Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 19, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

May 16, 2009Preston County, West Virginia

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 16, 2009, 4:02 PM EDT for Preston County, West Virginia. It was in force for 21 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 16, 2009, 4:02 PM EDT (20:02 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 2009, 4:23 PM EDT
In force
21 min
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Preston County, WV

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 127 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:04 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 12:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 111 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 2009-05-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 88 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 2009-05-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 190 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
88 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-90 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1095 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
190 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
190 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 May 16, 3:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 16, 3:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
301 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THIS EVENING BRINGING
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRING DRIER AND COOLER AIR INTO THE UPPER OHIO
VALLEY BEGINNING LATER TONIGHT.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
A COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
THIS EVENING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AHEAD
OF AND ALONG FRONT WITH POTENTIAL FOR SOME STORMS TO PRODUCE
DAMAGING WINDS EARLY THIS EVENING. PRECIPITATION WILL QUICKLY END
BEHIND FRONT LATER TONIGHT AS SURFACE HIGH BUILDS INTO REGION.

TEMPERATURES WILL DROP INTO THE 40S BY DAWN.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
SURFACE HIGH WILL DRIFT EAST ALONG THE OHIO VALLEY SUNDAY THROUGH
MONDAY. MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL HOLD ACROSS THE REGION.
WENT CLOSE TO GFS MOS TEMPERATURES WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 50S NORTH
TO LOWER 60S SOUTH SUNDAY.

LIGHT WINDS AND CLEAR SKIES WILL ALLOW FOR GOOD RADIATIONAL
COOLING SUNDAY NIGHT. WILL INCLUDE MENTION OF AREAS OF FROST IN
WORDING FOR ZONES WITH LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TO MID 30S.

TEMPERATURES SHOULD REMAIN A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL FOR MONDAY
WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
RIDGING WILL CONTINUE OVER THE REGION THROUGH MIDWEEK. GFS DOES HINT
AT SOME FLATTENING OF THE RIDGE FOR MIDWEEK...BUT WILL KEEP CONDITIONS
DRY WITH SOME INCREASE IN CLOUDS. THE NEXT BEST CHANCE AT PRECIP LOOKS
TO BE NEXT WEEKEND AS LOW PRESSURE IS PROGGED TO AFFECT THE AREA.
SEASONAL TEMPERATURES WILL PREVAIL FOR TUE/WED...WARMING TO ABOVE
NORMAL FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
SCT SHWRS/TSTMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS EASTERN OHIO/WESTERN
PA IN ADVANCE OF THE COLD FRONT WHICH IS CROSSING CENTRAL OHIO.
ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE WITH THE FRONTAL
APPROACH...WITH THE PERIOD OF GREATEST ACTIVITY ALONG A ZZV/FKL
LINE FROM 18-20Z...20-22Z HLG/PIT/DUJ...AND 22-01Z MGW/LBE. EXPECT
PREVAILING MVFR CONDITIONS ALONG THE FRONT...WITH AREAS OF IFR IN
THE HEAVIER SHWRS/TSTMS. WILL INCLUDE SOME HIGHER GUSTS WITH THE
STRONGER TSTMS LATE THIS AFTN. SFC WINDS WILL GUST TO 20 TO 25 MPH
OUT OF THE SW AHEAD OF FRONT SHIFTING TO WEST-NORTHWEST BEHIND THE
BOUNDARY.

SFC FRONT WILL STREAK TO THE EAST TONIGHT...WITH CONDITIONS
RETURNING TO VFR BY LATE THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD
ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH MOSTLY CLEAR
SKIES. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE RIDGE FLATTENING
TOWARD MIDWEEK...WITH THE GFS HINTING AT SOME POTENTIAL FOR SHWRS
TUE NIGHT/WED. WILL KEEP CONDITIONS DRY AND VFR WITH PERHAPS SOME
INCREASE IN MID DECK CLOUDS FOR MIDWEEK.

&&

.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...NONE.
OH...NONE.
PA...NONE.
WV...NONE.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 12:20 PM EDT, 3 hours 42 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
1220 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009

MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-
029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-171630-
GARRETT-TUSCARAWAS-CARROLL-COLUMBIANA-COSHOCTON-HARRISON-
JEFFERSON OH-MUSKINGUM-GUERNSEY-BELMONT-NOBLE-MONROE-MERCER-VENANGO-
FOREST-LAWRENCE-BUTLER-CLARION-JEFFERSON PA-BEAVER-ALLEGHENY-
ARMSTRONG-INDIANA-WASHINGTON-WESTMORELAND-GREENE-FAYETTE-HANCOCK-
BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL-WETZEL-MARION-MONONGALIA-PRESTON-TUCKER-
1220 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN MARYLAND...EAST
CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA...SOUTHWEST
PENNSYLVANIA...WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
AND NORTHERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION. THE PRIMARY
SEVERE THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 16, 2:14 PM EDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 16, 2:39 PM EDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
239 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009

PAZ008-009-161930-
FOREST PA-VENANGO PA-
239 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009

...THUNDERSTORMS...

MORE THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
FOREST...

AT 237 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN PITTSBURGH
INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF VENANGO COUNTY AND INTO
FOREST COUNTY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40
MPH.

BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS TO NEAR 40 MPH...DIME SIZE HAIL...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS.

KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THUNDERSTORMS
APPROACH.

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

$$ A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT
SATURDAY EVENING FOR EAST CENTRAL OHIO AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND
NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA.

&&
Special weather statement, May 16, 3:06 PM EDT, 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
306 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009

PAZ008-009-015-016-022-162000-
ARMSTRONG PA-CLARION PA-FOREST PA-JEFFERSON PA-VENANGO PA-
306 PM EDT SAT MAY 16 2009

...THUNDERSTORMS...

THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
ARMSTRONG...JEFFERSON...VENANGO...FOREST AND CLARION...

AT 303 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN PITTSBURGH
INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF VAN...MOVING EAST
AT 35 MPH.

SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...
SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  VAN...                SENECA...             OIL CITY...
  KNOX...               CLARION...            FRYBURG...
  LIMESTONE...          TIONESTA...           WEST HICKORY...
  SUMMERVILLE...        COOK FOREST STATE PARK...
  KELLETTVILLE...

KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY AND MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THUNDERSTORMS
APPROACH.

PLEASE REPORT HAIL...STRONG WINDS OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772.
Special weather statement, May 16, 3:13 PM EDT, 49 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 16, 3:49 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 16, 3:51 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 16, 3:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZMarion, Monongalia44 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 2009Every severe thunderstorm warning 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.