Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 1999

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS State College, PA

January 18, 1999Lancaster County, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jan 18, 1999, 10:25 PM EST for Lancaster County, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 6 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jan 18, 1999, 10:25 PM EST (03:25 UTC)
Expired
Jan 19, 1999, 4:20 AM EST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Lancaster County, PA, Lebanon County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Wallops Is Stn, VA (KWAL), launched 00:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 266 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 00:00Z on 1999-01-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Wallops Is Stn, VA at 00:00Z on 1999-01-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -306 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
549 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
64 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-306 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-150 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KCTP 190325
FFWCTP
PAC071-075-190920-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1025 PM EST MON JAN 18 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CONTINUED THE

* FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  LEBANON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.
  LANCASTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA.

* UNTIL 420 AM EST.

* THE HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED ACROSS THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY.
  HOWEVER...FLOODING FROM THE EARLIER RAINS AND SNOW MELT HAS
  BEEN PERSISTENT THROUGH THIS EVENING. AUTOMATED STREAM GAGES
  IN LANCASTER COUNTY INDICATE MANY STREAMS ARE STILL OUT OF
  THEIR BANKS. LEBANON COUNTY EMERGENCY OFFICIALS INDICATE THAT
  FLOOD PROBLEMS CONTINUE IN THEIR COUNTY AS WELL.

* A FEW SPRINKLES ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT...BUT NO SIGNIFICANT RAIN
  IS EXPECTED. CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE OVERNIGHT AS
  COOLER DRYER AIR MOVES IN.

DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER COVERING THE ROAD. BE ESPECIALLY CAREFULL
WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT...AS FLOOD WATERS CAN BE DIFFICULT TO SEE.

.END/MSE


&

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Jan 18, 9:15 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 18, 9:15 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
915 PM EST MON JAN 18 1999

DECIDED TO SEND THE ZONES OUT QUICKLY THIS EVENING...AS HAVE GOTTEN
REPORTS OF AROUND 4 INCHES OF NEW SNOW AROUND JOHNSTOWN...SO HAVE TO
PUT OUT A QUICK WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY. UPPER LOW CONTINUES TO LIFT
NORTHEAST ACROSS THE EASTERN LAKES THIS EVENING. SNOW HAS BEEN VERY
PERSISTENT OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE CWA THIS EVENING. EAST OF
THE ALLEGHENYS PRCECIP HAS BEEN LIGHT AND SPOTTY...AND MOSTLY IN
THE FORM OF RAIN AS BOUNDARY TEMPS REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING. TEMPS WILL
ONLY SLOWLY COOL OVERNIGHT WITH WSW WIND AND AIR MOVING IN REALLY
NOT ALL THAT COLD. SNOW SHOULD DIMINISH AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE UPPER
TROUGH LIFTS OUT AND WEAKENS.

ELSEWHERE...WILL KEEP FLASH FLOOD WATCH/WARNINGS GOING FOR AWHILE
LONGER IN LANCASTER AND LEBANON COUNTIES. IFLOWS STREAM GAGES STILL
SHOWING LOTS OF THE STREAMS OUT OF THEIR BANKS ACROSS LANCASTER
COUNTY. ELSEWHERE WILL CANCEL THE WATCH AS COLDER DRYER AIR MOVES IN.

.CTP...FFA TONIGHT LANCASTER AND LEBANON COUNTIES.
       WSW TONIGHT LAUREL HIGHLANDS.

MSE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 18, 5:10 PM EST, 5 hours 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
610 PM EDT MON JAN 18 1999

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1250 PM    WESTMONT                  PA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
01/18/99   CAMBRIA                        LARGE TREE LIMBS BLOWN
                                          DOWN

0110 PM    COLVER                    PA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
01/18/99   CAMBRIA

0125 PM    BURNSIDE                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   CLEARFIELD                     TREES AND WIRES DOWN.

0135 PM    BEDFORD                   PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   BEDFORD                        POSSIBLE TORNADO. ROOF OFF
                                          HOUSE. TREES DOWN.

0135 PM    EVERETT                   PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   BEDFORD                        TORNADO SIGHTED ALONG
                                          ROUTE 30 BETWEEN BEDFORD
                                          AND EVERETT.

0135 PM    ALTOONA                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   BLAIR                          TREES DOWN. TREE ON HOUSE.

