Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 5, NWS State College, PA

July 9, 1999Cambria County, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Jul 9, 1999, 9:22 PM EDT for Cambria County, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 23 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
Jul 9, 1999, 9:22 PM EDT (01:22 UTC)
Expired
Jul 9, 1999, 9:45 PM EDT
In force
23 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Cambria County, PA, Clearfield County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:26 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 9, 9:25 PM EDTThunderstorm WindBeccaria, PATrees and power lines 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 9, 6:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr
Jul 9, 8:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 133 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 1999-07-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1241 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 1999-07-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 306 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1241 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1397 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
306 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
396 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.7
Supercell composite
15.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCTP 100125 RRA
TORCTP
PAC021-033-100145-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
922 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN CAMBRIA COUNTY.
  SOUTHERN CLEARFIELD COUNTY.

* UNTIL 945 PM EDT.

* AT 916 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM
  SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A TORNADO 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
  WESTOVER...NEAR THE TOWN OF FLINTON...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  PRINCE GALLITZIN STATE PARK AT 925 PM EDT.
  GLASGOW AT 935 PM EDT.

THIS TORNADO WARNING REPLACES THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WHICH
WAS IN EFFECT FOR THE SAME AREA. GO TO A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR
ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR!

.END/DANGELO

&

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 Jul 9, 1:45 PM EDT, 7 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 1:45 PM EDT, 7 hours 37 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
145 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 1999

SFC SW FLO CRANKING UP ATTM. FLO ALOFT ALREADY THERE PER VWP FM KCCX
AND KBUF. BEST DWPTS STILL IN OH...BUT ADVECTING NICELY ALOFT AND AT
SFC. MINI ECHOES ALREADY POPPED ALONG GOOD WAA BOUNDARY IN OUR NRN
FA. BUT THAT ACTIVITY IS RACING EAST WITH LLJ - >50KTS ON SPEED
THAT KIND OF CELL MOVEMENT DOESNT TAKE TOO MUCH MIXING TO PRODUCE
DAMAGE OUT OF A THUNDERSTORM.

THE OL SUMMER/DROUGHT OF 99 NO-RAIN SHAFT OF STATE COLLEGE APPEARS
AGAIN ON MODEL QPF PRODUCTS. THIS MAY BE MDLS PICKING UP ON WEAKER
INSTAB OV MTNS. ANYWAY...THE TREND IN MOST RECENT MDL RUNS IS TO PUT
LOWER POPS/QPF INTO CENTL MTNS AND LWR SUSQ.  MOSTLY CONSISTENT WITH
THINKING ATTM...BUT STILL BELIEVE THE MORE LIKELY SCENARIO IS A
SQULL LINE TO FORM AND DROP SEWD INTO MTNS...WEAKENING AS IT DOES
SO. MOST/ALL SVR ACTIVITY SHUD BE CONTAINED TO N&W OF IPT-UNV-AOO
LINE TONIGHT.  LATEST RUC POINTING TO START UP CONVECTION BY 21Z IN
NW PA...CONSISTENT WITH EARLIER THINKING.  POPS TONIGHT TO BE CAT IN
WRN ZNS/LIKELY IN CENTL&MID SUSQ AND CHC IN SE (MAINLY LATE).

AS THE SQUALL LINE WEAKENS...IT WL MOST LIKELY SPIT INTO TWO AREAS
OF CNVCTN - ONE DROPPING STRAIGHT SOUTH THROUGH THE LAURELS (FEEDING
OFF THE TERRIFIC THTE ADV AND LLJ FM SW)...AND ONE THAT GOES WITH
BEST WAA/UPR SUPPORT TWD ELM/BGM.  THE FNT DOES LOOK TO HANG UP AS
IT MOVES THRU OUR AREA...BUT REAL FNT AND NNW FLO DOES NOT MAKE IT
THRU FA UNTIL AFTER 12Z. THEREFORE CHC POPS WL REMAIN IN FAR SRN
ZNS...INCL THE LWR SUSQ...IN EARLY SAT PD. DRYING/MO SUN FOR REST OF
FA ON SAT AND COOLER/FAIR FOR SUN.

