Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2017

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

May 1, 20174 counties in Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this tornado warning at May 1, 2017, 2:50 PM EDT for 4 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 25 min. 4 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: May 1, 2017, 2:50 PM EDT (18:50 UTC)
Expired: May 1, 2017, 3:15 PM EDT
In force: 25 min
Issued by: NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.0 in

Counties Armstrong County, PA, Butler County, PA, Clarion County, PA, Venango County, PA

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:48 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
May 1, 2:56 PM EDT	TORNADO	1 Ene Eldorado, PA	A FOCUSED... NARROW SWATH OF TORNADIC DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE WOODS ALONG ELDORADO ROAD. THE DAMAGE IN THIS AREA CONSISTED OF A NARROW PATH OF SNAPPED AND UPROOTED HARDWOOD TREES. BASED ON THE DAMAGE... THE BRIEF TORNADO WAS RATED EF0.
May 1, 3:09 PM EDT	TORNADO	Wentlings Corners, PA	A COHERENT... ONE MILE-LONG DAMAGE PATH WAS IDENTIFIED ALONG ROUTE 338 THROUGH THE WENTLINGS CORNERS AREA. THE TORNADO WAS RATED EF0.
May 1, 3:15 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Knox, PA	TREES DOWN
May 1, 3:19 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Shippenville, PA	SEVERAL TREES DOWN

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
May 1, 12:32 PM EDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KAGC), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 85 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: 11 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -114 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1435 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 217 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 191 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

547 
WFUS51 KPBZ 011850
TORPBZ
PAC005-019-031-121-011915-
/O.NEW.KPBZ.TO.W.0004.170501T1850Z-170501T1915Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
250 PM EDT MON MAY 1 2017

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Venango County in northwestern Pennsylvania...
  Northeastern Butler County in west central Pennsylvania...
  Northwestern Armstrong County in west central Pennsylvania...
  West central Clarion County in west central Pennsylvania...

* Until 315 PM EDT..

* At 250 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 10 miles northeast of Shanor-Northvue, or 13 miles
  north of Butler, moving northeast at 50 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...
  Knox around 315 PM EDT. 

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Emlenton, Foxburg, Eau Claire, Parker, St. Petersburg, Shippenville,
Callensburg, Bruin, Fairview and Sligo.

This includes  Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 42
and 64.
 
Please report severe weather by calling 412-262-1988, 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 4099 7982 4107 7989 4133 7955 4117 7934
TIME...MOT...LOC 1850Z 232DEG 45KT 4105 7983 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

TAX

2 follow-up statements

691 
WWUS51 KPBZ 011901
SVSPBZ

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
301 PM EDT MON MAY 1 2017

PAC005-019-031-121-011915-
/O.CON.KPBZ.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-170501T1915Z/
Venango PA-Butler PA-Armstrong PA-Clarion PA-
301 PM EDT MON MAY 1 2017

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN VENANGO...NORTHEASTERN BUTLER...NORTHWESTERN ARMSTRONG
AND WEST CENTRAL CLARION COUNTIES...
    
At 301 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 9 miles southwest of Knox, moving northeast at 50 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...
  Knox around 315 PM EDT. 

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Emlenton, Foxburg, Parker, St. Petersburg, Shippenville, Callensburg,
Sligo and Eau Claire.

This includes  Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 42
and 64.
 
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.

Please report severe weather by calling 412-262-1988, posting to 
the NWS Pittsburgh Facebook page, or using Twitter @NWSPITTSBURGH. 

&&

LAT...LON 4104 7969 4114 7979 4133 7955 4117 7934
TIME...MOT...LOC 1901Z 232DEG 45KT 4114 7968 

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

$$

24

787 
WWUS51 KPBZ 011912
SVSPBZ

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
312 PM EDT MON MAY 1 2017

PAC005-019-031-121-011921-
/O.EXP.KPBZ.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-170501T1915Z/
Venango PA-Butler PA-Armstrong PA-Clarion PA-
312 PM EDT MON MAY 1 2017

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN VENANGO...NORTHEASTERN
BUTLER...NORTHWESTERN ARMSTRONG AND WEST CENTRAL CLARION COUNTIES
WILL EXPIRE AT 315 PM EDT...
                
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe limits
and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado. Therefore, the
warning will be allowed to expire.

A tornado watch remains in effect until 700 PM EDT for northwestern
and west central Pennsylvania.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for
Clarion county.

LAT...LON 4104 7969 4114 7979 4133 7955 4117 7934
TIME...MOT...LOC 1911Z 232DEG 45KT 4120 7957 

$$

24

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 1, 1:22 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Beaver, Greene, Washington	53 min
May 1, 1:35 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Beaver, Lawrence, Mercer	55 min
May 1, 1:47 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Mercer, Venango	43 min
May 1, 2:05 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango and 1 more	55 min
May 1, 2:11 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Allegheny, Greene, Washington	49 min
May 1, 2:26 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Clarion, Forest, Mercer, Venango	49 min
May 1, 2:29 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	PBZ	Beaver, Butler	31 min
May 1, 2:47 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, Venango and 1 more	58 min
May 1, 2:54 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, Westmoreland	66 min
May 1, 3:03 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PBZ	Allegheny, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington, Westmoreland	3 hr
May 1, 3:10 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Armstrong, Clarion, Forest, Jefferson, Venango	65 min
May 1, 3:19 PM EDT	Tornado Warning	PBZ	Clarion, Forest, Venango	26 min
May 1, 3:34 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Armstrong, Clarion, Indiana, Jefferson, Westmoreland	56 min
May 1, 3:42 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PBZ	Fayette	48 min
May 1, 5:03 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PBZ	Fayette	41 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2017 Every tornado warning in 2017 Tornadoes in 2017

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.