Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1999

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS State College, PA

June 2, 1999Cumberland County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 2, 1999, 2:41 PM EDT for Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 49 min. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 2, 1999, 2:41 PM EDT (18:41 UTC)
Expired
Jun 2, 1999, 3:30 PM EDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Cumberland County, PA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 2, 2:53 PM EDTThunderstorm WindMechanicsburg, PATrees down.
Jun 2, 3:00 PM EDTThunderstorm WindLucknow, PATrees down on front street
Jun 2, 3:05 PM EDTThunderstorm WindShiremanstown, PATrees and power lines down
Jun 2, 3:10 PM EDTThunderstorm WindDallastown, PATrees blown down.

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 nearest sounding before it

Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD (KAPG), launched 12:00Z, 6.7 hours before the alert went out and 98 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, Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD at 12:00Z on 1999-06-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD at 12:00Z on 1999-06-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 60 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1863 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
60 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
34 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.

686 
WUUS01 KCTP 021842 RRA
SVRCTP
PAC041-043-071-075-133-021930-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
241 PM EDT WED JUN 2 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN LANCASTER COUNTY.
  EASTERN CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
  DAUPHIN COUNTY.
  LEBANON COUNTY.
  YORK COUNTY.

* UNTIL 330 PM EDT.

* AT 234 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 4 MILES NORTH OF
  ENOLA TO 8 MILES SOUTH OF MECHANICSBURG TO 5 MILES EAST OF         
  GETTYSBURG...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THE STORMS PRODUCED A WIND 
  GUST OF 55 MPH AS THEY PASSED THROUGH SHIREMANSTOWN IN CUMBERLAND
  COUNTY. 

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  HARRISBURG...LEWISBERRY...NEW CUMBERLAND AT 245 PM EDT.
  ABBOTTSTOWN...BRESSLER...ENHAUT AND OBERLIN...EAST BERLIN AT 250 PM
  EDT.
  COLONIAL PARK...HANOVER...HIGHSPIRE AT 255 PM EDT.
  DOVER...GOLDSBORO...PARKVILLE AT 300 PM EDT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...
DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. FOR YOUR
PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME
OR BUSINESS. HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DO NOT DRIVE INTO
AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

.END/ NICOSIA/DANGELO

LAT...LON 4043 7703 4010 7706 3977 7731 3975 7631
          4033 7620 4048 7646

&

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, 10:33 AM EDT, 4 hours 8 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 2, 10:33 AM EDT, 4 hours 8 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1030 AM EDT WED JUNE 2 1999

MAIN WAVE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK TO OUR NORTH ACROSS NY STATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALREADY BREAKING
OUT OVER WESTERN PA THIS MORNING IN AREA OF BEST DYNAMIC LIFT...
UPPER LEVEL DIFLUENCE...AND STRONGEST SURFACE WINDS. WITH SURFACE
DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S...AND A 500MB JET FORECAST NEAR 40 KTS LATER
THIS AFTERNOON...CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL EVENTUALLY SHIFT EASTWARD
INTO CENTRAL PA.

POPS ON THE RIGHT TRACK THIS MORNING...BUT NUDGED POPS UP A LITTLE
MORE TO CATEGORICAL IN THE WEST AND LIKELY IN THE EAST. ACTIVITY
WILL NOT MAKE IT TO THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER COUNTIES UNTIL LATE THIS
AFTERNOON...AND WORDED AS SUCH. ALSO BUMPED TEMPS UP WHERE THE SUN
HAS BEEN MOST PREVELANT.

.CTP...NONE.

RXR

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 2, 10:45 AM EDT, 3 hours 56 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>026-033-034-037-041-042-045-046-
022200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1045 AM EDT WED JUN 2 1999

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER MOST OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...TO INCLUDE THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS OF THE STATE. THE SLIGHT RISK AREA IS MAINLY WEST OF A
BRADFORD TO RIDGWAY LINE IN NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.

LOW PRESSURE CENTERED LOWER MICHIGAN LATE THIS MORNING WILL TRACK
NORTHEAST...TO SOUTHERN QUEBEC BY LATE THIS EVENING. WARM AND
HUMID AIR WILL FLOW NORTH...AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM INTO WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA...AND SET THE STAGE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AS THE AFTERNOON
PROGRESSES...PEAKING IN THE EVENING. IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA...THE
PRIMARY THREAT FROM ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT FORMS WILL BE STRONG...
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH.

JUST TO THE EAST OF THE SLIGHT RISK AREA FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS...SOUTHWEST TO THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS...A FEW STORMS COULD
BECOME STRONG...WITH WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. STORMS WILL
AFFECT THESE AREAS MAINLY FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING
HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS
AFTERNOON OR EVENING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SKYWARN ACTIVATION MAY
BE NEEDED LATER TODAY.

