Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2013

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 180, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

July 17, 2013Fayette County, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 17, 2013, 4:53 PM EDT for Fayette County, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 52 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
Jul 17, 2013, 4:53 PM EDT (20:53 UTC)
Expired
Jul 17, 2013, 5:45 PM EDT
In force
52 min
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Fayette County, PA, Westmoreland County, PA

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 73 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:57 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, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 57 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 2013-07-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1934 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 2013-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 8 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1934 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-19 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
701 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
9 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 Jul 17, 2:46 PM EDT, 2 hours 7 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 2:46 PM EDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
246 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL MAINTAIN WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS THROUGH
FRIDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL FURTHER INCREASE THE CHANCE FOR
THUNDERSTORMS AS THE WEEKEND APPROACHES.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/...
LATE AFTN UPDATE WAS ISSUED TO ADJUST HOURLY TRENDS...ESPECIALLY
TO POPS AS NMRS TSTMS DVLPD BTN PITTSBURGH AND BRADFORD.

OTHERWISE...CHC TO LIKELY POPS WERE INCLUDED FOR THE EARLY EVE
FORECAST AS WEAK SHRTWV HAS SPPRTED AFTN CONVECTION ALNG DIFFICULT
TO DISCERN BNDRIES. EXPECT THE TREND TO CONT AS OUTFLOW FM
OUTGOING ACTIVITY PROGRESSES SWD.

HUMID AIR MASS WILL PERSIST AND UPR FLOW IS PROJECTED TO SLIGHTLY
INCRS THURSDAY AS THE JET STREAM ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA SINKS
SOUTHWARD.

DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORMS WILL THUS AGAIN BE POSSIBLE AS CAP
WEAKENS SLIGHTLY.

WARM TEMPS WERE AGAIN FORECAST USING PERSISTENCE AND MOSGUIDEBC.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...

MODERATE MID LEVEL FLOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER THE REGION FRIDAY
AS UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SAGS SOUTHWARD. THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT
WILL BE FOCUSED ALONG THE SURFACE COLD FRONT...WHICH AT THIS
POINT...RESIDE WELL NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. HOWEVER...LIFTING
MECHANISM WILL INCREASE AND WITH MODERATE FLOW AND
INSTABILITY...THUNDERSTORMS CANNOT BE RULED OUT AREA-WIDE.

THE MODELS REMAIN CONSISTENT IN PROGGING THE COLD FRONT PASSAGE
ON SATURDAY. EARLIER TIMING MAY PRECLUDE SEVERE POTENTIAL BY LTG
INSTABILITY...BUT AT MOMENT...WORDING FOR SEVERE POTENTIAL WL RMN
IN THE HWO GIVEN THE INCRSD SHEAR POTENTIAL OVR THE AREA.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
THE ONLY ADJUSTMENT MADE THROUGH SUNDAY WAS TO SPEED UP THE EXIT
OF POPS JUST SLIGHTLY WITH BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF HAVING US DRY BY
SUNDAY MORNING. THE MODELS THAN KEEP MUCH OF THE EASTERN CONUS
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF A BROAD UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THROUGH THE
REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. SHORTWAVE TIMING THROUGH THE FLOW REMAINS
DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT THIS FAR OUT SO POPS WERE KEPT LOW.
TEMPERATURES WERE MAINTAINED AT A BLEND OF MOS/ECMWF/HPC GUIDANCE
WHICH KEPT THEM NEAR SEASONAL VALUES THROUGH THE PERIOD.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY AFTERNOON...A LINE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS HAS
DEVELOPED ACROSS THE REGION...WITH A SECOND...WEAKER...MORE
SCATTERED LINE JUST TO THE WEST. BETWEEN HI-RES MODELS AND UPSTREAM
RADAR...THINK THIS SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR PRECIPITATION
TODAY. HAS ADDED TSRA AT MANY OF THE NORTHERN AIRPORTS...BUT THINK
THAT THE SOUTHERN EXTENT OF THE LINE WILL NOT REACH HLG...AND THAT
THE WEAK PORTION OF THE LINE NEAR PITTSBURGH WILL NOT HOLD UP TO
REACH LBE. EXPECT ZZV AND MGW TO REMAIN DRY THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

