Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 50, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Jun 16, 1998, 8:53 PM EDT for Columbia County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 32 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 16, 1998, 8:53 PM EDT (00:53 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 16, 1998, 9:25 PM EDT
- In force
- 32 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Columbia County, PA
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 8:56 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 51 | Benton, PA | |
| Jun 16, 9:15 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 51 | Benton, 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 16, 7:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 4 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 248 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
- 2 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -374 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1742 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 23 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 314 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 349 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
640 WFUS01 KCTP 170100 RRA TORCTP PAC037-170125- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 853 PM EDT TUE JUN 16 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTHERN COLUMBIA COUNTY IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA * UNTIL 925 PM EDT * AT 850 PM EDT...STATE COLLEGE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A DEVELOPING TORNADO 14 MILES SOUTH OF LAPORTE OR 7 MILES WEST OF PINE SUMMIT MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. * THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR... WALLER AT 905 PM EDT BENTON AT 910 PM EDT GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR JUNG/OSTUNO
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Jun 16, 1:45 PM EDT, 7 hours 8 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 16, 1:45 PM EDT, 7 hours 8 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 145 PM EDT TUE JUN 16 1998 WORK ZONES WILL BE SENT TO PIT AND PHL VIA PHLADMCTP BY 245 PM. ...DISCUSSION... 15Z SFC ANAL SHOWS A WEAK DIFFUSE SFC PATTERN. THE PRIMARY COLD FRONT IS ARCED FROM NEAR ART TO JUST NE OF LGA AND IS FOCUSING +SHRA AND +TSRA OVER E NEW ENG. IN ITS WAKE DEWPTS ARE IN THE MID 60S WITH LOW 70S UP INTO THE MID ATL. THE AIR IS RATHER MOIST UP THROUGH 85H WITH VERY WEAK WINDS ALOFT. WE HAVE ALSO COOLED ABOUT A DEGREE AT 50H AND WILL COOL ANOTHER BY 0Z WED. SO AIR MASS BECOMING MORE UNSTABLE AS AFTN PROGRESSES. WIND PROFILES REMAIN UNFAVORABLE FOR WIDESPREAD SVR WX THRU THE AFTN BUT WITH LIGHT WINDS ALOFT THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR BACK BUILDING. THIS COULD LEAD TO ENOUGH RAIN FOR SOME FLASH FLOODING BUT THE PICTURE IS SO DIFFUSE IT IS TOUGH TO MAKE A CALL AS TO WHERE TO PUT UP THE WATCH. MY INCLINATION IS TO PLACE IT ACROSS THE NORTH AND CENTRAL WHERE A WARM FRONT APPRS TO BE DEVELOPING ON THE SAT LOOP. BUT THE SHRA DEVELOPING ALONG THIS BOUNDARY APPRS TO BE MOVG RIGHT ALONG AND WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE OR SLOW SHRAS TO PRODUCE ENUF RAIN FOR FF. ANOTHER AREA FOR POTENTIAL FF WOULD BE SOUTHERN TIER COUNTIES WHERE VORT MAX IS EXPECTED TO CROSS. INFLOW AT LOW LEVELS IS QUITE STRONG WHEN COMPARED TO WINDS ALOFT AND THIS COULD SLOW THE NET MOVEMENT OF STORMS AND DUMP HEAVY RAIN. PWATS ARE HIGHER OVR S PA MD WV AND VA AND A SOUTH OR SW INFLOW AT LOWER LEVELS COULD PULL IN SOME GOOD JUICE FOR HEAVY RAIN PRODUCERS. I WOULD WAIT AND SEE IF CENTRAL AND NORTH BECOMES ACTIVE THIS PM AND IF IT DOES NOT...ISSUE FFA FOR SOUTHERN COUNTIES. SE PA AND LOWER SUSQ WILL SEE RAIN AFTER SUNSET. AREA APPRS CAPPED AFTER CFROPA BUT COOL POOL AT 50H SHUD MOVE OVR TONITE AND DESTABILIZE THIS REGION. GUIDANCE NUMBERS ARE LOW IN THIS REGION AND BACK BUILDING IS POSSIBLE AS WARM MOIST AIR RETURNS ON LLJ DEVELOPING AHEAD OF VORT MAX THIS EVENING. WE FINALLY START DRYING OUT WED WITH TROPA AND SUBSIDENCE ON BACK SIDE...SUN WILL BE MORE PREVALENT. CANT RULE OUT THE CHANCE OF A TSHR THOUGH AS THERE WILL BE SOME RESIDUAL MOISTURE. BUT THESE WILL BE OF THE POPCORN VARIETY AND WILL NOT PRODUCE ANY HEAVY RAIN. MODEL SOUNDING TOMORROW IS SLIGHTLY CAPPED BUT THERE WILL BE MORE SFC HEATING. SO A 30 POP MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA. HEAD
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jun 16, 7:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
724 PM EDT TUE JUN 16 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0555 PM JOHNSTOWN PA TORNADO
06/16/98 CAMBRIA POSSIBLE TORNADO.
