Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 3, NWS State College, PA

April 16, 2011Lancaster County, York County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 2011, 8:29 PM EDT for Lancaster County, York County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 31 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: Apr 16, 2011, 8:29 PM EDT (00:29 UTC)
Expired: Apr 16, 2011, 9:00 PM EDT
In force: 31 min
Issued by: NWS State College, PA
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Lancaster County, PA, York County, PA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 148 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:31 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
Apr 16, 8:30 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	York, PA	MULTIPLE POWER LINES DOWN AND FIRES ON TEXVILLE AND DAIRY ROADS.
Apr 16, 8:40 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	York, PA	POWER LINES DOWN ON CARLISLE ROAD.

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 16, 4:41 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 00:00Z, 0.5 hours before the alert went out and 147 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: 132 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 547 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 77 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 574 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 593 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

924 
WFUS51 KCTP 170029
TORCTP
PAC071-133-170100-
/O.NEW.KCTP.TO.W.0003.110417T0029Z-110417T0100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
829 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL LANCASTER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...
  CENTRAL YORK COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

* UNTIL 900 PM EDT

* AT 828 PM EDT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO. THE STORM
  CONTAINING THE TORNADO WAS NEAR EMIGSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
  MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  BAINBRIDGE AND HALLAM AROUND 835 PM EDT...
  MAYTOWN AND MARIETTA AROUND 840 PM EDT...
  ELIZABETHTOWN AND COLUMBIA AROUND 845 PM EDT...
  MOUNT JOY AND MOUNTVILLE AROUND 850 PM EDT...
  LANDISVILLE AROUND 855 PM EDT...
  MANHEIM AROUND 900 PM EDT...

THIS WILL IMPACT I-83 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 17 AND 26.

THIS WILL ALSO IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...STATE HIGHWAY
283...ROUTE 30.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. IF YOU WAIT TO
SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

TAKE COVER INSIDE NOW. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO. MOVE
TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST LEVEL OF A STURDY BUILDING. PUT AS
MANY WALLS BETWEEN YOU AND THE OUTSIDE AS YOU CAN. AVOID WINDOWS.
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

&&

LAT...LON 4021 7652 4019 7639 4006 7637 3992 7674
      4002 7680
TIME...MOT...LOC 0029Z 235DEG 32KT 4002 7670

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO

2 follow-up statements

471 
WWUS51 KCTP 170041
SVSCTP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
841 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

PAC133-170050-
/O.CAN.KCTP.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110417T0100Z/
YORK PA-
841 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL YORK COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM HAS MOVED TO THE EAST...THEREFORE THE TORNADO 
WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

LAT...LON 4003 7653 4005 7654 4004 7659 4009 7668
      4021 7652 4019 7639 4006 7637 4001 7650
TIME...MOT...LOC 0040Z 235DEG 32KT 4008 7659

$$

PAC071-170100-
/O.CON.KCTP.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110417T0100Z/
LANCASTER PA-
841 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM EDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL LANCASTER COUNTY...

AT 837 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 
NEAR MAYTOWN AND MARIETTA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  RHEEMS...
  MOUNT JOY...
  LANDISVILLE...
  MANHEIM...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE A TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU WAIT
TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

&&

LAT...LON 4003 7653 4005 7654 4004 7659 4009 7668
      4021 7652 4019 7639 4006 7637 4001 7650
TIME...MOT...LOC 0040Z 235DEG 32KT 4008 7659

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO

760 
WWUS51 KCTP 170054
SVSCTP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
854 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

PAC071-170103-
/O.EXP.KCTP.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-110417T0100Z/
LANCASTER PA-
854 PM EDT SAT APR 16 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL LANCASTER COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT 900 PM EDT...

THE TORNADO WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE...AS THE STORM HAS 
LOST MOST OF THE ROTATION IT EXHIBITED EARLIER. HOWEVER...ALL 
LOCATIONS IN LANCASTER COUNTY REMAIN UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING UNTIL 930 PM EDT...MAINLY DUE TO THE THREAT OF WIND DAMAGE. 

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

LAT...LON 4003 7653 4005 7654 4004 7659 4009 7668
      4021 7652 4019 7639 4006 7637 4001 7650
TIME...MOT...LOC 0053Z 235DEG 32KT 4015 7646

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 16, 8:02 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Columbia, Lebanon, Schuylkill	58 min
Apr 16, 8:05 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	CTP	Adams, York	25 min
Apr 16, 8:25 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CTP	Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, York	65 min
Apr 16, 8:51 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	CTP	Schuylkill	44 min
Apr 16, 9:40 PM EDT	Wind Advisory	CTP	Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre and 27 more	22 hr
Apr 16, 10:02 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Blair, Huntingdon	12 hr
Apr 16, 10:02 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Blair, Huntingdon	3 hr
Apr 16, 10:02 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill	28 hr
Apr 16, 10:02 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Dauphin, Lebanon	33 hr
Apr 16, 10:13 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CTP	Adams	2 hr
Apr 17, 12:24 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Dauphin	38 hr
Apr 17, 12:28 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Lancaster, York	19 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2011 Every tornado warning in 2011 Tornadoes in 2011

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.