Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 127, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

July 21, 2003Venango County, Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 21, 2003, 8:33 PM EDT for Venango County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Jul 21, 2003, 8:33 PM EDT (00:33 UTC)
Expired: Jul 21, 2003, 11:30 PM EDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area: Whole counties

County Venango County, PA

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 104 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:34 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 114 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 171 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -40 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1282 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 150 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 181 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.1
Supercell composite: 0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS51 KPBZ 220034
FFWPBZ
PAC121-220330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
833 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  VENANGO COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA

* UNTIL 1130 PM EDT

* AT 833 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF 
  THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN MOVING INTO VENANGO       
  COUNTY. THIS HEAVY RAIN IS MOVING OVER AREAS THAT HAD FLOODING     
  PROBLEMS EARLIER IN THE DAY.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...HASSON HEIGHTS...POLK AND
  WOODLAND HEIGHTS...

<<CALL TO ACTION>>DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE
WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW
YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

PLEASE REPORT HIGH WATER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING
TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772.

2 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS71 KPBZ 220122
FFSPBZ
PAC121-220215-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
923 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003


THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1100 PM FOR VENANGO COUNTY. 


HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL OVER VENANGO COUNTY. THE HEAVIEST RAIN 
HAS FALLEN OVER A WIDE AREA EXTENDING FROM JUST NORTH OF WESLEY TO 
FRANKLIN AND COOPERSTOWN. WEATHER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT OVER AN INCH 
OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE PAST HOUR. THOSE LIVING ALONG OIL CREEK... 
FRENCH CREEK...WOLF RUN AND CHERRY TREE RUN SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE 
WATCH ON WATER LEVELS. THESE STREAMS HAVE SEEN THE MOST RAIN TONIGHT 
AND A MAJOR FLOOD SITUATION IS POSSIBLE. MORE HEAVY RAIN IS MOVING 
THROUGH MERCER COUNTY...MEANING THAT ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN AND 
FLOODING WILL OCCUR IN VENANGO COUNTY.










$$

000 
WGUS71 KPBZ 220148
FFSPBZ
PAC121-220245-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
948 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003


THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR VENANGO COUNTY UNTIL 1130 PM.


THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER A LARGE AREA FROM JUST NORTH OF 
WESLEY TO NEAR POLK AND ALSO NEAR FRANKLIN. WEATHER RADAR IS 
ESTIMATING THAT OVER 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THESE LOCATIONS 
OVER THE PAST 2 HOURS. IF YOU LIVE ALONG SANDY CREEK AND ANY OF IT 
TRIBUTARIES...AS WELL AS BUFORD RUN AND EVEN THE ALLEGHENY RIVER... 
KEEP AN EYE ON WATER LEVELS AS THEY WILL RISE QUICKLY. THIS IS 
BECOMING A MAJOR FLOOD SITUATION. FLOODING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS... 
ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. 










$$

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Jul 21, 3:53 PM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 3:53 PM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
353 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003

CLASSIC BOOK-END VORTICTY AFFECTED GOOD PORTION OF CWA DURING AFTN
AS STRONG SHRT/WV MOVING SEWD INTERRACTED WITH DYNAMIC/UNSTABLE ATMS...
WITH PWS 1.8-2.0. FRONTAL BNDRY TO OUR WEST WILL SLOWLY MOVES SEWD
AS UPPER TROF DEEPENS WITH SERIES SHRT/WVS FROM TIME TO TIME...AND
PRECIP PSBLY BEACOUP. GROUNDS QUITE SATURATED IN SOME LOCALTIES AND
AN INCH OF RAIN IN HR OR LESS...SPCLY N OF I80 TNGT CAN CAUSE
FLOODING QUICKLY. MESOETA DEPICTS A STRONG SHRT/WV IN BOTTOM
OF UPPER TROF AS IT MOVES EWD AND AFFECTS CWA WED...BEARS WATCHING.
ONCE THIS SYSTEM EXITS DURING THRS...DRIER WX FOR REGION INTO WKND.

PIT   65  76  62  72 /  80  80  60  60
HLG   66  76  63  72 /  70  70  60  60
MGW   66  76  63  72 /  70  70  60  60
ZZV   65  76  62  72 /  70  70  60  60
PHD   65  76  62  72 /  70  70  60  60
FKL   62  75  60  70 /  70  80  60  60
DUJ   62  75  60  70 /  70  80  60  60
LBE   63  78  61  74 /  70  80  60  60
BTP   62  75  60  70 /  70  80  60  60
IDI   63  76  61  71 /  70  80  60  60
ODM   64  75  61  71 /  70  70  60  60

.PBZ...
MD...FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONE MDZ001.