XTNDD: FRIENDLY HIGH PRES FOR BEGINNING OF WEEK. SLIGHT WARMING
TREND THRU XTNDD PD...AND CHC WORDING MAKES RETURN ON TUES FOR
EVERYONE AND WED AS WELL FOR ERN ZNS AS MRF DEVELOPS WAVE ALONG FNT
THAT HANGS UP IN SE US.  THE WAVE AND WAA RIDES THE RETURN FLOW OF
THE SFC HI AS IT MOVES OFF THE EAST COAST.

.CTP...NONE.

DANGELO

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 9, 7:21 PM EDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-037-041-042-045-046-049>053-
058-100310-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
721 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 1999

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

WARREN...MCKEAN...POTTER...CAMERON...ELK...CLEARFIELD...
CAMBRIA...BLAIR...CENTRE...HUNTINGDON...MIFFLIN...JUNIATA...
TIOGA...SULLIVAN...LYCOMING...UNION...SNYDER...MONTOUR...
NORTHUMBERLAND...COLUMBIA...AND SCHUYLKILL.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND CLOSE THE THE WATCH
AREA.  REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...
LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTAIL RAIN.  REMAIN
ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS EVENING.

THE STORMS WILL QUICKLY MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION
BY 10 PM.  THE MAJORITY OF THE STORMS WILL ARRIVE IN THE
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AFTER 10 PM.

PERSONS ACROSS THE REGION SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED OR SEVERE WEATHER IS NOTED.  LISTEN FOR LATER
INFORMATION ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE TV
...CABLE TV...OR RADIO STATION.

.END/ MARTIN
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 7:21 PM EDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-037-041-042-045-046-049>053-
058-100310-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
721 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 1999

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

WARREN...MCKEAN...POTTER...CAMERON...ELK...CLEARFIELD...
CAMBRIA...BLAIR...CENTRE...HUNTINGDON...MIFFLIN...JUNIATA...
TIOGA...SULLIVAN...LYCOMING...UNION...SNYDER...MONTOUR...
NORTHUMBERLAND...COLUMBIA...AND SCHUYLKILL.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND CLOSE THE THE WATCH
AREA.  REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...
LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTAIL RAIN.  REMAIN
ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS EVENING.

THE STORMS WILL QUICKLY MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION
BY 10 PM.  THE MAJORITY OF THE STORMS WILL ARRIVE IN THE
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AFTER 10 PM.

PERSONS ACROSS THE REGION SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED OR SEVERE WEATHER IS NOTED.  LISTEN FOR LATER
INFORMATION ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE TV
...CABLE TV...OR RADIO STATION.

.END/ MARTIN
Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
728 PM EDT FRI JUL 09 1999

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

0410 PM    BROCKPORT                 PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/99   ELK                            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

0412 PM    RIDGWAY                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/99   ELK                            MANY TREES DOWN ON TOBY
                                          ROAD...IN FOX TOWNSHIP...6
                                          MILES SOUTH OF RIDGWAY.

0415 PM    RIDGWAY                   PA   1 INCH HAIL
07/09/99   ELK                            QUARTER SIZE HAIL 1 MILE
                                          SOUTH OF RIDGWAY...AT EMA
                                          OFFICE

0440 PM    QUEHANNA                  PA   .88 INCH HAIL
07/09/99   CLEARFIELD

0505 PM    RENOVO                    PA   55 MPH TSTM GUST
07/09/99   CLINTON

0515 PM    LOCK HAVEN                PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/99   CLINTON                        TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
                                          ON SUGAR RUN ROAD IN LOCK
                                          HAVEN

0600 PM    LAMAR                     PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/99   CLINTON                        2 TREES DOWN ALONG ROUTE
                                          64 IN LAMAR
Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
728 PM EDT FRI JUL 09 1999

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

0410 PM    BROCKPORT                 PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/99   ELK                            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

0412 PM    RIDGWAY                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/99   ELK                            MANY TREES DOWN ON TOBY
                                          ROAD...IN FOX TOWNSHIP...6
                                          MILES SOUTH OF RIDGWAY.

