Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 88, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 2, 1998, 4:29 PM EDT for Warren 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
- Jun 2, 1998, 4:29 PM EDT (20:29 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 2, 1998, 5:35 PM EDT
- In force
- 66 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Warren County, PA
The radar
The Buffalo radar (KBUF), 134 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:30 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 2, 4:50 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 51 | Sugar Grove, PA | |
| Jun 2, 5:15 PM EDT | Hail 1.75 | Scandia, PA |
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 2, 4:15 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 133 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
- 3 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -128 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1267 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 41 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 198 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 188 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 022029 RRA SVRCTP PAC123-022115- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 429 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... WARREN COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA * UNTIL 535 PM EDT * AT 425 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ENTERING THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF WARREN COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 45 MPH. * THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... LOTTSVILLE AND SUGAR GROVE AT 445 PM EDT RUSSEL AT 455 PM EDT GO INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS! A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A STRONG BUILDING. DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY H*EAVY RAIN AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. LAMBERT/DANGELO
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 2, 12:22 PM EDT, 4 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 2, 12:22 PM EDT, 4 hours 7 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1225 PM EDT TUE JUNE 2 1998 ...WILL SEND OUT A SET OF WRKZNS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE... STILL NOT SURE IF DYNAMICS CAN PHASE WITH THE MOISTURE ...BUT LETS HOPE NOT. ANYWAY...WILL NOT MAKE A LOT OF CHANGES TO ZNS...MAINLY PUT SOME CLDS IN S ZNS WED...AND SHOWERS WED NIGHT S OF ABOUT I-80. THINK FWC NUMBERS LOOK TO COOL FOR WED...THINK THICK CLDS WILL HOLD OFF TO LATER IN THE DAY. MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A GOOD DAY THU. MARTIN
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 10:55 AM EDT, 5 hours 34 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046- 049>053-056>059-063>066-021700- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL PA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1055 AM EDT TUE JUN 2 1998 ...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING... ANOTHER POTENTIALLY VOLATILE WEATHER SITUATION IS SHAPING UP FOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING...AS A STRONG COLD FRONT TRACKS EAST TOWARD PENNSYLVANIA. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE MID-AFTERNOON...THEN TRACK EAST ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE WEST OF THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AFTER 3 PM...AND EAST OF THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AFTER 5 PM. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND EVEN A FEW TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. A SOUTHWEST WIND WILL BRING INCREASINGLY MOIST UNSTABLE AIR NORTH ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP WHEN A COLD FRONT REACHES THE UNSTABLE AIR ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. ALL PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN IN TOUCH WITH THE LATEST FORECASTS...WATCHES AND WARNINGS. A SEVERE THNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WATCH WILL BE ISSUED IF AND WHEN CONDITIONS BECOME FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER. WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED IF AND WHEN SEVERE WEATHER BECOMES IMMINENT OR IS OBSERVED. SKYWARN ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON. MSE
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 10:55 AM EDT, 5 hours 34 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046- 049>053-056>059-063>066-022200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL PA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1055 AM EDT TUE JUN 2 1998 ...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING... ANOTHER POTENTIALLY VOLATILE WEATHER SITUATION IS SHAPING UP FOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING...AS A STRONG COLD FRONT TRACKS EAST TOWARD PENNSYLVANIA. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE MID-AFTERNOON...THEN TRACK EAST ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE WEST OF THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AFTER 3 PM...AND EAST OF THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER AFTER 5 PM. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND EVEN A FEW TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE. A SOUTHWEST WIND WILL BRING INCREASINGLY MOIST UNSTABLE AIR NORTH ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP WHEN A COLD FRONT REACHES THE UNSTABLE AIR ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. ALL PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN IN TOUCH WITH THE LATEST FORECASTS...WATCHES AND WARNINGS. A SEVERE THNDERSTORM OR TORNADO WATCH WILL BE ISSUED IF AND WHEN CONDITIONS BECOME FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER. WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED IF AND WHEN SEVERE WEATHER BECOMES IMMINENT OR IS OBSERVED. SKYWARN ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON. ...CORRECTED EXPIRATION TIME... MSE
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 4:12 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-045-046-030210- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - TORNADO WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 412 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1998 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 10 PM... THE WATCH INCLUDES WARREN...MCKEAN...POTTER...CAMERON... CLINTON...CLEARFIELD...CENTRE...CAMBRIA...BLAIR... HUNTINGDON...SOMERSET...BEDFORD...FRANKLIN...AND FULTON COUNTIES. ALSO INCLUDED IS TIOGA...LYCOMING...MIFFLIN...AND JUNIATA COUNTIES. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH LATE EVENING. ANY STORMS THAT FORM MAY CONTAIN HAIL...STRONG WINDS... DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND TORNADOES. PERSONS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR DANGEROUS WEATHER AND WARNINGS...AND SEEK SHELTER IF SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED...OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. MARTIN
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 4:12 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-045-046-030210- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - TORNADO WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 412 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1998 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 10 PM... THE WATCH INCLUDES WARREN...MCKEAN...POTTER...CAMERON... CLINTON...CLEARFIELD...CENTRE...CAMBRIA...BLAIR... HUNTINGDON...SOMERSET...BEDFORD...FRANKLIN...AND FULTON COUNTIES. ALSO INCLUDED IS TIOGA...LYCOMING...MIFFLIN...AND JUNIATA COUNTIES. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH LATE EVENING. ANY STORMS THAT FORM MAY CONTAIN HAIL...STRONG WINDS... DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND TORNADOES. PERSONS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR DANGEROUS WEATHER AND WARNINGS...AND SEEK SHELTER IF SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED...OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. MARTIN
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2, 4:46 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Dauphin, Northumberland | 64 min |
| Jun 2, 4:46 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Snyder | 64 min |
| Jun 2, 5:01 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Union | 59 min |
| Jun 2, 5:07 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Schuylkill | 93 min |
| Jun 2, 5:10 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | McKean, Warren | 95 min |
| Jun 2, 5:13 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Columbia, Montour | 62 min |
| Jun 2, 5:25 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Cumberland, Dauphin, York | 45 min |
| Jun 2, 5:30 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Sullivan | 60 min |
| Jun 2, 5:55 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Potter | 75 min |
| Jun 2, 6:00 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Clearfield, Elk | 75 min |
| Jun 2, 6:15 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Adams, Cumberland, York | 75 min |
| Jun 2, 6:17 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Lebanon | 33 min |
| Jun 2, 6:32 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Dauphin, Northumberland, Schuylkill | 78 min |
| Jun 2, 6:39 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Tioga | 91 min |
| Jun 2, 6:42 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Somerset | 88 min |
| Jun 2, 7:01 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 64 min |
| Jun 2, 7:05 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Blair, Cambria | 65 min |
| Jun 2, 7:23 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Centre | 62 min |
| Jun 2, 7:27 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Bedford | 78 min |
| Jun 2, 7:30 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Lancaster, York | 35 min |
| Jun 2, 7:33 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Potter | 62 min |
| Jun 2, 7:36 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Tioga | 94 min |
| Jun 2, 7:45 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Huntingdon | 80 min |
| Jun 2, 7:50 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Elk | 65 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.