Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 1999

Tornado Warning 9, NWS State College, PA

September 9, 1999McKean County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Sep 9, 1999, 6:01 PM EDT for McKean County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 29 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
Sep 9, 1999, 6:01 PM EDT (22:01 UTC)
Expired
Sep 9, 1999, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Whole counties

County McKean County, PA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Sep 9, 6:10 PM EDTThunderstorm WindLafayette, PATrees down on Route 219, just west of Lafayette, or about 5 miles south of Lewis Run.

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

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 125 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 1999-09-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 6 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, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 1999-09-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 85 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
6 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-172 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1792 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
96 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 092203 RRA
TORCTP
PAC083-092230-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
601 PM EDT THU SEP 9 1999

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  MCKEAN COUNTY.

* UNTIL 630 PM EDT.

* AT 551 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  THUNDERSTORM WITH A DEVELOPING TORNADO 10 MILES WEST OF MOUNT
  JEWETT...OR ABOUT 5 MILES NORTH OF KANE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20
  MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  MOUNT JEWETT AT 610 PM EDT.
  LEWIS RUN AT 625 PM EDT.
  BRADFORD AT 630 PM EDT.

GO TO A BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.

.END/ OSTUNO

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 Sep 9, 2:00 PM EDT, 4 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 9, 2:00 PM EDT, 4 hours 1 minute before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
200 PM EDT THU SEP 9 1999

MOST OF THE CWA IS CURRENTLY IN BETWEEN A CDFNT APPROACHING SLOWLY
FROM THE WEST...AND TROPICAL DEW PTS POISED JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST.
MEANWHILE A SERIES OF MID-LVL SHORT WAVES ARE FORECAST TO MOVE
NORTHEAST AROUND A UPPER TROUGH TO THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALREADY DEVELOPING IN THE TROPICAL AIR FROM MD AND
DELAWARE SOUTH THROUGH VIRGINIA. CLOUD ELEMENTS ARE MOVING TO THE
NNW IN THIS AREA INDICATING THE POTENTIAL FOR UPSLOPE ENHANCING
PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS...AND SAT LOOPS ALSO INDICATE GOOD HEATING GOING
ON WITH CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES ACROSS S CENTRAL AND SE PA.
ETA/RUC/NGM AND AVN ALL INDICATE THAT CONVECTION WILL BE ON THE
INCREASE LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING OVER THE SE HALF
OF THE CWA AS THE STRONGEST MID-LVL SHORT WAVE ROUNDS THE BEND AND
TRACKS NORTHEAST TOWARD THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST. MEANWHILE CONVECTION
ALONG THE CDFNT IN WESTERN PA GRADUALLY DIES OUT AS ALL OF THE
ACTION SHIFTS TO THE EAST UNDER AN AREA OF INCREASING UPPER
DIVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RRQUAD OF AN UPPER WIND MAX.
MEANWHILE THE MM5 SHOWS MUCH LESS PRECIPITATION FOR THE EASTERN HALF
OF PA TONIGHT.

WIND FIELDS OVER SE PA ARE NOT VERY IMPRESSIVE FOR SVR WX WITH 850
WINDS PROGGED AT 15 KTS ACROSS SE PA AND 500 MB WINDS PROGGED AT 30
KTS. HOWEVER WITH FORECAST LIS TO AROUND -8 CANT RULE OUT A FEW
ISOLATED SVR STORMS. STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALIZED
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF OVER 2 INCHES WITH PWATS PROGGED TO AROUND 1.5
INCHES THIS EVENING. 3 HR FFG GUIDANCE IS MOSTLY OVER 3 INCHES...
EXCEPT 2 TO 3 INCHES ACROSS AREAS THAT WERE FLOODED BY DENNIS. HPC
GUIDANCE SHOWS NO FLOODING EXPECTED. FWC POPS ARE VERY LOW WITH JUST
HI CHC POPS IN THE FAR EAST AND LOW CHC POPS FOR THE CENTRAL
COUNTIES. BASED ON ALL OF THIS WILL HOLD OFF ON A FFG WATCH FOR THE
LWR AND MID-SUSQ BUT THAT AREA WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED FOR
TRAINING STORMS TNGT. WILL GO WITH LOW CHC POPS FOR THE NW HALF OF
THE CWA...HI CHC CENTRAL AND LIKELY SE.

DRY AIR MOVES EAST ACROSS THE CWA ON FRIDAY WHILE ALL OF THE MODELS
SHOW A SFC WAVE MOVING FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST NORTH TO NEW
ENGLAND. WILL KEEP THE MENTION OF AN AM SHOWER IN THE EAST ON FRIDAY
OTHERWISE WILL GO WITH PARTLY SUNNY AND LESS HUMID. SATURDAY WILL BE
DRY WITH NEAR SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES.

