Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2018

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 81, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

August 17, 2018Berks County, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 17, 2018, 6:23 PM EDT for Berks County, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 52 min. 11 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: Aug 17, 2018, 6:23 PM EDT (22:23 UTC)
Expired: Aug 17, 2018, 7:15 PM EDT
In force: 52 min
Issued by: NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Berks County, PA, Lehigh County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 150 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:26 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
Aug 17, 6:45 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 S North Heidelberg, PA	TREE DOWN - SNYDER DR. AND QUARRY RD.
Aug 17, 6:45 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Heidelberg Twp, PA	TREE DOWN - SNYDER DR. AND QUARRY RD.
Aug 17, 6:49 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Ssw Bernville, PA	TREE DOWN ON CHRISTMAS VILLAGE ROAD NEAR FAIRWAY DRIVE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 17, 6:49 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Tilden Twp, PA	SEVERAL REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES AND MALFUNCTIONING TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN TILDEN TWP. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 17, 6:50 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Shillington, PA	TREE DOWN BLOCKING TRAFFIC. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 17, 6:52 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Spring Twp, PA	TREE FELL ONTO HOUSE - JEFFERSON ST.
Aug 17, 6:57 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Perry Twp, PA	SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES DOWN IN PERRY TWP...INCLUDING NEAR SCHAPPELL ROAD AND MERKEL LANE AND ON GRANDVIEW ROAD.
Aug 17, 6:57 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Perry Twp, PA	TREE DOWN - BELLEVUE AVE.
Aug 17, 6:59 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Ssw River View Park, PA	DOWNED TREE AT INTERSECTION OF ARNOLD ROAD AND LEISCZS BRIDGE ROAD.
Aug 17, 7:02 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Alsace Twp, PA	TREE DOWN OLEY RD.
Aug 17, 7:12 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Rextown, PA	TREE DOWN ON EAST GRANT STREET IN WASHINGTON TWP, FORCING THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF THE ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

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
Aug 17, 3:44 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 212 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: 750 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -101 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1186 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 80 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 69 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

815 
WUUS51 KPHI 172223
SVRPHI
PAC011-077-172315-
/O.NEW.KPHI.SV.W.0081.180817T2223Z-180817T2315Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
623 PM EDT FRI AUG 17 2018

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania...
  Central Lehigh County in eastern Pennsylvania...

* Until 715 PM EDT.

* At 622 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
  extending from Strausstown to near Wernersville, moving northeast
  at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Damage to roofs, siding, trees, and power lines is 
           possible.

* Locations impacted include...
  Allentown, Reading, Wyomissing, Birdsboro, Kutztown, Hamburg,
  Fleetwood, Sinking Spring, Laureldale, Womelsdorf, Wernersville,
  Newmanstown, Topton, Leesport, Shoemakersville, Bernville, Lyons,
  Strausstown, Lenhartsville and New Morgan.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

In addition to damaging winds, frequent cloud to ground lightning is 
occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately. Remember, if 
you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4052 7635 4052 7625 4058 7605 4057 7602
      4065 7598 4070 7583 4076 7572 4078 7565
      4060 7553 4040 7565 4015 7589 4036 7621
      4037 7623 4049 7643
TIME...MOT...LOC 2222Z 229DEG 30KT 4049 7622 4037 7612 

HAIL...<.75IN
WIND...60MPH
 
$$

JRK

2 follow-up statements

444 
WWUS51 KPHI 172244
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
644 PM EDT FRI AUG 17 2018

PAC011-077-172315-
/O.CON.KPHI.SV.W.0081.000000T0000Z-180817T2315Z/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-
644 PM EDT FRI AUG 17 2018

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT
FOR BERKS AND CENTRAL LEHIGH COUNTIES...

At 644 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near Hamburg to near Kleinfeltersville, moving
northeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Minor damage to vehicles is possible. Wind damage to roofs, 
         siding, trees, and power lines is possible.

These severe storms will be near...
  Hamburg, Robesonia and Shoemakersville around 650 PM EDT.
  Bernville around 655 PM EDT.
  Lenhartsville around 700 PM EDT.
  Reading, Wyomissing, Kutztown, Spring Ridge and Fairview Hgts 
  around 705 PM EDT.
  Laureldale, Leesport and Wanamakers around 710 PM EDT.
  Fleetwood, Lyons, New Tripoli, Jordan Valley, Claussville and 
  Schnecksville around 715 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by these severe thunderstorms include
Wyomissing Hills, West Lawn, Alburtis, West Reading, Lorane,
Kenhorst, Mount Penn, Reiffton, Whitfield and Centerport.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm, and
the storm will affect the beaches. For your safety, immediately move
off the beach and seek shelter indoors.

Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to 
flash flooding. A Flash Flood Warning is already in effect for 
portions of Berks County. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded 
roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4052 7635 4052 7625 4058 7605 4057 7602
      4065 7598 4070 7583 4076 7572 4078 7565
      4060 7553 4040 7565 4015 7589 4036 7621
      4037 7623 4049 7643
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 240DEG 31KT 4053 7607 4030 7618 

HAIL...1.00IN
WIND...60MPH
 
$$

Klein

659 
WWUS51 KPHI 172315
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
715 PM EDT FRI AUG 17 2018

PAC011-077-172324-
/O.EXP.KPHI.SV.W.0081.000000T0000Z-180817T2315Z/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-
715 PM EDT FRI AUG 17 2018

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR BERKS AND CENTRAL LEHIGH
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 715 PM EDT...

A new severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for eastern Berks 
and Lehigh Counties until 8 pm. Several reports of wind damage have 
been received from Berks County during the past 15 minutes.

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 1100 PM EDT for
eastern and northeastern Pennsylvania.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
in Mount Holly NJ.

LAT...LON 4052 7635 4052 7625 4058 7605 4057 7602
      4065 7598 4070 7583 4076 7572 4078 7565
      4060 7553 4040 7565 4015 7589 4036 7621
      4037 7623 4049 7643
TIME...MOT...LOC 2314Z 229DEG 30KT 4068 7584 4045 7595 

$$

CMS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 17, 2:21 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Lehigh	24 min
Aug 17, 4:29 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks	46 min
Aug 17, 5:07 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks, Lehigh	53 min
Aug 17, 5:12 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks	33 min
Aug 17, 5:36 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Lehigh, Northampton	39 min
Aug 17, 5:59 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Monroe, Northampton	31 min
Aug 17, 6:00 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Carbon	30 min
Aug 17, 6:18 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks	27 min
Aug 17, 6:19 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Carbon, Monroe	41 min
Aug 17, 6:22 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Monroe, Northampton	38 min
Aug 17, 6:40 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Berks	2 hr
Aug 17, 7:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Lehigh, Monroe and 2 more	51 min
Aug 17, 7:15 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Pike	15 min
Aug 17, 7:34 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Carbon	26 min
Aug 17, 7:39 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Monroe	51 min
Aug 17, 7:42 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Bucks, Northampton	33 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2018 Every 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.