Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Tornado Warnings in 2020
Tornado Warning 7, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this tornado warning at Aug 2, 2020, 6:56 AM EDT for Berks County, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 34 min. 2 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 2, 2020, 6:56 AM EDT (10:56 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 2, 2020, 7:30 AM EDT
- In force
- 34 min
- Issued by
- NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.75 in
Counties Berks County, PA, Lehigh County, PA
The radar
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 117 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:56 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 2, 7:08 AM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 1 S Ancient Oaks, PA | DOWNED TREES AND WIRES NEAR ASTER ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. |
| Aug 2, 7:21 AM EDT | TSTM WND DMG | 1 E Emmaus, PA | DOWNED TREES AND WIRES NEAR CHESTNUT HILL ROAD IN EMMAUS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 00:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 231 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 878 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -13 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1054 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 73 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 146 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.3
- Supercell composite
- 2.7
The text
As transmitted.
476
WFUS51 KPHI 021056
TORPHI
PAC011-077-021130-
/O.NEW.KPHI.TO.W.0007.200802T1056Z-200802T1130Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
656 AM EDT Sun Aug 2 2020
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Northeastern Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania...
Southeastern Lehigh County in eastern Pennsylvania...
* Until 730 AM EDT.
* At 655 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Topton, or 14 miles southwest of Allentown, moving
northeast at 15 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.
* Locations impacted include...
Allentown, Emmaus, Topton, Ancient Oaks, Zionsville, Macungie and
Alburtis.
This includes the following highways...
Northeast Extension between mile markers 47 and 56.
Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 55 and 58.
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.
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 4049 7574 4060 7551 4047 7542 4047 7543
4043 7570
TIME...MOT...LOC 1055Z 245DEG 15KT 4047 7570
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN
$$
JEO2 follow-up statements
134
WWUS51 KPHI 021105
SVSPHI
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
705 AM EDT Sun Aug 2 2020
PAC011-077-021130-
/O.CON.KPHI.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-200802T1130Z/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-
705 AM EDT Sun Aug 2 2020
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 AM EDT FOR EASTERN
BERKS AND SOUTHEASTERN LEHIGH COUNTIES...
At 705 AM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Topton, or 11 miles southwest of Allentown, moving
northeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
Locations impacted include...
Allentown, Emmaus, Ancient Oaks, Zionsville, Macungie and Alburtis.
This includes the following highways...
Northeast Extension between mile markers 47 and 55.
Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 56 and 58.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Protecting yourself from immediate threats to life and safety shall
take priority. Whenever possible, as long as it does not cause
greater harm, all COVID-19 protective action guidance should be
followed.
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 4049 7568 4060 7551 4047 7542 4047 7543
4044 7566
TIME...MOT...LOC 1105Z 245DEG 15KT 4049 7565
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN
$$
JEO314
WWUS51 KPHI 021126
SVSPHI
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
726 AM EDT Sun Aug 2 2020
PAC011-077-021136-
/O.EXP.KPHI.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-200802T1130Z/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-
726 AM EDT Sun Aug 2 2020
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN BERKS AND SOUTHEASTERN LEHIGH
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 730 AM 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. However gusty
winds and heavy rain are still possible with this thunderstorm.
LAT...LON 4049 7568 4060 7551 4047 7542 4047 7543
4044 7566
TIME...MOT...LOC 1126Z 245DEG 15KT 4053 7555
$$
StaarmannThe office that day
Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2, 3:32 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | PHI | Berks | 4 hr |
| Aug 2, 4:42 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | PHI | Berks | 4 hr |
| Aug 2, 6:30 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PHI | Berks, Lehigh | 45 min |
| Aug 2, 6:37 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | PHI | Berks, Lehigh | 23 min |
| Aug 2, 7:13 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | PHI | Berks, Lehigh, Northampton | 3 hr |
| Aug 2, 7:29 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | PHI | Lehigh | 31 min |
| Aug 2, 7:34 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | PHI | Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton | 3 hr |
| Aug 2, 7:39 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | PHI | Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton | 36 min |
| Aug 2, 7:49 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | PHI | Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton | 84 min |
| Aug 2, 7:54 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | PHI | Lehigh | 36 min |
| Aug 2, 8:24 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | PHI | Lehigh | 36 min |
| Aug 2, 8:28 AM EDT | Areal Flood Warning | PHI | Berks | 3 hr |
| Aug 2, 8:46 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | PHI | Northampton | 3 hr |
| Aug 2, 3:33 PM EDT | Flash Flood Watch | PHI | Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh and 4 more | 48 hr |
| Aug 2, 5:04 PM EDT | Tropical Storm Watch | PHI | Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia | 18 hr |
| Aug 2, 5:14 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | PHI | Carbon, Monroe | 31 min |
| Aug 2, 5:51 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | PHI | Lehigh, Northampton | 39 min |
| Aug 2, 6:29 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | PHI | Northampton | 31 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2020Every tornado warning in 2020Tornadoes 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.