0415 PM    RIDGWAY                   PA   1 INCH HAIL
07/09/99   ELK                            QUARTER SIZE HAIL 1 MILE
                                          SOUTH OF RIDGWAY...AT EMA
                                          OFFICE

0440 PM    QUEHANNA                  PA   .88 INCH HAIL
07/09/99   CLEARFIELD

0505 PM    RENOVO                    PA   55 MPH TSTM GUST
07/09/99   CLINTON

0515 PM    LOCK HAVEN                PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/99   CLINTON                        TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
                                          ON SUGAR RUN ROAD IN LOCK
                                          HAVEN

0600 PM    LAMAR                     PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/09/99   CLINTON                        2 TREES DOWN ALONG ROUTE
                                          64 IN LAMAR
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 8:05 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>036-037-041-042-045-046-
049>053-058-100410-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
805 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 1999

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

WARREN...MCKEAN...POTTER...CAMERON...ELK...CLEARFIELD...
CAMBRIA...BLAIR...CENTRE...HUNTINGDON...MIFFLIN...JUNIATA...
TIOGA...SULLIVAN...LYCOMING...UNION...SNYDER...MONTOUR...
NORTHUMBERLAND...COLUMBIA...AND SCHUYLKILL.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE NOW ALSO INCLUDED...

SOMERSET...BEDFORD...FULTON...AND FRANKLIN.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND CLOSE THE THE WATCH
AREA.  REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...
LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTAIL RAIN.  REMAIN
ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS EVENING.

THE STORMS WILL QUICKLY MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION
BY 10 PM.  THE MAJORITY OF THE STORMS WILL ARRIVE IN THE
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AFTER 10 PM.

PERSONS ACROSS THE REGION SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED OR SEVERE WEATHER IS NOTED.  LISTEN FOR LATER
INFORMATION ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE TV
...CABLE TV...OR RADIO STATION.

.END/ MARTIN
Special weather statement, Jul 9, 8:05 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>036-037-041-042-045-046-
049>053-058-100410-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
805 PM EDT FRI JUL 9 1999

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

WARREN...MCKEAN...POTTER...CAMERON...ELK...CLEARFIELD...
CAMBRIA...BLAIR...CENTRE...HUNTINGDON...MIFFLIN...JUNIATA...
TIOGA...SULLIVAN...LYCOMING...UNION...SNYDER...MONTOUR...
NORTHUMBERLAND...COLUMBIA...AND SCHUYLKILL.

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE NOW ALSO INCLUDED...

SOMERSET...BEDFORD...FULTON...AND FRANKLIN.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND CLOSE THE THE WATCH
AREA.  REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...
LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTAIL RAIN.  REMAIN
ALERT FOR RAPID CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS EVENING.

THE STORMS WILL QUICKLY MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION
BY 10 PM.  THE MAJORITY OF THE STORMS WILL ARRIVE IN THE
SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AFTER 10 PM.

PERSONS ACROSS THE REGION SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED OR SEVERE WEATHER IS NOTED.  LISTEN FOR LATER
INFORMATION ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE TV
...CABLE TV...OR RADIO STATION.

.END/ MARTIN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 9, 8:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPElk40 min
Jul 9, 8:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPPotter39 min
Jul 9, 8:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCameron, Clearfield66 min
Jul 9, 8:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPTioga62 min
Jul 9, 8:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCameron, Elk, Potter28 min
Jul 9, 8:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton70 min
Jul 9, 9:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCentre90 min
Jul 9, 9:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPBlair, Cambria59 min
Jul 9, 9:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPHuntingdon77 min
Jul 9, 9:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLycoming75 min
Jul 9, 9:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPTioga26 min
Jul 9, 9:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPSullivan66 min
Jul 9, 9:40 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPCentre, Huntingdon50 min
Jul 9, 9:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPJuniata, Mifflin, Snyder, Union73 min
Jul 9, 10:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPColumbia, Montour, Northumberland75 min
Jul 9, 10:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton16 min
Jul 9, 10:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPDauphin, Perry86 min
Jul 9, 10:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLebanon, Schuylkill55 min
Jul 9, 11:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPBedford40 min
Jul 9, 11:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCambria, Somerset32 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.