Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 8, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

March 9, 20025 counties in Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 9, 2002, 7:14 PM EST for 5 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 61 min. 5 reports 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
Mar 9, 2002, 7:14 PM EST (00:14 UTC)
Expired
Mar 9, 2002, 8:15 PM EST
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Armstrong County, PA, Clarion County, PA, Fayette County, PA, Forest County, PA, Westmoreland County, PA

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:17 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
Mar 9, 7:30 PM ESTThunderstorm WindCountywide, PA
Mar 9, 7:30 PM ESTThunderstorm WindCountywide, PA
Mar 9, 7:30 PM ESTThunderstorm WindCountywide, PA
Mar 9, 7:45 PM ESTThunderstorm WindCountywide, PA
Mar 9, 7:45 PM ESTThunderstorm WindCountywide, PA

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
Mar 9, 5:15 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 250 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 00:00Z on 2002-03-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 30 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 00:00Z on 2002-03-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 266 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
30 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-26 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1467 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
63 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
266 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
488 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 
WUUS51 KPBZ 100014
SVRPBZ
PAC005-031-051-053-129-100115-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
713 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  ARMSTRONG COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA
  CLARION COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA
  FAYETTE COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA
  FOREST COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA
  WESTMORELAND COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA

* UNTIL 815 PM EST

* AT 713 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 26 MILES NORTH OF KNOX TO 10 MILES 
WEST OF HILLER...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE...
  NEAR SPEERS AT 720 PM...
  NEAR WEST NEWTON AT 725 PM...
  NEAR UNIONTOWN AT 730 PM...
  NEAR YOUNGWOOD AT 735 PM...

<<CALL TO ACTION>>THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DAMAGING
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

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 Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Mar 9, 5:09 PM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 9, 5:09 PM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION -UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
505 PM AM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

ZONE FORECASTS UPDATED PER NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM
FOR REST OF CWA. BEEF WORDING FURTHER PER DAMAGING WINDS NOW
OCCURRING IN CENTRAL OHIO. EXPECT SQUALL LINE TO EXIT CWA BY AROUND
9 PM. ...GIORDANO

.PBZ...
MD...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4AM SUNDAY
     SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10PM SATURDAY.
          MDZ001.
OH...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4AM SUNDAY
     SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 7-10PM SATURDAY.
          OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069.
     PA...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4AM SUNDAY
     SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10PM SATURDAY.
          PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-029>032.
WV...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4AM SUNDAY
     SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10PM SATURDAY.
          WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 9, 2:46 PM EST, 4 hours 28 minutes before
100000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
246 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EST SATURDAY EVENING
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

COSHOCTON...MUSKINGUM...TUSCARAWAS...GUERNSEY...NOBLE.

DAMAGING THUNDERSTORMS WINDS OF OVER 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE.
WHEN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THREATEN...SEEK SHELTER INDOORS.
STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 5:01 PM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes before
OHZ039>041-049-050-058-059-068-069-WVZ001>004-012-100000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
501 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

...DAMAGING WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL PRODUCE WINDS OF UP TO 80 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS EAST CENTRAL
OHIO, AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

THESE STORMS WILL SWEEP INTO TUSCARAWAS, GUERNSEY, AND NOBLE
COUNTIES AROUND 5:30 PM.

CARROLL, HARRISON, BELMONT, AND MONROE COUNTIES AROUND 6 PM.

AND THEN INTO COLUMBIANA, JEFFERSON, HANCOCK, BROOKE, OHIO, AND
MARSHALL COUNTIES BY 630 PM.

YOU SHOULD SECURE LOOSE ITEMS IMMEDIATELY.  WHEN THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS. ALSO, BE PREPARED FOR POWER OUTAGES.

