Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1999
Tornado Warning 11, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Oct 13, 1999, 7:42 PM EDT for Potter County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 33 min. 1 report 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
- Oct 13, 1999, 7:42 PM EDT (23:42 UTC)
- Expired
- Oct 13, 1999, 8:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 33 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction
County Potter County, PA
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 7:46 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | Austin, PA | Trees 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 6:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 154 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1328 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 41 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 237 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 256 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KCTP 132344 RRA
TORCTP
PAC105-140015-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
742 PM EDT WED OCT 13 1999
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
CENTRAL POTTER COUNTY.
* UNTIL 815 PM EDT.
* AT 741 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM WITH A DEVELOPING TORNADO 21 MILES WEST OF GALETON...
OR ABOUT 31 MILES NORTHEAST OF ST. MARYS...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
GALETON AT 805 PM EDT.
GO TO A BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.
.END/ LA CORTE
LAT...LON 4170 7820 4162 7821 4156 7812 4157 7763
418`6 7765What 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 Oct 13, 3:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 27 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Oct 13, 3:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 27 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 315 PM EDT WED OCT 13 1999 HARDLY ANYTHING IN THE WAY OF SCT CONVECTION AHEAD OF LINE AS OF YET...BUT VIS SAT LOOP SHOWS HORIZONTAL ROLLS ACROSS W PA...AND SOME SCT SHRA/-TSRA MAY YET POP UP HERE B4 SUNSET. COMPOSITE RADAR LOOP SHOWS LINE OF CONVECTION FILLING IN AS IT CROSSES LAKE ERIE. LOOKING FURTHER UPSTREAM...I SEE SFC WINDS BEHIND COLD FRONT DO NOT LOOK TOO IMPRESSIVE...WITH STRONGEST WINDS IN WAA AHEAD OF FRONT. CONVECTION WILL BE MAIN THREAT TO PRODUCE STRONG WINDS THIS AFT/EVE. BIGGEST THREAT WILL BE ACROSS NW CTP CWA LATE AFT/ERLY EVE AS LINE MOVES THRU. THIS EVENT MAY HAVE AN ANOLOG WITH 30 SEPT 1999...WHERE NARROW STRIPE OF CONVECTION BROUGHT WIDESPREAD WIND EVENT TO CWA. 850 MB WINDS SIMILAR IN BOTH CASES. SO TO COVER THE POTENTIAL THIS TIME...HAVE HOISTED HI WIND WATCH FOR ENTIRE CWA. I THINK THE BEST CHC WILL BE ACROSS N TIER WHERE DYNAMICS MOST FAVORABLE FOR MAINTENANCE OF LINE AFTER SUN GOES DOWN. RAIN TAPERING TO SHOWERS OVERNIGHT...AND I AGREE WITH BGM THINKING ON CHC POPS NE PA ON THU MORNING. EXTENDED...UKMET...EURO...AND MRF ALL TAKING TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM IRENE UP THE EAST COAST AHEAD OF SHARPLY AMPLIFYNG CENTRAL US TROF. MONDAY LOOKING PRETTY WET...ESP E PA. .CTP...HIGH WIND WATCH ALL ZONES. OSTUNO
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Oct 13, 3:49 PM EDT, 3 hours 53 minutes before
PAZ004-005-010-140200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 349 PM EDT WED OCT 13 1999 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED MUCH OF FAR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH VALID UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR FAR WESTERN PARTS OF PENNSYLVANIA. THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN OF WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA... WARREN...MCKEAN...AND ELK. AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CROSS EASTERN OHIO LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND REACH WARREN...ELK AND MCKEAN COUNTIES AROUND SUNSET. THE STORMS ARE MOVING QUITE RAPIDLY...AND THE GREATEST THREAT IS FROM STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY REACH OUR AREA. IF YOU ARE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SEVERE WEATHER LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...OR YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION OR COMMERCIAL RADIO NEWS SOURCE FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. .END/ DANGELO ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT: HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU (ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Oct 13, 3:49 PM EDT, 3 hours 53 minutes before
PAZ004-005-010-140200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 349 PM EDT WED OCT 13 1999 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED MUCH OF FAR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH VALID UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR FAR WESTERN PARTS OF PENNSYLVANIA. THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN OF WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA... WARREN...MCKEAN...AND ELK. AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CROSS EASTERN OHIO LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND REACH WARREN...ELK AND MCKEAN COUNTIES AROUND SUNSET. THE STORMS ARE MOVING QUITE RAPIDLY...AND THE GREATEST THREAT IS FROM STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY REACH OUR AREA. IF YOU ARE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SEVERE WEATHER LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...OR YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION OR COMMERCIAL RADIO NEWS SOURCE FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. .END/ DANGELO ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT: HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU (ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Oct 13, 7:10 PM EDT, 32 minutes before
PAZ006-011-012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-140500- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 710 PM EDT WED OCT 13 1999 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH VALID UNTIL 1 AM EDT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... ADAMS...BEDFORD...BLAIR...CAMBRIA...CAMERON...CENTRE...CLEARFIELD... CLINTON...COLUMBIA...CUMBERLAND...DAUPHIN...FRANKLIN...FULTON... HUNTINGDON...JUNIATA...LANCASTER...LEBANON...LYCOMING...MIFFLIN... MONTOUR...NORTHUMBERLAND...PERRY...POTTER...SCHUYLKILL...SNYDER... SOMERSET...SULLIVAN...TIOGA...UNION....YORK. AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WILL CROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA EARLY TONIGHT AND MOVE INTO THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AFTER 9 PM. THE STORMS ARE MOVING QUITE RAPIDLY... AND THE GREATEST THREAT IS FROM STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY REACH OUR AREA. LARGE HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. IF YOU ARE IN THE WATCH AREA REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...OR YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION OR COMMERCIAL RADIO NEWS SOURCE FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. .END/ GARTNER ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT: HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU (ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Oct 13, 7:10 PM EDT, 32 minutes before
PAZ006-011-012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-140500- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 710 PM EDT WED OCT 13 1999 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH VALID UNTIL 1 AM EDT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... ADAMS...BEDFORD...BLAIR...CAMBRIA...CAMERON...CENTRE...CLEARFIELD... CLINTON...COLUMBIA...CUMBERLAND...DAUPHIN...FRANKLIN...FULTON... HUNTINGDON...JUNIATA...LANCASTER...LEBANON...LYCOMING...MIFFLIN... MONTOUR...NORTHUMBERLAND...PERRY...POTTER...SCHUYLKILL...SNYDER... SOMERSET...SULLIVAN...TIOGA...UNION....YORK. AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA WILL CROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA EARLY TONIGHT AND MOVE INTO THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AFTER 9 PM. THE STORMS ARE MOVING QUITE RAPIDLY... AND THE GREATEST THREAT IS FROM STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY REACH OUR AREA. LARGE HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. IF YOU ARE IN THE WATCH AREA REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...THE OFFICIAL VOICE OF THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...OR YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION OR COMMERCIAL RADIO NEWS SOURCE FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS. .END/ GARTNER ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT: HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU (ALL LOWER CASE)
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 6:18 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Warren | 72 min |
| Oct 13, 6:19 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | McKean | 41 min |
| Oct 13, 6:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Elk | 33 min |
| Oct 13, 7:05 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Elk, McKean | 55 min |
| Oct 13, 7:14 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Cameron | 61 min |
| Oct 13, 7:20 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | CTP | Cameron | 25 min |
| Oct 13, 7:29 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Potter | 61 min |
| Oct 13, 7:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 53 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 1999Every tornado warning in 1999Tornadoes 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.