OH...HIGH WIND WARNING TIL 8PM EDT FOR ZONES
OHZ039>041...OHZ048>050...OHZ057>059.

FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES OHZ039>041...OHZ048>050...
OHZ057>059...OHZ068>069.

PA...HIGH WIND WARNING TIL 8PM EDT FOR ZONES
PAZ007>009...PAZ013>016...PAZ020>023...PAZ029>032.

FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES PAZ007>009...PAZ013>016...
PAZ020>023...PAZ029>032.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TIL 8PM EDT FOR ZONES
PAZ007>009...PAZ013>016...PAZ020>023...PAZ029>032.

WV...HIGH WIND WARNING TIL 8PM EDT FOR ZONES WVZ001>004.

FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT FOR ZONES WVZ001>004...WVZ012...WVZ021>023...
WVZ041.

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 21, 9:20 AM EDT, 11 hours 13 minutes before

MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-
029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-211520-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
920 AM EDT MON JUL 21 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
EAST CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND
GARRETT COUNTY MARYLAND.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT.

THERE IS ALSO A FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT.

THE STORMS, TODAY AND TONIGHT, CAN HAVE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND
LARGE HAIL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE. HEAVY RAINS CAN
CAUSE FLASH FLOODING. THERE WILL ALSO BE PERIODS OF FREQUENT
CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT PRESENTLY UNTIL 2PM EDT
TODAY FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.

THE FIRST ROUND OF STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE
ACROSS THE REGION, BEGINNING IN EAST CENTRAL OHIO AROUND 10AM THIS
MORNING AND THEN AFFECT WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND EXTREME NORTHERN
WEST VIRGINIA TOWARD NOON. THERE MAY BE A SECOND ROUND OF STORMS
TOWARD EVENING, AND A THIRD ROUND CAN COME DURING THE MIDDLE OF
TONIGHT.

LOCATIONS GETTING MORE THAN 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN A COUPLE HOURS CAN
GET FLOODING. LOCATIONS GETTING REPEATED PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINS
TODAY AND TONIGHT CAN GET SERIOUS FLASH FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY /DAY 2/. ADDITIONAL
HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE FLOODING.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER NETWORK WILL BE ACTIVITATED AT 10AM THIS MORNING.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 21, 3:06 PM EDT, 5 hours 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA
306 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003

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

0215 PM    SHADYSIDE                 PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   ALLEGHENY                      WIRES DOWN REPORTED BY
                                          EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

0226 PM    AMBRIDGE                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   BEAVER                         LARGE TREES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY PUBLIC

0225 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   CLARION                        LARGE TREES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

0213 PM    DAYTON                    PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   ARMSTRONG                      LARGE TREES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY PUBLIC

0230 PM    COUNTYWIDE, LAWRENCE      PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   LAWRENCE                       LARGE TREES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

0230 PM    OIL CITY                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   VENANGO                        ROOF OFF REPORTED BY
                                          EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

0240 PM    PLEASANTVILLE             PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   VENANGO                        LARGE BRANCHES REPORTED BY
                                          SKYWARN SPOTTERS

0240 PM    CORISCA                   PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   JEFFERSON                      LARGE TREES DOWN REPORTED
                                          BY SKYWARN SPOTTERS

0254 PM    FRANKLIN                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   VENANGO                        LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN
                                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC

0234 PM    PROSPECT                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   BUTLER                         LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN
                                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC

0245 PM    SENECA                    PA   FLASH FLOODS
07/21/03   VENANGO                        BASEMENTS AND ROADS
                                          FLOODING REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT

Special weather statement, Jul 21, 5:48 PM EDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before

PAZ007-212345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
548 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003

...MORE HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE...

A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER EASTERN OHIO IS
HEADING TOWARD MERCER COUNTY. THE STORM TRACK WILL TAKE THE HEAVY
RAINFALL BETWEEN SHARON AND GREENVILLE BETWEEN 645 AND 7 PM.

THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL MAY OCCUR OVER AREAS THAT WERE SATURATED AND
FLOODED BY EARLY MORNING AND MID-AFTERNOON RAINS. RAINFALL AMOUNTS
EXCEEDING AN INCH PER HOUR WILL CAUSE ADDITIONAL FLOODING IF THE
STORMS CONTINUE ON THEIR CURRENT TRACK.