AFTER THE LINE OF VERY WINDY STORMS MOVES THROUGH, WEST WINDS WILL
STILL GUST TO 40 MILES AN HOUR DURING THE EVENING HOURS, AND
TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY DROP INTO THE 30S.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY THIS
EVENING, AND A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL EARLY SUNDAY
MORNING.
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 5:01 PM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes before
OHZ039>041-049-050-058-059-068-069-WVZ001>004-012-100000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
501 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

...DAMAGING WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL PRODUCE WINDS OF UP TO 80 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS EAST CENTRAL
OHIO, AND THE NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

THESE STORMS WILL SWEEP INTO TUSCARAWAS, GUERNSEY, AND NOBLE
COUNTIES AROUND 5:30 PM.

CARROLL, HARRISON, BELMONT, AND MONROE COUNTIES AROUND 6 PM.

AND THEN INTO COLUMBIANA, JEFFERSON, HANCOCK, BROOKE, OHIO,
MARSHALL, AND WETZEL COUNTIES BY 630 PM.

YOU SHOULD SECURE LOOSE ITEMS IMMEDIATELY.  WHEN THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS. ALSO, BE PREPARED FOR POWER OUTAGES.

AFTER THE LINE OF VERY WINDY STORMS MOVES THROUGH, WEST WINDS WILL
STILL GUST TO 40 MILES AN HOUR DURING THE EVENING HOURS, AND
TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY DROP INTO THE 30S.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY THIS
EVENING, AND A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL EARLY SUNDAY
MORNING.
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 5:20 PM EST, 1 hour 54 minutes before
100300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
520 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EST SATURDAY
EVENING
FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN EASTERN OHIO...
COLUMBIANA...CARROLL...JEFFERSON...HARRISON...BELMONT...MONROE.

IN NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...
HANCOCK...BROOKE...OHIO...MARSHALL...WETZEL...MONONGALIA...
MARION...PRESTON...TUCKER.

IN WESTERN MARYLAND...
GARRETT.

IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...
ALLEGHENY...ARMSTRONG...BEAVER...BUTLER...CLARION...FAYETTE...
FOREST...GREENE...INDIANA...JEFFERSON...LAWRENCE...MERCER...
VENANGO...WASHINGTON...WESTMORELAND.

DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS OF OVER 60 MPH...MAYBE EVEN 80 MPH
...CAN OCCUR THIS EVENING.
Special weather statement, Mar 9, 5:39 PM EST, 1 hour 35 minutes before
MDZ001-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-029>032-WVZ021>023-041-100230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
539 PM EST SAT MAR 9 2002

...DAMAGING WINDS WILL AFFECT THE AREA...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL PRODUCE WINDS OF UP TO 80 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS WESTERN
PENNSYLVANIA, NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA, AND WESTERN MARYLAND.

THESE STORMS WILL SWEEP INTO MERCER, LAWRENCE, BEAVER, WASHINGTON,
AND GREEN COUNTIES AROUND 6:30 PM.

VENANGO, BUTLER, ALLEGHENY, MONONGALIA, AND MARION COUNTIES AROUND 7
TO 7:30 PM.  THIS INCLUDES PITTSBURGH.

AND THEN INTO FOREST, CLARION, JEFFERSON, ARMSTRONG, INDIANA,
WESTMORELAND, FAYETTE, PRESTON, TUCKER, AND GARRETT AROUND 7:30 OR 8
PM.

THE HIGH WINDS HAVE PRODUCED WIDESPREAD DAMAGE ACROSS OHIO.
YOU SHOULD SECURE LOOSE ITEMS IMMEDIATELY.  WHEN THREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS. ALSO, BE PREPARED FOR POWER OUTAGES.

AFTER THE LINE OF VERY WINDY STORMS MOVES THROUGH, WEST WINDS WILL
STILL GUST TO 40 MILES AN HOUR DURING THE EVENING HOURS, AND
TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY DROP INTO THE 30S.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL EARLY THIS
EVENING, AND A HIGH WIND WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL EARLY SUNDAY
MORNING.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 9, 7:07 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZGreene53 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2002Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002

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.