Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 56, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Sep 27, 1998, 4:48 PM EDT for McKean County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 32 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
- Sep 27, 1998, 4:48 PM EDT (20:48 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 27, 1998, 5:20 PM EDT
- In force
- 32 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
County McKean County, PA
The radar
The State College radar (KCCX), 109 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 5:15 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 51 | Lafayette, PA | Trees down in Lafayette Township. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 4:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 125 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
- 4 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -339 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1619 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 38 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 196 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 252 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
464 WFUS01 KCTP 272048 RRA TORCTP PAC083-272120- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 448 PM EDT SUN SEP 27 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... MCKEAN COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA * UNTIL 520 PM EDT * AT 446 PM EDT...STATE COLLEGE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BRADFORD OR 6 MILES WEST OF MOUNT JEWETT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. * THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR... MOUNT JEWETT AT 450 PM EDT BRADFORD REGIONAL AIRPORT AT 455 PM EDT SMETHPORT AT 505 PM EDT NORWICH TOWNSHIP AT 510 PM EDT PORT ALLEGANY AT 515 PM EDT GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OSTUNO/JUNG
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 Sep 27, 2:50 PM EDT, 1 hour 58 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 27, 2:50 PM EDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 250 PM EDT SUN SEP 27 1998 ...WRKZNS SENT TO PHL AND PIT VIA ADMCTP AROUND 240 PM... A FEW COMPUTER PROBLEMS SO WILL BE BRIEF. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NY STATE JUST NORTH OF CWA. NOSE OF A 35KT 8H JET APPEARS TO BE FEEDING THE MOISTURE THE THUNDERSTORMS NEED. FURTHER SOUTH AND WEST ACTIVITY MUCH MORE WIDELY SCATTERED ON PBZ RADAR SCOPE. CURRENT LAPS DATA SHOWS A RATHER STABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE ACROSS CENTRAL PA. HOWEVER... WILL WATCH ACTIVITY INCREASING ON PBZ RADAR SCOPE. WENT WITH CHC POPS THIS EVE (40 NORTH/30 SOUTH). CORE OF 3H JET SAGS SOUTH OF AREA BY 12Z MON WITH STRONG NVA SLIDING INTO REGION. WOULD HAVE GONE MOSTLY SUNNY FOR MONDAY BUT NOTICED A FAIRLY STRONG INVERSION AT 8H WITH PLENTY OF MOISTURE TRAPPED JUST BELOW THIS LEVEL. PARTLY SUNNY SHOULD COVER ALL AREAS EXCEPT ACROSS EXTREME SOUTH WHERE MO SUNNY SKIES SHOULD SUFFICE. SFC HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO CENTRAL PA LATE MONDAY NIGHT. LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES LEAD ME TO GO BELOW MOS VALUES AND WENT CLOSER TO AVN FCST LOWS. BRIGHT SUNSHINE FOR TUESDAY. SPC JUST ISSUED SVR TSTM WATCH FOR AREAS N/W OF FCST/A. SO FAR SO GOOD. .CTP...NONE. WINTHER
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Sep 27, 4:02 PM EDT, 46 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-280150- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT-SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 402 PM EDT SUN SEP 27 1998 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA INCLUDING THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY UNTIL 10 PM EDT... ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... WARREN... MCKEAN... POTTER... ELK... CAMERON... NORTHERN CLINTON... CLEARFIELD... NORTHERN CENTRE... SOUTHERN CENTRE... CAMBRIA... BLAIR... HUNTINGDON... MIFFLIN... JUNIATA... SOMERSET... BEDFORD... FULTON... FRANKLIN... TIOGA... NORTHERN LYCOMING... SULLIVAN... SOUTHERN CLINTON... SOUTHERN LYCOMING... UNION... SNYDER... NORTHUMBERLAND... MONTOUR... COLUMBIA... SCHUYLKILL... PERRY... DAUPHIN... LEBANON... CUMBERLAND... ADAMS... YORK... LANCASTER... ...FORECAST DETAILS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING AND INTERACT WITH UNSEASONABLY WARM AND HUMID AIR ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA. AS A RESULT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME LOCALLY SEVERE...WILL DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND MOVE RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. THE GREATEST THREAT FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH... DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY. DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE A POSSIBILITY... NOT A CERTAINTY. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCES WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR HAIL 3/4 INCH OR LARGER. WINTHER
Special weather statement, Sep 27, 4:02 PM EDT, 46 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-280150- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT-SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 402 PM EDT SUN SEP 27 1998 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA INCLUDING THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY UNTIL 10 PM EDT... ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... WARREN... MCKEAN... POTTER... ELK... CAMERON... NORTHERN CLINTON... CLEARFIELD... NORTHERN CENTRE... SOUTHERN CENTRE... CAMBRIA... BLAIR... HUNTINGDON... MIFFLIN... JUNIATA... SOMERSET... BEDFORD... FULTON... FRANKLIN... TIOGA... NORTHERN LYCOMING... SULLIVAN... SOUTHERN CLINTON... SOUTHERN LYCOMING... UNION... SNYDER... NORTHUMBERLAND... MONTOUR... COLUMBIA... SCHUYLKILL... PERRY... DAUPHIN... LEBANON... CUMBERLAND... ADAMS... YORK... LANCASTER... ...FORECAST DETAILS... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING AND INTERACT WITH UNSEASONABLY WARM AND HUMID AIR ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA. AS A RESULT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME LOCALLY SEVERE...WILL DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND MOVE RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. THE GREATEST THREAT FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH... DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY. DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE A POSSIBILITY... NOT A CERTAINTY. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCES WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AND/OR HAIL 3/4 INCH OR LARGER. WINTHER
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 4:09 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Elk | 61 min |
| Sep 27, 4:17 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 63 min |
| Sep 27, 4:28 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | McKean, Warren | 62 min |
| Sep 27, 4:59 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 31 min |
| Sep 27, 5:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Cameron, Potter | 60 min |
| Sep 27, 5:56 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Centre | 34 min |
| Sep 27, 6:00 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clinton, Lycoming | 45 min |
| Sep 27, 6:11 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Cambria | 49 min |
| Sep 27, 6:16 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Union | 34 min |
| Sep 27, 6:27 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Montour, Northumberland | 48 min |
| Sep 27, 6:41 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Blair | 49 min |
| Sep 27, 6:49 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Columbia | 36 min |
| Sep 27, 7:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Huntingdon | 48 min |
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.