Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 35, NWS State College, PA

June 12, 2011Dauphin County, Lancaster County, York County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Jun 12, 2011, 2:49 PM EDT for Dauphin County, Lancaster County, York County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 26 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
Jun 12, 2011, 2:49 PM EDT (18:49 UTC)
Expired
Jun 12, 2011, 3:15 PM EDT
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Dauphin County, PA, Lancaster County, PA, York County, PA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 147 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:52 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
Jun 12, 2:50 PM EDTHAIL 0.88Valley Green, PAHAIL FOR 10 MINUTES
Jun 12, 3:07 PM EDTHAIL 12 S Valley Green, PAONE INCH SIZE HAIL AT ETTERS... PA
Jun 12, 3:07 PM EDTHAIL 14 Se Middletown, PAONE INCH SIZE HAIL AT ETTERS... PA
Jun 12, 3:12 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGHallam, PATREES DOWN
Jun 12, 3:12 PM EDTTSTM WND DMGWrightsville, PATREES DOWN. POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED JUST NORTH OF WRIGHTSVILLE.

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
Jun 12, 1:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 145 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-06-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 360 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, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2011-06-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -27 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
360 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-50 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
861 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-27 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
2 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.

197 
WFUS51 KCTP 121849
TORCTP
PAC043-071-133-121915-
/O.NEW.KCTP.TO.W.0035.110612T1849Z-110612T1915Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
249 PM EDT SUN JUN 12 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 315 PM EDT

* AT 245 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE STORM
  CONTAINING THE POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS NEAR GOLDSBORO...MOVING
  SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  BAINBRIDGE AND MANCHESTER AROUND 300 PM EDT...
  ELIZABETHTOWN AROUND 305 PM EDT...
  MAYTOWN AROUND 310 PM EDT...
  

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.

THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA INTERSTATES...THE
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 245 AND 255...I-83 BETWEEN
MILE MARKERS 25 AND 36...I-283.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

&&

LAT...LON 4009 7633 3989 7648 4011 7690 4026 7678
TIME...MOT...LOC 1849Z 300DEG 22KT 4014 7674

$$

FORECASTER: LA CORTE
1 follow-up statement
138 
WWUS51 KCTP 121903
SVSCTP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
303 PM EDT SUN JUN 12 2011

PAC043-121913-
/O.CAN.KCTP.TO.W.0035.000000T0000Z-110612T1915Z/
DAUPHIN PA-
303 PM EDT SUN JUN 12 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN DAUPHIN COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

THE STORM THAT PROMPTED THE TORNADO WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE
AREA...THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

LAT...LON 4005 7679 4007 7680 4013 7674 4012 7672
      4016 7669 4015 7668 4017 7666 4017 7664
      4018 7662 4006 7639 3991 7653
TIME...MOT...LOC 1903Z 305DEG 22KT 4008 7665

$$

PAC071-133-121915-
/O.CON.KCTP.TO.W.0035.000000T0000Z-110612T1915Z/
LANCASTER PA-YORK PA-
303 PM EDT SUN JUN 12 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM EDT FOR CENTRAL
YORK AND WEST CENTRAL LANCASTER COUNTIES...

AT 300 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH STRONG ROTATION THAT MAY BE PRODUCING A
TORNADO. THIS STORM THAT MAY BE PRODUCING A TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR
BAINBRIDGE...OR NEAR ELIZABETHTOWN...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
MAYTOWN AROUND 310 PM EDT...
MARIETTA AND WRIGHTSVILLE AROUND 315 PM EDT...

THIS WILL IMPACT I-83 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 25 AND 29.

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT SUNDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA.

&&

LAT...LON 4005 7679 4007 7680 4013 7674 4012 7672
      4016 7669 4015 7668 4017 7666 4017 7664
      4018 7662 4006 7639 3991 7653
TIME...MOT...LOC 1903Z 305DEG 22KT 4008 7665

$$

FORECASTER: LA CORTE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 11, 8:04 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPYork3 hr
Jun 11, 8:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, York53 min
Jun 11, 8:23 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPColumbia, Montour, Sullivan37 min
Jun 11, 8:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, York79 min
Jun 11, 8:59 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPColumbia, Montour, Sullivan31 min
Jun 11, 10:01 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPLancaster59 min
Jun 11, 10:31 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningCTPDauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill6 hr
Jun 12, 12:26 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningCTPDauphin, Lebanon7 hr
Jun 12, 11:49 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPMifflin41 min
Jun 12, 12:28 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPBedford32 min
Jun 12, 1:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPJuniata, Perry32 min
Jun 12, 1:22 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPFranklin, Fulton23 min
Jun 12, 1:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPDauphin, Lebanon, Perry60 min
Jun 12, 1:53 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPFranklin37 min
Jun 12, 2:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPFranklin, Fulton58 min
Jun 12, 2:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPAdams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and 1 more54 min
Jun 12, 2:50 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPCumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, York3 hr
Jun 12, 2:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPAdams, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, York79 min
Jun 12, 3:16 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPLancaster, York44 min
Jun 12, 3:47 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPYork13 min

Nearby

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