BUT WITH SOME INSTABILITY ABOVE ASSOC WITH COOLING UPPER LEVELS. MAY END UP TWEAKING SOME NRN ZONES TO MENTION SMALL RISK OF RW/TRW. MRF HAS POTENT LOOKING COLD FRONT ENTERING REGION FOR WEEKEND. OUTLOOK FOR 4TH LOOKS REASONABLE. LATER OUTLOOKS WILL PAINT PLEASANT DRY END TO HOLIDAY IF TRENDS HOLD. LA CORTE
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 3:12 PM EDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before
PAZ026>028-035>037-041-042-046-049>053-056>059-063>066-010130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 312 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1998 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 9 PM... ...THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... HUNTINGDON... MIFFLIN... JUNIATA... FULTON... FRANKLIN... TIOGA... LYCOMING... SULLIVAN... UNION... SNYDER... NORTHUMBERLAND... MONTOUR... COLUMBIA... SCHUYLKILL... PERRY... DAUPHIN... LEBANON... CUMBERLAND... ADAMS... YORK... LANCASTER... AN AREA OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL TRACK SOUTHEAST ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE MAIN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH THE MID-SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AREA AROUND 5 PM...AND THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AREA AROUND 6 OR 7 PM. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAIN... LARGE HAIL... AND EVEN AN ISOLATED TORNADO WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. THE STORMS ARE DEVELOPING OUT AHEAD OF COLD FRONT...WHICH WILL TRACK ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING. THE FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF THE STATE BY LATE EVENING...ENDING THE THREAT OF STORMS. ALL PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED WHEN SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED OR BECOMES IMMINENT. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR THE LATES INFORMATION DIRECT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MSE/ONDREJIK
Local storm report, Jun 30, 3:43 PM EDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
343 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0305 PM EMPORIUM PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 CAMERON TREES DOWN
0330 PM DU BOIS PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 CLEARFIELD TREES DOWN 3 NORTH OF DU
BOISLocal storm report, Jun 30, 4:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
420 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0410 PM EBENSBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 CAMBRIA 60 MPH GUST REPORTED
0415 PM SOMERSET PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 SOMERSET TREES DOWN IN MULTIPLE
LOCATIONSLocal storm report, Jun 30, 5:05 PM EDT, 55 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
505 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0420 PM PHILIPSBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 CENTRE NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
THROUGHOUT PHILIPSBURG
POWER LINES ALSO DOWN
0420 PM JENNERSTOWN PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 SOMERSET TREES DOWN POSSIBLE
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
0420 PM GRAY PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 SOMERSET NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
0435 PM ALTOONA PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 BLAIR TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT CITY
OF ALTOONA
0445 PM PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 LYCOMING TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
COUNTY WIDELocal storm report, Jun 30, 5:05 PM EDT, 55 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
505 PM EDT TUE JUN 30 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0420 PM PHILIPSBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 CENTRE NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
THROUGHOUT PHILIPSBURG
POWER LINES ALSO DOWN
0420 PM JENNERSTOWN PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 SOMERSET TREES DOWN POSSIBLE
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
0420 PM GRAY PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 SOMERSET NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
0435 PM ALTOONA PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 BLAIR TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT CITY
OF ALTOONA
0445 PM PA WIND DAMAGE
06/30/98 LYCOMING TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
COUNTY WIDELocal storm report, Jun 30, 5:43 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 5:47 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Potter | 63 min |
| Jun 30, 1:53 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | McKean, Warren | 47 min |
| Jun 30, 2:23 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Cameron, Elk | 62 min |
| Jun 30, 2:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | McKean, Potter | 33 min |
| Jun 30, 3:14 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 61 min |
| Jun 30, 3:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clinton | 60 min |
| Jun 30, 3:24 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Cameron, Elk | 31 min |
| Jun 30, 3:33 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Cambria, Somerset | 87 min |
| Jun 30, 3:34 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Tioga | 61 min |
| Jun 30, 3:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lycoming | 60 min |
| Jun 30, 3:50 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Centre | 95 min |
| Jun 30, 4:08 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Bedford, Blair | 62 min |
| Jun 30, 4:16 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clinton | 34 min |
| Jun 30, 4:34 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, Snyder | 61 min |
| Jun 30, 4:34 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Union | 61 min |
| Jun 30, 4:34 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Sullivan | 51 min |
| Jun 30, 4:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Fulton | 33 min |
| Jun 30, 4:46 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Columbia, Montour, Northumberland | 64 min |
| Jun 30, 5:01 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Cumberland, Franklin, Perry | 59 min |
| Jun 30, 5:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Dauphin | 65 min |
| Jun 30, 5:24 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Schuylkill | 61 min |
| Jun 30, 5:32 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Adams, York | 78 min |
| Jun 30, 5:37 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lebanon | 48 min |
| Jun 30, 5:55 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lancaster | 60 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998
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.