Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2018

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 52, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

May 15, 2018Indiana County, Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 2018, 1:20 PM EDT for Indiana County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 14 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
May 15, 2018, 1:20 PM EDT (17:20 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 2018, 1:34 PM EDT
In force
14 min
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Indiana County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:19 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 15, 12:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KAGC), launched 12:00Z, 5.3 hours before the alert went out and 90 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 2018-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 856 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 2018-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 112 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
856 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-79 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1232 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
112 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
185 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.4

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 May 15, 12:27 PM EDT, 53 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 15, 12:27 PM EDT, 53 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 15, 2:56 AM EDT, 10 hours 24 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
256 AM EDT Tue May 15 2018

MDZ001-OHZ059-068-069-PAZ021-029-031-073>076-WVZ003-004-012-021-
509>514-160700-
Garrett-Belmont-Noble-Monroe-Allegheny-Washington-Greene-
Westmoreland-Westmoreland Ridges-Fayette-Fayette Ridges-Ohio-
Marshall-Wetzel-Marion-Monongalia-
Ridges of Eastern Monongalia and Northwestern Preston-Preston-
Eastern Preston-Western Tucker-Eastern Tucker-
256 AM EDT Tue May 15 2018

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for western Maryland, east
central Ohio, southwest 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.

   Flash Flood Watch.

In addition, there is a chance for severe thunderstorms through this
evening with damaging wind and hail as the primary threats.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday.

Increasing potential for flash flooding is expected through the week
as repeated rounds of showers and thunderstorms cross the region. The
better chance for flash flooding is currently expected on Thursday
night and Friday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

OHZ039>041-048>050-057-058-PAZ007>009-013>016-020-022-023-WVZ001-
160700-
Tuscarawas-Carroll-Columbiana-Coshocton-Harrison-Jefferson-Muskingum-
Guernsey-Mercer-Venango-Forest-Lawrence-Butler-Clarion-Beaver-
Armstrong-Indiana-Hancock-
256 AM EDT Tue May 15 2018

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for east central Ohio, northwest
Pennsylvania, west central Pennsylvania, western Pennsylvania and
northern West Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

There is a chance for severe thunderstorms through this evening with
damaging wind and hail as the primary threats. In addition, rainfall
from stronger thunderstorms may cause localized flooding.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday.

Increasing potential for flash flooding is expected through the week
as repeated rounds of showers and thunderstorms cross the region. The
better chance for flash flooding is currently expected on Thursday
night and Friday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

WVZ002-160700-
Brooke-
256 AM EDT Tue May 15 2018

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
THIS EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for 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.

   Flash Flood Watch.

In addition, there is a chance for severe thunderstorms through this
evening with damaging wind and hail as the primary threats.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday.

Increasing potential for flash flooding is expected through the week
as repeated rounds of showers and thunderstorms cross the region. The
better chance for flash flooding is currently expected on Thursday
night and Friday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather
conditions according to Standard Operating Procedures.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 15, 11:03 AM EDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
1103 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2018

OHZ041-151545-
Columbiana-
1103 AM EDT TUE MAY 15 2018

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY
WIND WILL AFFECT COLUMBIANA COUNTY...

At 1103 AM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Minerva, or 13
miles east of Canton, moving east at 40 mph.

Wind gusts up to 45 mph and small hail are possible with this storm.

Locations impacted include...
Salem...                          Columbiana...
East Palestine...                 Calcutta...
Lisbon...                         Leetonia...
New Waterford...                  Hanoverton...
Rogers...                         North Georgetown...
Negley...                         Homeworth...

This storm may intensify, so monitor local radio or television
stations for additional information and possible warnings from the
National Weather Service.

LAT...LON 4090 8082 4090 8052 4070 8052 4069 8092
      4073 8092 4073 8109 4088 8109
TIME...MOT...LOC 1503Z 264DEG 40KT 4079 8112
Special weather statement, May 15, 12:13 PM EDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 15, 12:27 PM EDT, 53 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 15, 12:42 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 15, 12:54 PM EDT, 26 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 15, 12:55 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 2:42 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchPBZAllegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, Westmoreland20 hr
May 15, 11:44 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZBeaver, Butler, Lawrence46 min
May 15, 11:56 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZClarion, Forest, Jefferson34 min
May 15, 12:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZJefferson32 min
May 15, 12:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZArmstrong, Clarion, Jefferson52 min
May 15, 12:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZArmstrong, Indiana, Jefferson45 min
May 15, 11:03 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZColumbiana42 min
May 15, 11:09 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZColumbiana36 min
May 15, 5:58 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZMonroe, Noble47 min
May 15, 6:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZMonroe, Noble43 min
May 15, 6:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZMonroe35 min
May 15, 7:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZMarion, Wetzel54 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2018Every severe thunderstorm warning 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.