Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2009
Tornado Warning 1, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this tornado warning at Mar 29, 2009, 4:58 PM EDT for Berks County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 62 min. 5 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
- Mar 29, 2009, 4:58 PM EDT (20:58 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 29, 2009, 6:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 62 min
- Issued by
- NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
County Berks County, PA
The radar
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 141 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:59 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 5:10 PM EDT | HAIL 0.88 | West Lawn, PA | MARBLE TO PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN WEST LAWN. |
| Mar 29, 5:15 PM EDT | HAIL 1 | Reading, PA | QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN READING |
| Mar 29, 5:16 PM EDT | TSTM WND GST 54 | Reading, PA | 54 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED AT THE READING AIRPORT. |
| Mar 29, 5:25 PM EDT | HAIL 1 | Fleetwood, PA | NICKEL TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN FLEETWOOD, SHILLINGTON AND BLANDON. |
| Mar 29, 5:30 PM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 7 Ese Laureldale, PA | DAMAGE WAS REPORTED AT A FARM IN OLEY TOWNSHIP. ROOF, SIDING AND WINDOW DAMAGE REPORTED TO THE FARMHOUSE WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO 2 BARNS. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 207 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 491 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 79 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 246 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 225 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WFUS51 KPHI 292058
TORPHI
PAC011-292200-
/O.NEW.KPHI.TO.W.0001.090329T2058Z-090329T2200Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
458 PM EDT SUN MAR 29 2009
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY NJ HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
BERKS COUNTY IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF READING...
* UNTIL 600 PM EDT
* AT 457 PM EDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 7
MILES SOUTHWEST OF WERNERSVILLE...OR 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
READING...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
WERNERSVILLE BY 510 PM EDT...
READING BY 520 PM EDT...
LEESPORT BY 530 PM EDT...
FLEETWOOD BY 540 PM EDT...
KUTZTOWN BY 550 PM EDT...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.
HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.
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.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
&&
LAT...LON 4067 7589 4045 7554 4020 7599 4030 7614
4036 7621
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 231DEG 27KT 4025 7614
$$
STAUBER2 follow-up statements
000
WWUS51 KPHI 292132
SVSPHI
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
532 PM EDT SUN MAR 29 2009
PAC011-292200-
/O.CON.KPHI.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-090329T2200Z/
BERKS PA-
532 PM EDT SUN MAR 29 2009
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM EDT FOR BERKS
COUNTY...
AT 531 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR LYONS...OR 11
MILES NORTHEAST OF READING...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KUTZTOWN BY 535 PM EDT...
TOPTON BY 540 PM EDT...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
&&
LAT...LON 4067 7589 4045 7554 4020 7599 4030 7614
4036 7621
TIME...MOT...LOC 2132Z 231DEG 27KT 4043 7574
$$
STAUBER000
WWUS51 KPHI 292156
SVSPHI
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
556 PM EDT SUN MAR 29 2009
PAC011-292205-
/O.EXP.KPHI.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-090329T2200Z/
BERKS PA-
556 PM EDT SUN MAR 29 2009
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR BERKS COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 600 PM EDT...
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE TORNADO WARNING IS EXITING BERKS
COUNTY. NO TORNAOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO THE NWS AS OF THIS
STATEMENT.
LAT...LON 4067 7589 4045 7554 4020 7599 4030 7614
4036 7621
TIME...MOT...LOC 2155Z 231DEG 27KT 4054 7556
$$
AMCThe office that day
Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 4:41 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Berks | 94 min |
| Mar 29, 5:11 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Carbon, Lehigh | 64 min |
| Mar 29, 5:27 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Lehigh | 63 min |
| Mar 29, 5:55 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton | 50 min |
| Mar 29, 6:11 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia | 64 min |
| Mar 29, 7:09 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Bucks | 51 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.