Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 270, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

August 19, 2004Hancock County, West Virginia

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 19, 2004, 4:40 PM EDT for Hancock County, West Virginia. It was in force for 50 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Aug 19, 2004, 4:40 PM EDT (20:40 UTC)
Expired: Aug 19, 2004, 5:30 PM EDT
In force: 50 min
Issued by: NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Hancock County, WV

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:41 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Aug 19, 2:30 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 46 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: 21 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -234 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 963 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 104 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 150 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 192040
SVRPBZ
WVC029-192130-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
440 PM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  HANCOCK COUNTY IN WEST VIRGINIA

* UNTIL 530 PM EDT

* AT 433 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
  NEWELL...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  NEW CUMBERLAND...
  TOMLINSON RUN STATE PARK...
  NEW MANCHESTER...
  CHESTER...

<<CALL TO ACTION>>SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58
MILES AN HOUR AND LARGE HAIL GREATER THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH.

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN
DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 4061 8064 4062 8061 4061 8057 4063 8053
      4049 8053 4049 8061 4050 8062 4054 8063
      4057 8067

$$

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 Aug 19, 3:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 19, 3:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
300 PM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

.AVIATION...
WILL KEEP TSTMS IN TERMINALS THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON THE BREAK OUT TO
MID DECK DURING THE EVENING. PUT IN PATCHY FOG TOWARD MORNING.
&&

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)...
SVR WATCH TIL 8PM THEN LESSENING CHCS DURING THE NIGHT. LIKELY POPS
ON FRI...LESSER CHC FURTHER SOUTH. LIKELY TO CAT POPS FRI NIGHT AS
WV COMES UP. GFS CONTINUES FASTER THAN ETA WITH FROPA ON SATURDAY.
WENT WITH BLEND OF POPS. DRYING TREND ON SAT NGHT AND SUN. TEMPS
SIMILAR TO FWC NOS.
&&

.LONG TERM (MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)...
CONTINUE DRY ON TUES UNTIL TUES NIGHT WHEN OVERRUNNING BEGINS.
CONTINUES INTO WEDNESDAY. THURSTEMPS SIMILAR TO MEX NOS.
&&

.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...NONE.
OH...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ZONES OHZ039>041-048>050-
     057>059-068-069 UNTIL 8 PM EDT.
PA...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ZONES PAZ014-016-020-022-023-
     029>032 UNTIL 8 PM EDT.
WV...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ZONES WVZ001>004 UNTIL 8 PM EDT.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 19, 10:40 AM EDT, 6 hours before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
1040 AM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-
029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-200914-
ALLEGHENY PA-ARMSTRONG PA-BEAVER PA-BELMONT OH-BROOKE WV-BUTLER PA-
CARROLL OH-CLARION PA-COLUMBIANA OH-COSHOCTON OH-FAYETTE PA-
FOREST PA-GARRETT MD-GREENE PA-GUERNSEY OH-HANCOCK WV-HARRISON OH-
INDIANA PA-JEFFERSON PA-JEFFERSON OH-LAWRENCE PA-MARION WV-
MARSHALL WV-MERCER PA-MONONGALIA WV-MONROE OH-MUSKINGUM OH-NOBLE OH-
OHIO WV-PRESTON WV-TUCKER WV-TUSCARAWAS OH-VENANGO PA-WASHINGTON PA-
WESTMORELAND PA-WETZEL WV-
1040 AM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. IN ADDITION
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAINS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 19, 3:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
320 PM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0255 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 ENE MCKEESPORT        40.36N 79.79W
08/19/2004                   ALLEGHENY          PA   SKYWARN SPOTTER

            TREES REPORTED DOWN.

&&

Local storm report, Aug 19, 4:09 PM EDT, 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
409 PM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0315 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SPRINGDALE              40.54N 79.78W
08/19/2004                   ALLEGHENY          PA   AMATEUR RADIO

            70 MPH WIND GUSTS WITH TREES DOWN.

0330 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SHALER TOWNSHIP         40.52N 79.96W
08/19/2004                   ALLEGHENY          PA   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREES DOWN AND POWER OUTAGES.

&&

AWIPSUSR

Local storm report, Aug 19, 4:15 PM EDT, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
415 PM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0409 PM     HAIL             STRASBURG               40.60N 81.53W
08/19/2004  0.75 INCH        TUSCARAWAS         OH   PUBLIC

&&

TP

Local storm report, Aug 19, 4:23 PM EDT, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
423 PM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0410 PM     HAIL             DOVER                   40.53N 81.48W
08/19/2004  1.00 INCH        TUSCARAWAS         OH   PUBLIC

&&

TP

Local storm report, Aug 19, 4:31 PM EDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
431 PM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0412 PM     HAIL             DOVER                   40.53N 81.48W
08/19/2004  2.00 INCH        TUSCARAWAS         OH   PUBLIC

&&

TP

Local storm report, Aug 19, 4:40 PM EDT, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
440 PM EDT THU AUG 19 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     HAIL             4 SE GREENSBURG         40.27N 79.49W
08/19/2004  1.00 INCH        WESTMORELAND       PA   SKYWARN SPOTTER

&&

TP

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 19, 4:27 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Ohio	63 min
Aug 19, 5:32 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Hancock	43 min
Aug 19, 5:48 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Brooke	42 min
Aug 19, 6:27 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Brooke	48 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 2004 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2004

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.