RESIDENTS SHOULD PAY ATTENTION FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AFTER 630. IF
FLOODING BECOMES IMMINENT...BE PREPARED TO MOVE QUICKLY TO HIGHER
GROUND.

Local storm report, Jul 21, 6:05 PM EDT, 2 hours 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
605 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003

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

0240 PM    WINTERSVILLE              OH   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   JEFFERSON                      TREES DOWN.911

0240 PM    NEW PHILADELPHIA          OH   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   TUSCARAWAS                     TREES DOWN IN NEW PHILADELPHIA
                                          AND MIDVALE.911

0245 PM    BIRMINGHAM                OH   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   GUERNSEY                       TREES DOWN.ODOT

0250 PM    SHADYSIDE                 OH   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   BELMONT                        TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.911

0300 PM    SCIO                      OH   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   HARRISON                       TREES DOWN.911

0225 PM    PARKER                    PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   CLARION                        TREES DOWN IN PARKER AND
                                          WEST FREEDOM.911

0230 PM    INDIANA                   PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   INDIANA                        TREES DOWN.911

0230 PM    CANONSBURG                PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   WASHINGTON                     TREES DOWN.SKYWARN

0240 PM    CORSICA                   PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   JEFFERSON                      TREES DOWN.911

0240 PM    SHADYSIDE                 PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   ALLEGHENY                      LARGE TREES DOWN IN SHADYSIDE
                                          SECTION OF PITTSBURGH.911

0250 PM    PROSPECT                  PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   BUTLER                         LARGE TREE BRANCHES DOWN.PUB

0250 PM    YUKON                     PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   WESTMORELAND                   TREES DOWN.LAW

0251 PM    SANDY LAKE                PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   MERCER                         TREES DOWN.911

0254 PM    FRANKLIN                  PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   VENANGO                        LARGE TREES BRANCHES DOWN.911

0300 PM    TIONESTA                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   FOREST                         TREES DOWN.PENN DOT

0310 PM    BROCKWAY                  PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   JEFFERSON                      LARGE TREE BRANCHES DOWN.911

0315 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   BEAVER                         NUMEROUS TREES DOWN.LAW

0330 PM    COUNTYWIDE                PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   ARMSTRONG                      NUMEROUS TREES DOWN.LAW

0330 PM    NEW WILMINGTON            PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   LAWRENCE                       TREES DOWN.POLICE

0337 PM    TIONESTA                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
07/21/03   FOREST                         TREES DOWN.PUB

0345 PM    MARIENVILLE               PA   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   FOREST                         TREES DOWN.PUB

0245 PM    WELLSBURG                 WV   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   BROOKE                         TREES DOWN.POLICE

0400 PM    NEW CUMBERLAND            WV   NON TSTM WINDS
07/21/03   HANCOCK                        TREES DOWN.LAW

Special weather statement, Jul 21, 7:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before

PAZ007-220100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
701 PM EDT MON JUL 21 2003

...THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN...

A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO MOVE ON A TRACK BETWEEN
SHARON AND GREENVILLE. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE WINDS BETWEEN 40
AND 50 MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER AREAS THAT ALREADY RECEIVED
WIND DAMAGE AND FLOODING THIS AFTERNOON.

WINDS NEAR 50 MPH COULD BRING DOWN ADDITIONAL TREES ON SATURATED
GROUND. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY CREATE AN ADDITIONAL SURGE OF FLOODING IN
THE GREENVILLE AREA IF HEAVY RAINFALL MOVES OVER THE CITY.

PAY ATTENTION FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. DONT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE
WATER IS DEEP OR FLOWING ACROSS ROADS.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 8:15 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	PBZ	Mercer	60 min
Jul 21, 8:28 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Venango	62 min
Jul 21, 9:06 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Lawrence	39 min
Jul 21, 9:22 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Butler	53 min
Jul 21, 10:03 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Forest	3 hr
Jul 21, 10:27 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Mercer	3 hr
Jul 21, 10:42 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Butler	63 min
Jul 22, 12:06 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Mercer, Venango	3 hr
Jul 22, 12:58 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Lawrence	3 hr
Jul 22, 1:35 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Venango	55 min
Jul 22, 2:12 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Butler	63 min
Jul 22, 2:16 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Forest	3 hr
Jul 22, 2:27 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Beaver	48 min
Jul 22, 2:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Clarion, Forest	57 min
Jul 22, 2:56 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Mercer, Venango	3 hr
Jul 22, 3:52 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Clarion	3 hr
Jul 22, 3:57 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Jefferson	3 hr
Jul 22, 5:15 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Allegheny	3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2003 Every flash flood warning in 2003

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.