Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Pittsburgh, PA
NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this tornado warning at May 31, 1998, 7:15 PM EDT for Washington County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 45 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
- May 31, 1998, 7:15 PM EDT (23:15 UTC)
- Expired
- May 31, 1998, 8:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 45 min
- Issued by
- NWS Pittsburgh, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Washington County, PA
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 7:37 PM EDT | Hail 1 | Vestaburg, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 6:30 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 28 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
- 1035 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -145 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1038 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 30 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 198 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 281 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.3
- Supercell composite
- 4.7
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
334
WFUS1 KPIT 312316 RRA
TORPIT
PAC125-010000-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
715 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
WASHINGTON COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA
INCLUDING WASHINGTON
* UNTIL 800 PM EDT
* AT 715 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM WITH A TORNADO 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
CLAYSVILLE...OR ABOUT 11 MILES EAST OF WHEELING...MOVING EAST
AT 45 MILES PER HOUR.
* TORNADO WILL BE...
6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CLAYSVILLE AT 720 PM EDT
2 MILES NORTHEAST OF AMITY AT 730 PM EDT
9 MILES EAST OF AMITY AT 740 PM EDT
THIS TORNADO WARNING REPLACES THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT WAS IN
EFFECT.
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW
SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
KANEWhat 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.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 31, 3:50 PM EDT, 3 hours 25 minutes before
OHZ039>041-048>050-057-058-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-030-WVZ001- 010200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 350 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM TONIGHT... THE TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... ALLEGHENY ARMSTRONG BEAVER BUTLER LAWRENCE WESTMORELAND INDIANA MERCER VENANGO CLARION FOREST JEFFERSON IN THE PANHANDLE OF NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA... HANCOCK IN EAST CENTRAL OHIO... CARROLL COLUMBIANA COSHOCTON MUSKINGUM JEFFERSON HARRISON TUSCARAWAS GUERNSEY A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA AS THE RESULT OF A MOIST UNSTABLE AIRMASS ACROSS THE REGION PRECEDING A COLD FRONT WHICH WILL DROP ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE EVENING. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. THE GREATEST THREAT WITH THE POTENTIAL STORM ACTIVITY WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION AND PEOPLES LIVING IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION QUICKLY. HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE THIS EVENING. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS OR CONTACT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/ER/PIT. REDMOND/SISK
Local storm report, May 31, 5:49 PM EDT, 1 hour 26 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA
549 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0545 PM 5 W NEW BEDFORD OH WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 COSHOCTON LARGE TREE DOWN AND POWER
LINES DOWNLocal storm report, May 31, 5:54 PM EDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA
554 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0550 PM HARLEM SPGS OH 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/31/98 CARROLLLocal storm report, May 31, 6:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA
601 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0550 PM DOVER OH WIND DAMAGE
05/31/98 TUSCARAWAS LARGE TREES DOWNSpecial weather statement, May 31, 6:48 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023- 029>032-WVZ001>004-012-012-021>023-041-MDZ001-060100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 648 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...NEW TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1AM MONDAY MORNING... A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT TIL 1AM MONDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... WASHINGTON FAYETTE AND GREENE IN EXTERME NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA... BROOKE OHIO MARSHALL WETZEL MARION MONONGALIA PRESTON AND TUCKER IN WESTERN MARYLAND... GARRETT IN EAST CENTRAL OHIO... BELMONT NOBLE AND MONROE ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TIL 10PM SUNDAY EVENING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE COUNTIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...EAST CENTRAL OHIO AND HANCOCK COUNTY IN THE NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. THE GREATEST THREAT WITH THE POTENTIAL STORM ACTIVITY WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION AND PEOPLES LIVING IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION QUICKLY. HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR ALSO. AN INCH OF RAIN CAN OCCUR IN LESS THAN AN HOUR...PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS BASEMENT AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS OR CONTACT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/ER/PIT.
Special weather statement, May 31, 6:48 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023- 029>032-WVZ001>004-012-012-021>023-041-MDZ001-060100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 648 PM EDT SUN MAY 31 1998 ...NEW TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1AM MONDAY MORNING... A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT TIL 1AM MONDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... WASHINGTON FAYETTE AND GREENE IN EXTERME NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA... BROOKE OHIO MARSHALL WETZEL MARION MONONGALIA PRESTON AND TUCKER IN WESTERN MARYLAND... GARRETT IN EAST CENTRAL OHIO... BELMONT NOBLE AND MONROE ...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT TIL 10PM SUNDAY EVENING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE COUNTIES IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...EAST CENTRAL OHIO AND HANCOCK COUNTY IN THE NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. THE GREATEST THREAT WITH THE POTENTIAL STORM ACTIVITY WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION AND PEOPLES LIVING IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION QUICKLY. HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR ALSO. AN INCH OF RAIN CAN OCCUR IN LESS THAN AN HOUR...PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS BASEMENT AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS OR CONTACT OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/ER/PIT.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 6:13 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Allegheny, Beaver, Washington | 62 min |
| May 31, 6:48 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Forest, Mercer, Venango | 57 min |
| May 31, 6:56 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Allegheny, Westmoreland | 64 min |
| May 31, 6:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Washington | 51 min |
| May 31, 7:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Clarion | 55 min |
| May 31, 7:33 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PBZ | Fayette, Greene | 57 min |
| May 31, 7:45 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | PBZ | Fayette | 45 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.