Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2000
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 61, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 18, 2000, 3:40 PM EDT for Cameron County, Elk County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 50 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
- May 18, 2000, 3:40 PM EDT (19:40 UTC)
- Expired
- May 18, 2000, 4:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 50 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Cameron County, PA, Elk County, PA
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 3:40 PM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind | St Marys, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 3:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 7.7 hours before the alert went out and 168 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
- 239 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -78 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1133 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 44 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 273 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 349 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 2.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WUUS51 KCTP 181941 SVRCTP PAC023-047-182030- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 340 PM EDT THU MAY 18 2000 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... ELK COUNTY. CAMERON COUNTY. * UNTIL 430 PM EDT. * AT 330 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 30 MILES EAST OF ST. MARYS TO 6 MILES NORTH OF ST. MARYS TO 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF KANE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. * SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... RIDGWAY...ST. MARYS AT 350 PM EDT. GRANDVIEW PARK AT 355 PM EDT. DRIFTWOOD AT 415 PM EDT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. STAY INDOORS AWAY FROM WINDOWS. .END/ JUNG/RXR
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 May 18, 3:15 PM EDT, 25 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 18, 3:15 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 315 PM EDT THU MAY 18 2000 +TSRAS MOVG INTO NW PA AND W NY ARE MOVG DUE E. ERI HAD .85 IN ONE HOUR. SO FAR NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WX WITH THIS LINE...JUST HEAVY RAIN. THE WIND IS LINED UP ALG THE LINE BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE A TENDENCY FOR A LEWP TO DEVELOP. AT THE SAME TIME THE LAPS SOUNDINGS SHOW THE CAP STRENGTHENING OVER CPA. WE ARE STARTING TO GET SEVERE REPORTS FROM N OF US. A CALL TO WARREN COUNTY INDICATES WIND DAMAGE IN THE CITY OF WARREN. THE FRONT WILL SLIP SOUTH INTO OUR N COUNTIES DURING THE EARLY EVE. THIS WILL FOCUS TSRAS ACRS CPA. SPC HAS CALLED TO COORD WITH US PRIVATELY AND WITH A CONF CALL. APPRECIATE THE COORD. AGREE WITH THE NEED FOR A WATCH ACROSS CPA THIS AFTN AND EVE. THERE IS ALREADY SEVERE WX OCCURING AND THE LINE IS MOVING INTO HEATED AND WELL MIXED AIR MASS WITH STRONG PRES FALLS AHEAD OF THE LINE. ONCE COLD FRONT DROPS IN THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WX ENDS BUT THE THREAT FOR +RA DOES NOT. THE EMPHASIS FOR +RA WILL SHIFT SOUTH INTO THE LAURELS AND SC MTNS. TEMPS WILL REMAIN VERY MILD FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR OVNT IN THE SOUTH. THERE IS LOTS OF CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH HIGH DEWPTS UP TO 85H. DURING FRI A STEADY STRATIFORM RAIN APPRS LIKELY AND WILL LEAVE HIGH POPS IN ZFP. THIS MAY CONTINUE INTO FRI NITE AND SAT. MOS NUMBERS SEEM TOO HI FOR SAT AND LOWERED MAXES ACCORDINGLY. AVN SHOWS ANOTHER WAVE COMING OUT FOR SUN AND THIS FOLLOWS CLOSELY WITH 00Z MRF. THEREFORE INTRODUCING CHC RAIN FOR SUNDAY OVR THE S AND CHC SHRA N. IN THE EXTENDED...MON MAY BREAK AS WE WILL BE BETWEEN SYSTEMS. THIS WILQL BRING TEMPS UP. TUE ANOTHER CHC OF SHRA. WHAT A PATTERN SHIFT! .CTP...NONE. HEAD
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 18, 11:00 AM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-180100- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1100 AM EDT THU MAY 18 2000 ...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN PARTS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP IN AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED FROM THESE STORMS. MORE ORGANIZED STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING INTO NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING...THEN TRACK SOUTHEAST TO THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER VALLEY BY LATE TONIGHT. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH LOCALIZED WIND GUSTS PAST 50 MPH OR LARGE HAIL. OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA ON FRIDAY...HOWEVER THE RISK OF STRONG WINDS OR HAIL WILL DECREASE BY FRIDAY MORNING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS COULD DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE. SKYWARN SPOTTER NETWORKS MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED LATE THIS EVENING. .END/DEVOIR/HEAD
Special weather statement, May 18, 11:00 AM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-182100- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED EXPIRATION TIME NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1100 AM EDT THU MAY 18 2000 ...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN PARTS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP IN AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HEAVY RAIN...HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED FROM THESE STORMS. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING INTO NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON...THEN TRACK SOUTHEAST TO THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER VALLEY BY LATE TONIGHT. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH LOCALIZED WIND GUSTS GREATER THAN 50 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA ON FRIDAY...HOWEVER THE RISK OF STRONG WINDS OR HAIL WILL DECREASE BY FRIDAY MORNING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS COULD DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE. SKYWARN SPOTTER NETWORKS MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED LATE THIS EVENING. .END/ HEAD
Special weather statement, May 18, 1:31 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-182100- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED EXPIRATION TIME NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1100 AM EDT THU MAY 18 2000 ...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN PARTS OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP IN AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HEAVY RAIN...HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED FROM THESE STORMS. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING INTO NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON...THEN TRACK SOUTHEAST TO THE LOWER SUSQUEHANNA RIVER VALLEY BY LATE TONIGHT. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH LOCALIZED WIND GUSTS GREATER THAN 50 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA ON FRIDAY...HOWEVER THE RISK OF STRONG WINDS OR HAIL WILL DECREASE BY FRIDAY MORNING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS COULD DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE. SKYWARN SPOTTER NETWORKS MAY NEED TO BE ACTIVATED LATE THIS EVENING. .END/ HEAD e
Special weather statement, May 18, 3:26 PM EDT, 14 minutes before
PAZ004>006-010-011-017-018-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-049>053- 056>059-063-190000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 326 PM EDT THU MAY 18 2000 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING UNTIL 8 PM FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA... BEDFORD...CAMBRIA...CAMERON...CENTRE...CLEARFIELD...CLINTON... COLUMBIA...CUMBERLAND...DAUPHIN...ELK...FRANKLIN...FULTON... HUNTINGDON...JUNIATA...LEBANON...BLAIR...LYCOMING... MCKEAN...MIFFLIN...MONTOUR...NORTHUMBERLAND...PERRY... POTTER...SCHUYLKILL...SNYDER...SOMERSET...SULLIVAN... TIOGA...AND UNION. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE LARGE DAMAGING HAIL 3/4 OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER OR LARGER...DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. .END/LAMBERT
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 2:42 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | McKean, Potter, Warren | 63 min |
| May 18, 3:01 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Cameron, Elk | 44 min |
| May 18, 3:04 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Tioga | 41 min |
| May 18, 3:34 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clinton, Lycoming | 71 min |
| May 18, 3:43 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Potter, Tioga | 47 min |
| May 18, 3:51 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Sullivan | 69 min |
| May 18, 4:30 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clinton, Lycoming | 45 min |
| May 18, 4:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Columbia, Montour, Northumberland | 60 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2000Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2000
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.