.CTP...NONE.

MSE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 9, 3:55 PM EDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before
PAZ028-036-049>053-056>059-063>066-100157-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
355 PM EDT THU SEP 9 1999

...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE
POSSIBLE ACROSS THE LOWER AND MID-SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY TONIGHT...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF
A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY EAST ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THIS
TONIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS OR
HAIL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD ALSO CONTAIN VERY HEAVY
RAIN. HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN URBANIZED
AREAS WHERE STORMS PERSIST FOR OVER AN HOUR. THE BEST CHANCE FOR ANY
SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE THIS EVENING...BUT THE CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SOURCE OF
WEATHER INFORMATION...FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS
ON TONIGHTS THUNDERSTORMS.

.END/ MSE

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE STATE COLLEGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB-SITE AT:  HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU
(ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 3:55 PM EDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before
PAZ028-036-049>053-056>059-063>066-100157-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
355 PM EDT THU SEP 9 1999

...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE
POSSIBLE ACROSS THE LOWER AND MID-SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY TONIGHT...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF
A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY EAST ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THIS
TONIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS OR
HAIL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD ALSO CONTAIN VERY HEAVY
RAIN. HEAVY DOWNPOURS COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN URBANIZED
AREAS WHERE STORMS PERSIST FOR OVER AN HOUR. THE BEST CHANCE FOR ANY
SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE THIS EVENING...BUT THE CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SOURCE OF
WEATHER INFORMATION...FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS
ON TONIGHTS THUNDERSTORMS.

.END/ MSE

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE STATE COLLEGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB-SITE AT:  HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU
(ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 3:57 PM EDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
PAZ028-036-049>053-056>059-063>066-100158-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
357 PM EDT THU SEP 9 1999

...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE
POSSIBLE ACROSS THE LOWER AND MID-SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY TONIGHT...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF
A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY EAST ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TONIGHT.
A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS OR HAIL. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD ALSO CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN. HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN URBANIZED AREAS WHERE STORMS
PERSIST FOR OVER AN HOUR. THE BEST CHANCE FOR ANY SEVERE WEATHER WILL
BE THIS EVENING...BUT THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE NIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SOURCE OF
WEATHER INFORMATION...FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS
ON TONIGHTS THUNDERSTORMS.

.END/ MSE

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE STATE COLLEGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB-SITE AT:  HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU
(ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 3:57 PM EDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
PAZ028-036-049>053-056>059-063>066-100158-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
357 PM EDT THU SEP 9 1999

...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE
POSSIBLE ACROSS THE LOWER AND MID-SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY TONIGHT...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF
A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY EAST ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TONIGHT.
A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS OR HAIL. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS COULD ALSO CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN. HEAVY DOWNPOURS
COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN URBANIZED AREAS WHERE STORMS
PERSIST FOR OVER AN HOUR. THE BEST CHANCE FOR ANY SEVERE WEATHER WILL
BE THIS EVENING...BUT THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH THE NIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SOURCE OF
WEATHER INFORMATION...FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS
ON TONIGHTS THUNDERSTORMS.

.END/ MSE

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE STATE COLLEGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB-SITE AT:  HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU
(ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 4:10 PM EDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010-011-017-100210-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
410 PM EDT THU SEP 9 1999

...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING ACROSS
PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVNAIA...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF
A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY EAST ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING. A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN
STRONG DAMAGING WINDS OR LARGE HAIL. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE EAST
OF THE AREA BY LATE THIS EVENING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SOURCE OF
WEATHER INFORMATION...FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS
ON TONIGHTS THUNDERSTORMS.

.END/ MSE

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE STATE COLLEGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB-SITE AT:  HTTP://BOOKEND.MET.PSU.EDU
(ALL LOWER CASE)
Special weather statement, Sep 9, 4:10 PM EDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010-011-017-100210-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
410 PM EDT THU SEP 9 1999

...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS EVENING ACROSS
PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVNAIA...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF
A COLD FRONT MOVING SLOWLY EAST ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING. A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN
STRONG DAMAGING WINDS OR LARGE HAIL. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE EAST
OF THE AREA BY LATE THIS EVENING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL SOURCE OF
WEATHER INFORMATION...FOR THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS
ON TONIGHTS THUNDERSTORMS.

.END/ MSE

ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE STATE COLLEGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB-SITE 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.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 9, 5:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMcKean, Warren67 min
Sep 9, 5:54 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPLancaster3 hr
Sep 9, 6:10 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPYork3 hr

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.