0210 PM    3E WAYNESBORO             PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   FRANKLIN                       TORNADO SIGHTED IN
                                          WASHINGTON TWP. WINDOWS
                                          BLOWN OUT. TREES DOWN.

0250 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   SCHUYLKILL                     ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0250 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   COLUMBIA                       ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0255 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   LEBANON                        ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0300 PM    SELINSGROVE               PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   SNYDER                         WIRE DOWN.

0330 PM    LEACOCK                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   LANCASTER                      TELEPHONE POLE SNAPPED
                                          OFF.

OSTUNO/EVANS
Local storm report, Jan 18, 6:08 PM EST, 4 hours 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
610 PM EDT MON JAN 18 1999

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1250 PM    WESTMONT                  PA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
01/18/99   CAMBRIA                        LARGE TREE LIMBS BLOWN
                                          DOWN

0110 PM    COLVER                    PA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
01/18/99   CAMBRIA

0125 PM    BURNSIDE                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   CLEARFIELD                     TREES AND WIRES DOWN.

0135 PM    BEDFORD                   PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   BEDFORD                        POSSIBLE TORNADO. ROOF OFF
                                          HOUSE. TREES DOWN.

0135 PM    EVERETT                   PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   BEDFORD                        TORNADO SIGHTED ALONG
                                          ROUTE 30 BETWEEN BEDFORD
                                          AND EVERETT.

0135 PM    ALTOONA                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   BLAIR                          TREES DOWN. TREE ON HOUSE.

0210 PM    3E WAYNESBORO             PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   FRANKLIN                       TORNADO SIGHTED IN
                                          WASHINGTON TWP. WINDOWS
                                          BLOWN OUT. TREES DOWN.

0250 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   SCHUYLKILL                     ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0250 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   COLUMBIA                       ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0255 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   LEBANON                        ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0300 PM    SELINSGROVE               PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   SN`YDER                         WIRE DOWN.

0330 PM    LEACOCK                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   LANCASTER                      TELEPHONE POLE SNAPPED
                                          OFF.

OSTUNO/EVANS
Local storm report, Jan 18, 7:25 PM EST, 3 hours before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PENNSYLVANIA
725 PM EST MON JAN 18 1999

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1250 PM    WESTMONT                  PA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
01/18/99   CAMBRIA                        LARGE TREE LIMBS BLOWN
                                          DOWN

0110 PM    COLVER                    PA   60 MPH TSTM GUST
01/18/99   CAMBRIA

0125 PM    BURNSIDE                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   CLEARFIELD                     TREES AND WIRES DOWN.

0135 PM    BEDFORD                   PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   BEDFORD                        POSSIBLE TORNADO. ONE BUILDING
                                          DESTROYED. EIGHT DAMAGED.

0135 PM    EVERETT                   PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   BEDFORD                        TORNADO SIGHTED ALONG
                                          ROUTE 30 BETWEEN BEDFORD
                                          AND EVERETT.

0135 PM    ALTOONA                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   BLAIR                          TREES DOWN. TREE ON HOUSE.

0210 PM    3E WAYNESBORO             PA   TORNADO
01/18/99   FRANKLIN                       TORNADO SIGHTED IN
                                          WASHINGTON TWP. WINDOWS
                                          BLOWN OUT. TREES DOWN.

0220 PM    MILLHEIM                  PA   .75 INCH HAIL
01/18/99   CENTRE                         DIME-SIZED HAIL.

0250 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   COLUMBIA                       ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0250 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   SCHUYLKILL                     ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0255 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   FLOODING
01/18/99   LEBANON                        ROADS AND BASEMENTS
                                          FLOODED.

0258 PM    MONTOURSVILLE             PA   WIND GUST
01/18/99   LYCOMING                       71 MPH WIND GUST.

0300 PM    MOUNT HOLLY SPRINGS       PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   CUMBERLAND                     TREE DOWN.

0300 PM    SELINSGROVE               PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   SNYDER                         WIRE DOWN.

0330 PM    LEACOCK                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
01/18/99   LANCASTER                      TELEPHONE POLE SNAPPED
                                          OFF.

OSTUNO/EVANS

The office that day

Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 18, 7:10 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPLancaster, Lebanon5 hr
Jan 18, 11:10 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPYork5 hr
Jan 19, 1:38 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningCTPLycoming5 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1999Every flash flood warning in 1999

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.