Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 6, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 17, 1998, 5:28 PM EST for Cambria County, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 62 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
- Feb 17, 1998, 5:28 PM EST (22:28 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 17, 1998, 6:30 PM EST
- In force
- 62 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Cambria County, PA, Somerset County, PA
The radar
The State College radar (KCCX), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 5:35 PM EST | Thunderstorm Wind 51 | Davidsville, PA | Trees were blown down 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 nearest sounding before it
Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 106 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
- 518 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 16 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 204 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 308 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 172228 RRA SVRCTP PAC021-111-172330- BULLETIN- IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 528 PM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 630 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA ...CAMBRIA COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA ...NORTHERN SOMERSET COUNTY AT 526 PM EST...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS INDICATED BY STATE COLLEGE DOPPLER RADAR AND SPOTTER REPORTS 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF JOHNSTOWN OR 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WINDBER MOVING NORTH AT 55 MPH. THE STORM WILL PASS NEAR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... JOHNSTOWN BY 535 PM EST PORTAGE BY 540 PM EST CRESSON BY 545 PM EST GALLITZEN BY 545 PM EST EBENSBURG BY 545 PM EST NANTY GLO BY 550 PM EST CARROLLTOWN BY 555 PM EST PATTON BY 600 PM EST PRINCE GALLITZIN STATE PARK BY 600 PM EST IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A STRONG BUILDING. D^AMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. NICOSIA/LAMBERT &
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 Feb 17, 1:47 PM EST, 3 hours 41 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 17, 1:47 PM EST, 3 hours 41 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 147 PM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 ...SUGGESTIONS... KEEP FFA FOR JUNIATA AND SUSQUEHANNA AND LET HIGH WIND WARNING/ ADVISORY EXPIRE TONIGHT AS PER PHONE CONVERSATION WITH PIT. ...DISCUSSION... CURRENT FCST SEEMS TO BE ON TRACK WITH THE HEAVIER RAIN NOW MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL PORTION OF PA. HAVE ANOTHER WAVE OF HEAVIER PRECIP OVER SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA MOVING NORTH. NICE LINE OF CONVECTION FORMED LATE THIS MORNING AND CONTINUES OVER SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. THIS AREA GOT SOME SUN THIS MORNING AND WAS ON EDGE OF DRY AIR. TEMPS OVER WEST VIRGINA CLIMBED INTO THE LOW 60S...ALTHOUGH WE ARE NO WHERE NEAR THAT, IS POSSIBLE TO GET THUNDER UP TO THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE TONIGHT. LI'S GO NEGATIVE LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. SHORTWAVE PROGGED TO MOVE ALONG THE APPS AND SOUTHERN PENNSYLVAINA TOMORROW AS SURFACE LOW MOVES FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY TO SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA. RAIN WILL CONTINUE INTO TOMORROW AND CURRENT FCST LOOKS GOOD. THANKS TO ALL FOR THE COORDINATION. ONDREJIK
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Feb 17, 4:44 PM EST, 44 minutes before
PAZ005-010-011-017-024-033-180530- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- HIGH WIND WARNING/ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 444 PM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONTINUED THE HIGH WIND WARNING FOR LAUREL HIGHLANDS AND A PART OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS UNTIL 11 PM... ...A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM FOR A LARGE PART OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS... THE HIGH WIND WARNING INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... CLEARFIELD... CAMBRIA... AND SOMERSET. THE WIND ADVISORY INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... MCKEAN... ELK... AND CAMERON. ...FORECAST DETAILS... SUSTAINED WINDS OF UP TO 40 MPH AT TIMES ARE EXPECTED FOR A PORTION OF THIS EVENING OVER THE WARNING AREAS WITH PEAK GUSTS TO 60 MPH. THE WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST ABOVE 2000 FEET IN ELEVATION. OVER THE ADVISORY AREAS... WINDS WILL AVERAGE BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 45 MPH. A FEW PEAK WIND GUSTS WILL REACH 55 MPH OVER THE HIGHEST TERRAIN IN THE AREA. THE WIND OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WILL DIE DOWN AFTER 11 PM THIS EVENING. ...PEAK WIND GUSTS AS OF LATE AFTERNOON... JOHNSTOWN-CAMBRIA COUNTY AIRPORT...45 MPH DUBOIS-JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT...44 MPH BRADFORD REGIONAL AIRPORT...38 MPH. ALTOONA-BLAIR COUNTY AIRPORT...40 MPH ...WEATHER SYNOPSIS... A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL TRACK THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS STORM WILL BRING STRONG WINDS TO THE WARNING AND ADVISORY AREAS THIS EVENING AS IT APPROACHES THE AREA. ...PRECAUTIONS... STRONG WIND WILL BUFFET YOUR VEHICLE. KEEP A TIGHT GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SUCH AS CAMPERS AND TRAILERS ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE HIGH WIND. THE WIND WILL BE PARTICULARLY STRONG AND GUSTY OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. BE PREPARED FOR VERY STRONG WINDS IF TRAVELLING INTO THE MOUNTAINS. NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Feb 17, 4:44 PM EST, 44 minutes before
PAZ005-010-011-017-024-033-180530- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT- HIGH WIND WARNING/ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 444 PM EST TUE FEB 17 1998 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONTINUED THE HIGH WIND WARNING FOR LAUREL HIGHLANDS AND A PART OF THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS UNTIL 11 PM... ...A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM FOR A LARGE PART OF THE NORTHERN MOUNTAINS... THE HIGH WIND WARNING INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... CLEARFIELD... CAMBRIA... AND SOMERSET. THE WIND ADVISORY INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... MCKEAN... ELK... AND CAMERON. ...FORECAST DETAILS... SUSTAINED WINDS OF UP TO 40 MPH AT TIMES ARE EXPECTED FOR A PORTION OF THIS EVENING OVER THE WARNING AREAS WITH PEAK GUSTS TO 60 MPH. THE WINDS WILL BE STRONGEST ABOVE 2000 FEET IN ELEVATION. OVER THE ADVISORY AREAS... WINDS WILL AVERAGE BETWEEN 20 AND 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 45 MPH. A FEW PEAK WIND GUSTS WILL REACH 55 MPH OVER THE HIGHEST TERRAIN IN THE AREA. THE WIND OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WILL DIE DOWN AFTER 11 PM THIS EVENING. ...PEAK WIND GUSTS AS OF LATE AFTERNOON... JOHNSTOWN-CAMBRIA COUNTY AIRPORT...45 MPH DUBOIS-JEFFERSON COUNTY AIRPORT...44 MPH BRADFORD REGIONAL AIRPORT...38 MPH. ALTOONA-BLAIR COUNTY AIRPORT...40 MPH ...WEATHER SYNOPSIS... A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL TRACK THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. THIS STORM WILL BRING STRONG WINDS TO THE WARNING AND ADVISORY AREAS THIS EVENING AS IT APPROACHES THE AREA. ...PRECAUTIONS... STRONG WIND WILL BUFFET YOUR VEHICLE. KEEP A TIGHT GRIP ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SUCH AS CAMPERS AND TRAILERS ARE ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE HIGH WIND. THE WIND WILL BE PARTICULARLY STRONG AND GUSTY OVER THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. BE PREPARED FOR VERY STRONG WINDS IF TRAVELLING INTO THE MOUNTAINS. NICOSIA
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.