COOPERSDALE SECTION OF
JOHNSTOWN. 4 HOMES WITH
ROOFS TORN OFF.
0610 PM EBENSBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 CAMBRIA SKYWARN ESTIMATED GUSTS
AROUND 50 MPH.
0625 PM OSTERBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 BEDFORD *** 1 INJ ***
TREE DOWN. ONE PERSON
INJURED.
0625 PM HYNDMAN PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 BEDFORD RT 96 NEAR STRINGTOWN.
TREES DOWN ACROSS ROAD.
0645 PM MC CONNELLSBURG PA TORNADO
06/16/98 FULTON POSSIBLE TORNADO. ROOFS
OFF FAIR GROUND BUILDINGS.
TREES UPROOTED.
0710 PM GETTYSBURG PA 60 MPH TSTM GUST
06/16/98 ADAMS WIND GUST T0 60 MPH. .25
INCH HAIL ALSO REPORTED.Local storm report, Jun 16, 7:24 PM EDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
724 PM EDT TUE JUN 16 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0555 PM JOHNSTOWN PA TORNADO
06/16/98 CAMBRIA POSSIBLE TORNADO.
COOPERSDALE SECTION OF
JOHNSTOWN. 4 HOMES WITH
ROOFS TORN OFF.
0610 PM EBENSBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 CAMBRIA SKYWARN ESTIMATED GUSTS
AROUND 50 MPH.
0625 PM OSTERBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 BEDFORD *** 1 INJ ***
TREE DOWN. ONE PERSON
INJURED.
0625 PM HYNDMAN PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 BEDFORD RT 96 NEAR STRINGTOWN.
TREES DOWN ACROSS ROAD.
0645 PM MC CONNELLSBURG PA TORNADO
06/16/98 FULTON POSSIBLE TORNADO. ROOFS
OFF FAIR GROUND BUILDINGS.
TREES UPROOTED.
0710 PM GETTYSBURG PA 60 MPH TSTM GUST
06/16/98 ADAMS WIND GUST T0 60 MPH. .25
INCH HAIL ALSO REPORTED.Special weather statement, Jun 16, 7:30 PM EDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
PAZ012-018-019-026>028-041-042-045-046-049>053-056>059-063>066- 170300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 730 PM EDT TUE JUN 16 1998 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR EAST CENTRAL AND PART OF NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TIL 11 PM EDT... ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF CENTRAL AND PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TIL 10 PM EDT... THE LATEST SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... ...ADAMS...MIFFLIN...JUNIATA...PERRY...DAUPHIN...LEBANON...UNION ...CUMBERLAND...YORK...LANCASTER...SCHUYLKILL...LYCOMING...SULLIVAN ...CENTRE...CLINTON...SNYDER...AND NORTHUMBERLAND. ...DETAILS... AN LINE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL COUNTIES OF PENNSYLVANIA...EXTENDING FROM NEAR STATE COLLEGE TO HARRISBURG AT 730 PM EDT...WILL MOVE QUICKLY EAST NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY LATE THIS EVENING. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 80 MPH...HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER ALONG WITH FREQUENT...DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. LAMBERT
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 7:42 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
PAZ012-018-019-026>028-041-042-045-046-049>053-056>059-063>066- 170300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 742 PM EDT TUE JUN 16 1998 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR EAST CENTRAL AND PART OF NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TIL 11 PM EDT... ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REMAINDER OF CENTRAL AND PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TIL 10 PM EDT... THE LATEST SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... ...ADAMS...MIFFLIN...JUNIATA...PERRY...DAUPHIN...LEBANON...UNION ...CUMBERLAND...YORK...LANCASTER...SCHUYLKILL...LYCOMING...SULLIVAN ...CENTRE...CLINTON...SNYDER...AND NORTHUMBERLAND. ...DETAILS... AN LINE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL COUNTIES OF PENNSYLVANIA...EXTENDING FROM NEAR STATE COLLEGE TO HARRISBURG AT 730 PM EDT...WILL MOVE QUICKLY EAST NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY LATE THIS EVENING. STRONG DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 80 MPH...HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER ALONG WITH FREQUENT...DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. LAMBERT
Local storm report, Jun 16, 8:00 PM EDT, 53 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
800 PM EDT TUE JUN 16 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0555 PM JOHNSTOWN PA TORNADO
06/16/98 CAMBRIA POSSIBLE TORNADO.
