Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2016

Tornado Warning 1, NWS State College, PA

February 24, 2016Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at Feb 24, 2016, 7:21 PM EST for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 24 min. 3 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
Feb 24, 2016, 7:21 PM EST (00:21 UTC)
Expired
Feb 24, 2016, 7:45 PM EST
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Lancaster County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 136 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:25 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
Feb 24, 7:32 PM ESTTSTM WND DMGWhite Horse, PASEVERAL BUILDINGS SUFFERED WIND DAMAGE
Feb 24, 7:32 PM ESTTSTM WND DMGWhite Horse, PASEVERAL BUILDINGS SUFFERED WIND DAMAGE. CONSIDERABLE DEBRIS.
Feb 24, 7:38 PM ESTTORNADOWhite Horse, PAEF-2 CONFIRMED. MAX WINDS 125 MPH.

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
Feb 24, 3:20 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 167 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 00:00Z on 2016-02-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 27 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 00:00Z on 2016-02-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 140 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
27 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-212 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
800 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
140 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

534 
WFUS51 KCTP 250021
TORCTP
PAC071-250045-
/O.NEW.KCTP.TO.W.0001.160225T0021Z-160225T0045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
721 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN LANCASTER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...

* UNTIL 745 PM EST
    
* AT 721 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED
  OVER QUARRYVILLE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  NEW HOLLAND...GAP...STRASBURG...QUARRYVILLE...PARADISE...
  CHURCHTOWN...TERRE HILL...KIRKWOOD...WHITE HORSE...BOWMANSVILLE...
  GOODVILLE...CHRISTIANA...GORDONVILLE...BLUE BALL...INTERCOURSE...
  BUCK...GEORGETOWN...FIVEPOINTVILLE AND ATGLEN.

THIS INCLUDES THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE FROM MILE MARKERS 289 TO 295.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE
HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

THIS CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AND
WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

LAT...LON 4011 7594 4004 7593 3996 7599 3993 7598
      3993 7600 3990 7599 3979 7611 3987 7627
      4023 7602 4014 7587
TIME...MOT...LOC 0021Z 213DEG 45KT 3989 7616 

$$

LA CORTE
2 follow-up statements
453 
WWUS51 KCTP 250038
SVSCTP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
738 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

PAC071-250045-
/O.CON.KCTP.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-160225T0045Z/
LANCASTER PA-
738 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM EST FOR
NORTHEASTERN LANCASTER COUNTY...
    
AT 738 PM EST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
CHURCHTOWN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NEW HOLLAND...CHURCHTOWN...TERRE HILL...WHITE HORSE...BOWMANSVILLE...
GOODVILLE...BLUE BALL AND FIVEPOINTVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE IN A MOBILE
HOME OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

TORNADOES ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. DO NOT
WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

THIS CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AND
WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

LAT...LON 4000 7596 4008 7612 4023 7602 4014 7587
      4011 7594 4004 7593
TIME...MOT...LOC 0038Z 213DEG 49KT 4009 7599 

$$

LA CORTE
199 
WWUS51 KCTP 250047
SVSCTP

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
747 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

PAC071-250056-
/O.EXP.KCTP.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-160225T0045Z/
LANCASTER PA-
747 PM EST WED FEB 24 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN LANCASTER COUNTY HAS
EXPIRED...
        
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
THEREFORE THE WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 4000 7596 4008 7612 4023 7602 4014 7587
      4011 7594 4004 7593
TIME...MOT...LOC 0045Z 213DEG 45KT 4009 7599 

$$

LA CORTE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 24, 7:13 PM ESTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPSchuylkill62 min
Feb 24, 7:14 PM ESTSpecial Weather StatementCTPSchuylkill46 min
Feb 24, 7:30 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, Lebanon, York45 min
Feb 24, 7:43 PM ESTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPLancaster62 min
Feb 24, 11:18 PM ESTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPColumbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan and 2 more3 hr
Feb 24, 11:24 PM ESTRiver Flood WarningCTPCumberland, York17 hr
Feb 24, 11:44 PM ESTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPAdams, Centre, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Juniata and 8 more3 hr
Feb 25, 2:00 AM ESTRiver Flood WarningCTPLebanon, Schuylkill20 hr
Feb 25, 2:43 AM ESTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPLancaster, York4 hr
Feb 25, 2:54 AM ESTWinter Weather AdvisoryCTPCambria, McKean, Somerset, Warren28 hr
Feb 25, 5:48 AM ESTRiver Flood WarningCTPDauphin, Lebanon23 hr
Feb 25, 9:11 AM ESTRiver Flood WarningCTPLancaster, York10 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2016Every tornado warning in 2016Tornadoes in 2016

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.