Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 8, NWS State College, PA

August 9, 2009Elk County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Aug 9, 2009, 4:10 PM EDT for Elk County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 50 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 9, 2009, 4:10 PM EDT (20:10 UTC)
Expired
Aug 9, 2009, 5:00 PM EDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Elk County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:11 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
Aug 9, 4:15 PM EDTHAIL 1St. Marys, PA
Aug 9, 4:25 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG8 S St. Marys, PANUMEROUS LARGE TREES AND WIRES DOWN IN WEEDVILLE.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 9, 11:57 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Buffalo Intl Airport, NY (KBUF), launched 12:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 173 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 12:00Z on 2009-08-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 913 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Buffalo Intl Airport, NY at 12:00Z on 2009-08-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 180 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
913 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
495 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
180 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
190 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.7
Supercell composite
5.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS51 KCTP 092010
TORCTP
PAC047-092100-
/O.NEW.KCTP.TO.W.0008.090809T2010Z-090809T2100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
410 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN ELK COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

* UNTIL 500 PM EDT

* AT 408 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR
  JOHNSONBURG...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  ST. MARYS AROUND 420 PM EDT...
  FORCE AROUND 445 PM EDT...
  MEDIX RUN AND BENEZETTE AROUND 450 PM EDT...

THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...ROUTE 219 NEAR
RIDGWAY...STATE ROAD 120...STATE ROAD 255.

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
LARGE SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...TAKE SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN A MOBILE HOME OR VEHICLE...LEAVE IT AND GET INSIDE A STRONG
BUILDING. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH
OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA.

&&

LAT...LON 4142 7842 4141 7842 4141 7840 4132 7824
      4123 7825 4126 7858 4147 7878 4154 7862
TIME...MOT...LOC 2009Z 315DEG 22KT 4144 7865

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO
1 follow-up statement
000 
WWUS51 KCTP 092030
SVSCTP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
430 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 2009

PAC047-092100-
/O.CON.KCTP.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-090809T2100Z/
ELK PA-
430 PM EDT SUN AUG 9 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM EDT FOR EASTERN
ELK COUNTY...

AT 428 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A TORNADO NEAR ST. MARYS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. 
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS THAT THERE ARE MANY TREES ACROSS ROADS 
IN ELK COUNTY AS OF 428 PM. 

THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...ROUTE 219 NEAR
RIDGWAY...STATE ROAD 120...STATE ROAD 255.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
PENNY SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1 8 7 7 6 3 3 6 7 7 2.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR NORTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR CENTRAL
PENNSYLVANIA.

&&

LAT...LON 4142 7842 4141 7842 4141 7840 4132 7824
      4123 7825 4126 7858 4147 7878 4154 7862
TIME...MOT...LOC 2029Z 315DEG 22KT 4135 7853

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 9, 12:15 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPSchuylkill60 min
Aug 9, 2:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMcKean, Potter, Tioga70 min
Aug 9, 2:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPMcKean, Warren79 min
Aug 9, 2:36 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPCameron24 min
Aug 9, 3:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClinton, Lycoming, Potter, Tioga59 min
Aug 9, 3:09 PM EDTHeat AdvisoryCTPAdams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster and 9 more28 hr
Aug 9, 3:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCameron, Clinton, Elk, McKean, Potter62 min
Aug 9, 3:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCentre, Clinton, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland and 4 more43 min
Aug 9, 4:05 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPClinton, Lycoming, Potter, Sullivan, Tioga3 hr
Aug 9, 4:11 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPMcKean, Potter3 hr
Aug 9, 4:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPColumbia, Dauphin, Juniata, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland and 4 more65 min
Aug 9, 4:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClearfield64 min
Aug 9, 4:56 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPClearfield, Elk34 min
Aug 9, 5:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCumberland, Dauphin, Perry, York49 min
Aug 9, 5:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, York56 min
Aug 9, 5:28 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPClearfield32 min
Aug 9, 5:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPClearfield32 min
Aug 9, 5:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, York46 min
Aug 9, 6:06 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPClearfield114 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes in 2009

Sources

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