COOPERSDALE SECTION OF
JOHNSTOWN. 4 HOMES WITH
ROOFS TORN OFF.
0610 PM EBENSBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 CAMBRIA SKYWARN ESTIMATED GUSTS
AROUND 50 MPH.
0625 PM OSTERBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 BEDFORD *** 1 INJ ***
TREE DOWN. ONE PERSON
INJURED.
0625 PM HYNDMAN PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 BEDFORD RT 96 NEAR STRINGTOWN.
TREES DOWN ACROSS ROAD.
0645 PM MC CONNELLSBURG PA TORNADO
06/16/98 FULTON POSSIBLE TORNADO. ROOFS
OFF FAIR GROUND BUILDINGS.
TREES UPROOTED.
0710 PM GETTYSBURG PA 60 MPH TSTM GUST
06/16/98 ADAMS WIND GUST T0 60 MPH. .25
INCH HAIL ALSO REPORTED.
0710 PM WAYNESBORO PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 FRANKLIN TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
0710 PM STATE COLLEGE PA 60 MPH TSTM GUST
06/16/98 CENTRE REPORTED AT PENN STATE
WEATHER LAB.
0730 PM CARLISLE PA
06/16/98 CUMBERLAND FUNNEL CLOUD SIGHTED 6W
CARLISLE.
0735 PM WARRIORS MARK PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 HUNTINGDON TREES DOWN ACROSS ROUTE
550.
0735 PM MIDDLETOWN PA 61 MPH TSTM GUST
06/16/98 DAUPHIN WIND GUST REPORTED AT MDT
AIRPORT.Local storm report, Jun 16, 8:00 PM EDT, 53 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
800 PM EDT TUE JUN 16 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0555 PM JOHNSTOWN PA TORNADO
06/16/98 CAMBRIA POSSIBLE TORNADO.
COOPERSDALE SECTION OF
JOHNSTOWN. 4 HOMES WITH
ROOFS TORN OFF.
0610 PM EBENSBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 CAMBRIA SKYWARN ESTIMATED GUSTS
AROUND 50 MPH.
0625 PM OSTERBURG PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 BEDFORD *** 1 INJ ***
TREE DOWN. ONE PERSON
INJURED.
0625 PM HYNDMAN PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 BEDFORD RT 96 NEAR STRINGTOWN.
TREES DOWN ACROSS ROAD.
0645 PM MC CONNELLSBURG PA TORNADO
06/16/98 FULTON POSSIBLE TORNADO. ROOFS
OFF FAIR GROUND BUILDINGS.
TREES UPROOTED.
0710 PM GETTYSBURG PA 60 MPH TSTM GUST
06/16/98 ADAMS WIND GUST T0 60 MPH. .25
INCH HAIL ALSO REPORTED.
0710 PM WAYNESBORO PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 FRANKLIN TREES AND WIRES DOWN.
0710 PM STATE COLLEGE PA 60 MPH TSTM GUST
06/16/98 CENTRE REPORTED AT PENN STATE
WEATHER LAB.
0730 PM CARLISLE PA
06/16/98 CUMBERLAND FUNNEL CLOUD SIGHTED 6W
CARLISLE.
0735 PM WARRIORS MARK PA WIND DAMAGE
06/16/98 HUNTINGDON TREES DOWN ACROSS ROUTE
550.
0735 PM MIDDLETOWN PA 61 MPH TSTM GUST
06/16/98 DAUPHIN WIND GUST REPORTED AT MDT
AIRPORT.The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 8:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lancaster | 48 min |
| Jun 16, 8:07 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Schuylkill | 78 min |
| Jun 16, 8:13 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Sullivan | 77 min |
| Jun 16, 9:08 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Columbia, Lycoming | 3 hr |
| Jun 16, 11:57 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | CTP | Lycoming | 4 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes 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.