Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2016

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

September 17, 20164 counties in Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this tornado warning at Sep 17, 2016, 6:01 PM EDT for 4 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 29 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Sep 17, 2016, 6:01 PM EDT (22:01 UTC)
Expired
Sep 17, 2016, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Butler County, PA, Lawrence County, PA, Mercer County, PA, Venango County, PA

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 62 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:04 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 (KAGC), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 74 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 2016-09-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 76 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 12:00Z on 2016-09-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 61 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
76 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-151 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
974 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
61 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
77 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

178 
WFUS51 KPBZ 172201
TORPBZ
PAC019-073-085-121-172230-
/O.NEW.KPBZ.TO.W.0007.160917T2201Z-160917T2230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
601 PM EDT SAT SEP 17 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PITTSBURGH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN MERCER COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...
  SOUTHWESTERN VENANGO COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...
  NORTHWESTERN BUTLER COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...
  NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE COUNTY IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA...

* UNTIL 630 PM EDT..

* AT 601 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR SLIPPERY ROCK...OR 7 MILES SOUTH OF GROVE
  CITY... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

  IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
           SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.
           DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS...AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR. TREE
           DAMAGE IS LIKELY. 

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  SLIPPERY ROCK AROUND 610 PM EDT. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE PLAIN
GROVE TOWNSHIP AND HARRISVILLE.

THIS INCLUDES  INTERSTATE 79 IN PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 104
AND 110.
 
PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER BY CALLING 4 1 2...2 6 2...1 9 8 8...
POSTING TO THE NWS PITTSBURGH FACEBOOK PAGE...OR USING TWITTER
@NWSPITTSBURGH.

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 OUTDOORS...IN
A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4102 8017 4109 8021 4118 7992 4105 7983
TIME...MOT...LOC 2201Z 247DEG 29KT 4106 8014 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

24
2 follow-up statements
819 
WWUS51 KPBZ 172213
SVSPBZ

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
613 PM EDT SAT SEP 17 2016

PAC073-172223-
/O.CAN.KPBZ.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-160917T2230Z/
LAWRENCE PA-
613 PM EDT SAT SEP 17 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT
OF THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE...THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 4103 8006 4105 8009 4112 8012 4118 7992
      4105 7983
TIME...MOT...LOC 2213Z 245DEG 28KT 4110 8004 

$$

PAC019-085-121-172230-
/O.CON.KPBZ.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-160917T2230Z/
MERCER PA-VENANGO PA-BUTLER PA-
613 PM EDT SAT SEP 17 2016

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MERCER...SOUTHWESTERN VENANGO AND NORTHWESTERN BUTLER
COUNTIES...
    
AT 613 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER SLIPPERY ROCK...OR NEAR GROVE CITY...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS...AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE
         IS LIKELY. 

THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF
SOUTHEASTERN MERCER...SOUTHWESTERN VENANGO AND NORTHWESTERN BUTLER
COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS: HARRISVILLE.

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER BY CALLING 4 1 2...2 6 2...1 9 8 8...
POSTING TO THE NWS PITTSBURGH FACEBOOK PAGE...OR USING TWITTER
@NWSPITTSBURGH.

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 OUTDOORS...IN
A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4103 8006 4105 8009 4112 8012 4118 7992
      4105 7983
TIME...MOT...LOC 2213Z 245DEG 28KT 4110 8004 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

24
348 
WWUS51 KPBZ 172219
SVSPBZ

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
619 PM EDT SAT SEP 17 2016

PAC085-172229-
/O.CAN.KPBZ.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-160917T2230Z/
MERCER PA-
619 PM EDT SAT SEP 17 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN MERCER COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
    
THE TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT
OF THE WARNED AREA.  THEREFORE...THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 4105 7983 4104 7999 4107 8005 4112 8005
      4115 8002 4118 7992
TIME...MOT...LOC 2219Z 247DEG 29KT 4112 7998 

$$

PAC019-121-172230-
/O.CON.KPBZ.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-160917T2230Z/
VENANGO PA-BUTLER PA-
619 PM EDT SAT SEP 17 2016

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN VENANGO AND NORTH CENTRAL BUTLER COUNTIES...
    
AT 619 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR SLIPPERY ROCK...OR NEAR GROVE CITY...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS...AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE
         IS LIKELY. 

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HARRISVILLE.

PLEASE REPORT SEVERE WEATHER BY CALLING 4 1 2...2 6 2...1 9 8 8...
POSTING TO THE NWS PITTSBURGH FACEBOOK PAGE...OR USING TWITTER
@NWSPITTSBURGH.

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 OUTDOORS...IN
A MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4105 7983 4104 7999 4107 8005 4112 8005
      4115 8002 4118 7992
TIME...MOT...LOC 2219Z 247DEG 29KT 4112 7998 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

24

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 17, 4:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZMercer37 min
Sep 17, 5:46 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZMercer29 min
Sep 17, 5:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZButler, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango26 min
Sep 17, 6:25 PM EDTTornado WarningPBZArmstrong, Butler, Clarion, Venango35 min
Sep 17, 7:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZButler, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango28 min
Sep 17, 7:33 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZVenango27 min
Sep 17, 7:38 PM EDTTornado Warning Tornado observedPBZArmstrong, Butler, Clarion, Venango37 min
Sep 17, 7:40 PM EDTTornado WarningPBZForest, Venango35 min

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.