Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2018

Tornado Warning 1, NWS State College, PA

May 13, 2018Bedford County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this tornado warning at May 13, 2018, 6:18 PM EDT for Bedford County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 42 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
May 13, 2018, 6:18 PM EDT (22:18 UTC)
Expired
May 13, 2018, 7:00 PM EDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

County Bedford County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 126 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:19 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
May 13, 6:19 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 W Buffalo Mills, PATREES DOWN AND SNAPPED ALONG BRANT HOLLOW ROAD.
May 13, 6:19 PM EDTTORNADO1 W Buffalo Mills, PAAN EF0 TORNADO KNOCKED DOWN A COUPLE DOZEN TREES IN A RURAL AREA JUST SOUTH OF BRANT HOLLOW ROAD TO THE WEST OF BUFFALO MILLS. THE PATH LENGTH WAS NEARLY HALF A MILE, WITH A PATH WIDTH OF APPROXINATELY 100 YARDS.
May 13, 6:21 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG4 Wnw Rainsburg, PATREE BLOCKING TEABERRY ROAD NEAR THE INTERSECTION WITH BUCK FALLS ROAD.

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
May 13, 4:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 135 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 2018-05-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2018-05-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 99 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
757 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
168 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

012 
WFUS51 KCTP 132218
TORCTP
PAC009-132300-
/O.NEW.KCTP.TO.W.0001.180513T2218Z-180513T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service State College PA
618 PM EDT SUN MAY 13 2018

The National Weather Service in State College PA has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southern Bedford County in south central Pennsylvania...

* Until 700 PM EDT
    
* At 618 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Buffalo Mills, moving southeast at 40 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  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. The storm has a history of causing wind 
           damage.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Inglesmith around 650 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Rainsburg.

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 3993 7874 4001 7867 3987 7828 3986 7828
      3982 7830 3973 7837 3972 7838 3972 7844
TIME...MOT...LOC 2218Z 302DEG 33KT 3994 7864 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

La Corte
3 follow-up statements
175 
WWUS51 KCTP 132230
SVSCTP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
630 PM EDT SUN MAY 13 2018

PAC009-132300-
/O.CON.KCTP.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-180513T2300Z/
Bedford PA-
630 PM EDT SUN MAY 13 2018

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BEDFORD COUNTY...
    
At 629 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 7 miles southeast of Buffalo Mills, moving southeast at
35 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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 storm has a history of causing wind damage.

This dangerous storm will be near...
  Inglesmith around 650 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Rainsburg.

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 3990 7861 3993 7857 3987 7828 3986 7828
      3982 7830 3973 7837 3972 7838 3972 7844
TIME...MOT...LOC 2229Z 301DEG 32KT 3989 7853 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

La Corte
702 
WWUS51 KCTP 132246
SVSCTP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
646 PM EDT SUN MAY 13 2018

PAC009-132300-
/O.CON.KCTP.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-180513T2300Z/
Bedford PA-
646 PM EDT SUN MAY 13 2018

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BEDFORD COUNTY...
    
At 645 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Inglesmith, moving southeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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 Bedford County.

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. This storm has a 
history of causing wind damage.

&&

LAT...LON 3982 7844 3984 7841 3984 7836 3983 7831
      3982 7830 3973 7837 3972 7838 3976 7843
TIME...MOT...LOC 2245Z 304DEG 33KT 3980 7838 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

La Corte
094 
WWUS51 KCTP 132308
SVSCTP

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
708 PM EDT SUN MAY 13 2018

PAC009-132317-
/O.EXP.KCTP.TO.W.0001.000000T0000Z-180513T2300Z/
Bedford PA-
708 PM EDT SUN MAY 13 2018

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN BEDFORD COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. 

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for
south central Pennsylvania.

LAT...LON 3982 7844 3984 7841 3984 7836 3983 7831
      3982 7830 3973 7837 3972 7838 3976 7843
TIME...MOT...LOC 2307Z 302DEG 33KT 3970 7818 

$$

La Corte

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 13, 10:56 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPCumberland, York64 min
May 13, 4:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCambria, Somerset69 min
May 13, 5:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCambria, Somerset61 min
May 13, 6:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPBedford69 min
May 13, 6:48 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPFulton27 min
May 13, 7:31 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPBedford44 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2018Every tornado warning in 2018Tornadoes in 2018

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.