Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2020

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 160, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 22, 20206 counties in Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 22, 2020, 4:49 PM EDT for 6 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 56 min. 15 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: Jul 22, 2020, 4:49 PM EDT (20:49 UTC)
Expired: Jul 22, 2020, 5:45 PM EDT
In force: 56 min
Issued by: NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.75 in
Wind: 70.0 mph

Counties Berks County, PA, Bucks County, PA, Carbon County, PA, Lehigh County, PA, Monroe County, PA, Northampton County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 122 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:49 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
Jul 22, 4:51 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Ne Delps, PA	DOWNED TREES AND WIRES NEAR WABASSO AVENUE IN DELPS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 4:51 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Wsw Bushkill Twp, PA	SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES AND WIRES DOWN WEST OF BELFAST IN THE BUSHKILL TWP AREA, WITH NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES AND A FEW ROAD CLOSURES IN THE AREA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 4:51 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Wsw Bushkill Twp, PA	DOWNED TREES AND WIRES NEAR BUSHKILL DRIVE IN BUSHKILL TWP. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 4:54 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Brodheadsville, PA	DOWNED TREES AND WIRES NEAR GOULD ROAD IN BRODHEADSVILLE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 4:56 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Kunkletown, PA	DOWNED TREES AND WIRES NEAR KUNKLETOWN ROAD IN KUNKLETOWN. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 4:59 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Saylorsburg, PA	DOWNED TREES AND WIRES NEAR SAYLORSBURG. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 5:00 PM EDT	HAIL 0.75	Bushkill Twp, PA	DIME TO PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED. ALSO, A 50 MPH WIND GUST WAS MEASURED.
Jul 22, 5:06 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	North Catasauqua, PA	DOWNED WIRES NEAR CLOVER STREET IN NORTH CATASAUQUA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 5:08 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 W Plainfield Twp, PA	SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES AND WIRES DOWN SOUTH OF WIND GAP. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 5:11 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Wsw Allentown, PA	DOWNED WIRES NEAR COURT STREET IN ALLENTOWN. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 5:11 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Wsw Emmaus, PA	DOWNED WIRES NEAR WALNUT STREET IN EMMAUS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 5:11 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	Eastlawn Gardens, PA	DOWNED WIRES NEAR CENTER STREET IN NAZARETH. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 5:13 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 S Plainfield Twp, PA	DOWNED TREES AND WIRES NEAR BANGOR ROAD IN PLAINFIELD TWP. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 5:16 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	2 Nnw Wilson, PA	DOWNED WIRES NEAR NORTHWOOD AVENUE IN EASTON. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Jul 22, 5:21 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 Wnw Upper Mount Bethe, PA	DOWNED WIRES NEAR HEIDEN ROAD IN MOUNT BETHEL. 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
Jul 22, 2:57 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Brookhaven, NY (KOKX), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 200 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: 15 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -173 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1410 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 111 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 183 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

129 
WUUS51 KPHI 222049
SVRPHI
PAC011-017-025-077-089-095-222145-
/O.NEW.KPHI.SV.W.0160.200722T2049Z-200722T2145Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
449 PM EDT Wed Jul 22 2020

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  East central Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania...
  Southeastern Lehigh County in eastern Pennsylvania...
  East central Carbon County in northeastern Pennsylvania...
  Northwestern Bucks County in southeastern Pennsylvania...
  Southern Monroe County in northeastern Pennsylvania...
  Northampton County in eastern Pennsylvania...

* Until 545 PM EDT.

* At 449 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
  extending from Sun Valley to Topton, moving east at 25 mph.

  HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.

  SOURCE...Law enforcement. Several reports of wind damage have been 
           received from these storms.

  IMPACT...Expect considerable tree damage. Damage is likely to 
           mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings.

* Locations impacted include...
  Allentown, Easton, Bethlehem, Forks, Emmaus, Northampton, East
  Stroudsburg, Wilson, Hellertown, Nazareth, Bangor, Pen Argyl, Wind
  Gap, Bath, Belfast, West Easton, Tatamy, East Bangor, Steuben and
  Glendon.

This includes the following highways...
 Northeast Extension between mile markers 47 and 57.
 Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 54 and 76.
 Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 300 and 314.
 Interstate 80 in New Jersey near mile marker 3.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Protecting yourself from immediate threats to life and safety shall
take priority.  Whenever possible, as long as it does not cause
greater harm, all COVID-19 protective action guidance should be
followed.