OVERNIGHT...FOG IS EXPECTED TO SET UP ONCE AGAIN. BROUGHT
RESTRICTIONS TO ALL SITES...USING A COMBINATION OF MODEL GUIDANCE
AND PERSISTENCE FROM LAST NIGHT/S FORECAST. CERTAINLY CANNOT RULE
OUT THE POSSIBILITY FOR LIFR CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY AT TERMINALS
THAT RECEIVE DECENT RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON.

ANOTHER ROUND OF ISOLATED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS AND DIURNAL CU IS
EXPECTED FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

.OUTLOOK.../THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
RESTRICTIONS IN MORNING FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY. THE BEST
CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD RESTRICTIONS WILL BE ALONG A COLD FRONT
PASSAGE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...AS GREATER COVERAGE OF
THUNDERSTORMS IS ANTICIPATED.

&&

.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...NONE.
OH...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR OHZ039>041-
     048>050-057>059-068-069.
PA...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR PAZ013-014-
     020>022-029-031.
WV...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR WVZ001>004-012.

&&

15/33
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 17, 8:11 AM EDT, 8 hours 42 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
811 AM EDT WED JUL 17 2013

OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ013-014-020>022-029-031-
WVZ001>004-012-181215-
TUSCARAWAS-CARROLL-COLUMBIANA-COSHOCTON-HARRISON-JEFFERSON OH-
MUSKINGUM-GUERNSEY-BELMONT-NOBLE-MONROE-LAWRENCE-BUTLER-BEAVER-
ALLEGHENY-ARMSTRONG-WASHINGTON-GREENE-HANCOCK-BROOKE-OHIO-MARSHALL-
WETZEL-
811 AM EDT WED JUL 17 2013

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   HEAT ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SATURDAY. THE PRIMARY SEVERE
THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

MDZ001-PAZ007>009-015-016-023-073>076-WVZ021>023-041-181215-
GARRETT-MERCER-VENANGO-FOREST-CLARION-JEFFERSON PA-INDIANA-
WESTMORELAND-WESTMORELAND RIDGES-FAYETTE-FAYETTE RIDGES-MARION-
MONONGALIA-PRESTON-TUCKER-
811 AM EDT WED JUL 17 2013

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SATURDAY. THE PRIMARY SEVERE
THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

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

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 17, 4:22 PM EDT, 31 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 17, 4:26 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 17, 4:34 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 17, 4:41 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 17, 4:41 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 17, 4:46 PM EDT, 7 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 17, 3:42 AM EDTHeat AdvisoryPBZAllegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Greene, Lawrence and 1 more14 hr
Jul 17, 12:43 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZLawrence47 min
Jul 17, 1:07 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZVenango38 min
Jul 17, 1:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZAllegheny35 min
Jul 17, 1:32 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZButler43 min
Jul 17, 2:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZClarion, Forest44 min
Jul 17, 2:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZAllegheny35 min
Jul 17, 2:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZArmstrong, Clarion, Indiana, Jefferson49 min
Jul 17, 2:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZForest, Jefferson33 min
Jul 17, 3:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZAllegheny, Westmoreland51 min
Jul 17, 4:11 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPBZAllegheny, Washington, Westmoreland3 hr
Jul 17, 4:46 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZWestmoreland29 min
Jul 17, 2:42 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZJefferson48 min
Jul 17, 3:12 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZJefferson48 min
Jul 17, 5:36 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPBZMonroe3 hr
Jul 17, 1:21 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZHancock39 min
Jul 17, 4:41 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZWetzel49 min
Jul 17, 5:19 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZMarion, Monongalia41 min
Jul 17, 5:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZMarion, Monongalia49 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2013Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2013

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.