Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2003

Flash Flood Warning 47, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

June 13, 2003Forest County, Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this flash flood warning at Jun 13, 2003, 1:24 AM EDT for Forest County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 4 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: Jun 13, 2003, 1:24 AM EDT (05:24 UTC)
Expired: Jun 13, 2003, 5:30 AM EDT
In force: 4 hr
Issued by: NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area: Whole counties

County Forest County, PA

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 5.4 hours before the alert went out and 142 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: 1375 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 753 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 100 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 171 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.8
Supercell composite: 4.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS51 KPBZ 130526
FFWPBZ
PAC053-130930-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
124 AM EDT FRI JUN 13 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 530 AM EDT

* AT 124 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED VERY      
  HEAVY RAIN MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH. THIS RAIN IS FALLING  
  OVER AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED FLOODING. 

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...LYNCH...
  MARIENVILLE...TIONESTA...WEST HICKORY...EAST HICKORY.

<<CALL TO ACTION>>BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER
TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH
FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE
FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER
BEGINS RISING.

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 Jun 12, 9:23 PM EDT, 4 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 12, 9:23 PM EDT, 4 hours 1 minute before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
923 PM EDT THU JUN 12 2003

UPDATED TO REMOVE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...ADJUST WORDING FIRST PD. MOST
PCPN SHD BE OVR BY MDNGT.

FCSTID =   12

.PBZ...
MD...NONE.
OH...NONE.
PA...NONE.
WV...NONE.

WDK

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 12, 11:53 AM EDT, 13 hours 31 minutes before

MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-
029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-121730-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
1153 AM EDT THU JUN 12 2003

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK THAT SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY COULD REACH SEVERE
LEVELS. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 7:56 PM EDT, 5 hours 28 minutes before

PAZ020-130100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
756 PM EDT THU JUN 12 2003

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO MOVE THROUGH BEAVER COUNTY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AND INTO SOUTHERN BEAVER COUNTY.  THIS
STORM SHOULD AFFECT THE KENDALL, ALIQUIPPA, AND FREEDOM AREAS
BETWEEN 8:00 AND 9:00 PM.  WINDS COULD GUST TO 45 MPH.  HAIL AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.  AN INCH OR SO OF RAIN COULD
FALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, CAUSING WATER TO POND ON ROADS.

WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS. STAY TUNED FOR
UPDATES.

REHAK

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 8:44 PM EDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before

PAZ007-013-029-130215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
844 PM EDT THU JUN 12 2003

...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD EXTREME WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FROM THE
WEST.  THIS LINE WILL MOVE THROUGH MERCER, LAWRENCE, BEAVER, AND
WASHINGTON COUNTIES BETWEEN 8:45 AND 10:00 PM.  WINDS MAY GUST TO 45
MPH WITH THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS.

WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS.  STAY TUNED FOR
UPDATES.

REHAK

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 8:50 PM EDT, 4 hours 34 minutes before

PAZ014-130145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
850 PM EDT THU JUN 12 2003

...MORE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO BUTLER COUNTY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING NORTHEAST AND INTO BUTLER COUNTY.  THESE STORMS WILL MOVE
ACROSS BUTLER COUNTY BETWEEN 8:50 AND 10:00 PM.  WINDS MAY GUST TO
50 MPH.  FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE.

THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED FROM PREVIOUS RAINS, SO
THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE FLOODING IN LOW SPOTS AND WHERE
DRAINAGE IS POOR.  WATER WILL POND ON THE ROAD, SO USE CAUTION.
NEVER ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATER, IT MAY BE DEEPER THAN
YOU THINK.  STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES.

REHAK

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 9:19 PM EDT, 4 hours 5 minutes before

PAZ021-130215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
919 PM EDT THU JUN 12 2003

...ANOTHER LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING ALLEGHENY COUNTY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO ALLEGHENY COUNTY FROM THE WEST,
AFFECTING THE COUNTY BETWEEN 9:25 AND 10:30 PM.  THIS LINE OF STORMS
MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH.  BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE ALSO
POSSIBLE.  THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED FROM PREVIOUS RAINS, SO
THESE STORMS COULD CAUSE FLOODING, ESPECIALLY IN LOW SPOTS AND WHERE
DRAINAGE IS POOR.  WATER WILL POND ON THE ROAD, SO USE CAUTION.
NEVER ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODWATERS, IT MAY BE DEEPER THAN
YOU THINK.

WHEN THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES, MOVE INDOORS.  STAY TUNED FOR
UPDATES.

REHAK

Local storm report, Jun 12, 9:56 PM EDT, 3 hours 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH, PA
956 PM EDT THU JUN 12 2003

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

0550 PM    2 SE GIBSONIA             PA   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/12/03   ALLEGHENY

0739 PM    RUSSELLTON                PA   FLASH FLOODS
06/12/03   ALLEGHENY                      RETENTION DAM FAILURE ON
                                          LITTLEDEER CREEK

0645 PM    FREEPORT                  PA   WIND DAMAGE
06/12/03   ARMSTRONG                      TREES DOWN REPORTED BY
                                          EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

0700 PM    KITTANNING                PA   FLASH FLOODS
06/12/03   ARMSTRONG                      NUMEROUS FLOODED ROADS AND
                                          FLOODED BASEMENTS

0725 PM    KINGWOOD                  WV   WIND DAMAGE
06/12/03   PRESTON                        TREES DOWN

0815 PM    PRESIDENT                 PA   FLASH FLOODS
06/12/03   VENANGO                        SMALL STREAM AND ROAD
                                          FLOODING

0830 PM    TIONESTA                  PA   FLASH FLOODS
06/12/03   FOREST                         NUMEROUS STREAM AND ROAD
                                          FLOODING

0545 PM    GREENTREE                 PA   WIND DAMAGE
06/12/03   ALLEGHENY                      TREES AND POWER LINES
                                          DOWN. DAMAGE TO
                                          OUTBUILDINGS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 12, 8:11 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Venango	3 hr
Jun 12, 8:18 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Forest	3 hr
Jun 12, 8:35 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Beaver	40 min
Jun 12, 8:47 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Indiana	3 hr
Jun 12, 9:03 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Butler	57 min
Jun 12, 10:18 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Butler	3 hr
Jun 12, 10:40 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Allegheny	3 hr
Jun 12, 10:44 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Venango	3 hr
Jun 12, 11:13 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Clarion	3 hr
Jun 12, 11:24 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PBZ	Armstrong	4 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.