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

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

&&

LAT...LON 4110 7504 4102 7507 4098 7514 4094 7510
      4078 7516 4075 7519 4073 7518 4070 7520
      4068 7519 4046 7527 4048 7570 4078 7536
      4085 7561 4102 7551 4114 7508
TIME...MOT...LOC 2049Z 249DEG 21KT 4098 7544 4052 7570 

HAIL...0.75IN
WIND...70MPH
 
$$

CMS

2 follow-up statements

962 
WWUS51 KPHI 222116
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
516 PM EDT Wed Jul 22 2020

PAC025-222125-
/O.CAN.KPHI.SV.W.0160.000000T0000Z-200722T2145Z/
Carbon PA-
516 PM EDT Wed Jul 22 2020

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL CARBON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

The storms which prompted the warning have moved out of the warned 
area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM EDT for
northwestern New Jersey...and eastern, southeastern and northeastern
Pennsylvania.

LAT...LON 4110 7504 4102 7507 4098 7514 4094 7510
      4078 7516 4075 7519 4073 7518 4070 7520
      4068 7519 4046 7527 4048 7570 4078 7536
      4081 7546 4106 7538 4114 7508
TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 249DEG 21KT 4103 7526 4057 7552 

$$

PAC011-017-077-089-095-222145-
/O.CON.KPHI.SV.W.0160.000000T0000Z-200722T2145Z/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-Bucks PA-Monroe PA-Northampton PA-
516 PM EDT Wed Jul 22 2020

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM EDT
FOR EAST CENTRAL BERKS...SOUTHEASTERN LEHIGH...NORTHWESTERN BUCKS...
CENTRAL MONROE AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES...

At 515 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near Analomink to near Emmaus, moving east at 25 mph.

HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Law enforcement. Several reports of wind damage have been 
         received from Lehigh and Northampton Counties with these 
         storms.

IMPACT...Expect considerable tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile 
         homes, roofs, and outbuildings.

Locations impacted include...
Allentown, Easton, Bethlehem, Forks, Emmaus, Northampton, East
Stroudsburg, Wilson, Hellertown, Nazareth, Bangor, Pen Argyl, Wind
Gap, Bath, Belfast, West Easton, Tatamy, East Bangor, Steuben and
Glendon.

This includes the following highways...
 Northeast Extension between mile markers 47 and 57.
 Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 54 and 76.
 Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 299 and 314.
 Interstate 80 in New Jersey near mile marker 3.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Protecting yourself from immediate threats to life and safety shall
take priority.  Whenever possible, as long as it does not cause
greater harm, all COVID-19 protective action guidance should be
followed.

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

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.
Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature's leading
killers. 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 4110 7504 4102 7507 4098 7514 4094 7510
      4078 7516 4075 7519 4073 7518 4070 7520
      4068 7519 4046 7527 4048 7570 4078 7536
      4081 7546 4106 7538 4114 7508
TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 249DEG 21KT 4103 7526 4057 7552 

HAIL...0.75IN
WIND...70MPH
 
$$

CMS

730 
WWUS51 KPHI 222135
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
535 PM EDT Wed Jul 22 2020

PAC011-017-077-089-095-222145-
/O.EXP.KPHI.SV.W.0160.000000T0000Z-200722T2145Z/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-Bucks PA-Monroe PA-Northampton PA-
535 PM EDT Wed Jul 22 2020

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL BERKS...
SOUTHEASTERN LEHIGH...NORTHWESTERN BUCKS...CENTRAL MONROE AND
NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 545 PM EDT...
    
The storms which prompted the warning have moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.  However, gusty 
winds and heavy rain are still possible with these thunderstorms.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM EDT for
northwestern New Jersey...and eastern, southeastern and northeastern
Pennsylvania.

LAT...LON 4110 7504 4102 7507 4098 7514 4094 7510
      4078 7516 4075 7519 4073 7518 4070 7520
      4068 7519 4046 7527 4048 7570 4078 7536
      4081 7546 4106 7538 4114 7508
TIME...MOT...LOC 2135Z 249DEG 21KT 4107 7512 4061 7538 

$$

CMS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 8:45 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks	30 min
Jul 21, 9:20 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Montgomery	25 min
Jul 22, 1:36 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Carbon	24 min
Jul 22, 1:58 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Monroe	32 min
Jul 22, 2:10 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Monroe, Northampton	50 min
Jul 22, 3:29 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Lebanon	46 min
Jul 22, 3:39 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Berks	51 min
Jul 22, 4:01 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Chester	22 min
Jul 22, 4:10 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton	65 min
Jul 22, 4:25 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Berks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery	50 min
Jul 22, 4:38 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Chester	52 min
Jul 22, 5:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery and 1 more	66 min
Jul 22, 5:16 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Bucks, Monroe, Northampton	59 min
Jul 22, 5:23 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PHI	Northampton	3 hr
Jul 22, 5:33 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia	57 min
Jul 22, 5:40 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia	65 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2020 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2020

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.