.END/NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 10:45 AM EDT, 3 hours 56 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>026-033-034-037-041-042-045-046-
022200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA...CORRECTED
1045 AM EDT WED JUN 2 1999

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER MOST OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...TO INCLUDE THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS OF THE STATE. THE SLIGHT RISK AREA IS MAINLY WEST OF A
BRADFORD TO RIDGWAY LINE IN NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.

LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER LOWER MICHIGAN LATE THIS MORNING WILL
TRACK NORTHEAST...TO SOUTHERN QUEBEC BY LATE THIS EVENING. WARM AND
HUMID AIR WILL FLOW NORTH...AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM INTO WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA...AND SET THE STAGE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AS THE AFTERNOON
PROGRESSES...PEAKING IN THE EVENING. IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA...THE
PRIMARY THREAT FROM ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT FORMS WILL BE STRONG...
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH.

JUST TO THE EAST OF THE SLIGHT RISK AREA FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS...SOUTHWEST TO THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS...A FEW STORMS COULD
BECOME STRONG...WITH WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. STORMS WILL
AFFECT THESE AREAS MAINLY FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING
HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS
AFTERNOON OR EVENING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SKYWARN ACTIVATION MAY
BE NEEDED LATER TODAY.

.END/NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 10:45 AM EDT, 3 hours 56 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>026-033-034-037-041-042-045-046-
022200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1045 AM EDT WED JUN 2 1999

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER MOST OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...TO INCLUDE THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS OF THE STATE. THE SLIGHT RISK AREA IS MAINLY WEST OF A
BRADFORD TO RIDGWAY LINE IN NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.

LOW PRESSURE CENTERED LOWER MICHIGAN LATE THIS MORNING WILL TRACK
NORTHEAST...TO SOUTHERN QUEBEC BY LATE THIS EVENING. WARM AND
HUMID AIR WILL FLOW NORTH...AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM INTO WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA...AND SET THE STAGE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AS THE AFTERNOON
PROGRESSES...PEAKING IN THE EVENING. IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA...THE
PRIMARY THREAT FROM ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT FORMS WILL BE STRONG...
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH.

JUST TO THE EAST OF THE SLIGHT RISK AREA FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS...SOUTHWEST TO THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS...A FEW STORMS COULD
BECOME STRONG...WITH WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. STORMS WILL
AFFECT THESE AREAS MAINLY FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING
HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS
AFTERNOON OR EVENING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SKYWARN ACTIVATION MAY
BE NEEDED LATER TODAY.

.END/NICOSIA
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 10:45 AM EDT, 3 hours 56 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>026-033-034-037-041-042-045-046-
022200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA...CORRECTED
1045 AM EDT WED JUN 2 1999

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS OF PENNSYLVANIA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER MOST OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...TO INCLUDE THE NORTHWEST
MOUNTAINS OF THE STATE. THE SLIGHT RISK AREA IS MAINLY WEST OF A
BRADFORD TO RIDGWAY LINE IN NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA.

LOW PRESSURE CENTERED OVER LOWER MICHIGAN LATE THIS MORNING WILL
TRACK NORTHEAST...TO SOUTHERN QUEBEC BY LATE THIS EVENING. WARM AND
HUMID AIR WILL FLOW NORTH...AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM INTO WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA...AND SET THE STAGE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AS THE AFTERNOON
PROGRESSES...PEAKING IN THE EVENING. IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA...THE
PRIMARY THREAT FROM ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT FORMS WILL BE STRONG...
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH.

JUST TO THE EAST OF THE SLIGHT RISK AREA FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS...SOUTHWEST TO THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS...A FEW STORMS COULD
BECOME STRONG...WITH WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. STORMS WILL
AFFECT THESE AREAS MAINLY FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING
HOURS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE PROVIDER FOR LATER
STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS
AFTERNOON OR EVENING IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SKYWARN ACTIVATION MAY
BE NEEDED LATER TODAY.

.END/NICOSIA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 2, 12:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPHuntingdon, Mifflin62 min
Jun 2, 2:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPDauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, York49 min
Jun 2, 2:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSomerset42 min
Jun 2, 3:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCambria62 min
Jun 2, 3:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, Lebanon, Schuylkill50 min
Jun 2, 3:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPYork50 min
Jun 2, 4:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPBedford, Blair53 min
Jun 2, 4:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCentre55 min
Jun 2, 4:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPFulton, Huntingdon58 min
Jun 2, 4:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClearfield41 min
Jun 2, 5:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPFranklin, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry61 min
Jun 2, 5:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCumberland61 min
Jun 2, 5:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton61 min
Jun 2, 5:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLycoming, Union78 min
Jun 2, 5:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCentre78 min
Jun 2, 5:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSnyder78 min
Jun 2, 5:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPTioga73 min
Jun 2, 5:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPAdams, Franklin65 min
Jun 2, 7:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPAdams, York60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1999Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.