Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 36, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

May 6, 2025Berks County, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 6, 2025, 2:12 PM EDT for Berks County, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 48 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
May 6, 2025, 2:12 PM EDT (18:12 UTC)
Expired
May 6, 2025, 3:00 PM EDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Berks County, PA, Lehigh County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 138 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:15 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 6, 2:18 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG3 Nne Mount Penn, PAAlsace Township: Snyder Rd and Antietam Rd. Tree Down. Time estimated from radar.
May 6, 2:25 PM EDTTSTM WND DMG1 Se Fleetwood, PAMultiple softwood and hardwood trees snapped, along with two trees uprooted in the area of 428 Orchard Rd. Additionally, a small flagpole was bent at ground level. Damage occurred over an area of approximately 400 yards by 300 yards. 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 6, 1:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 6.2 hours before the alert went out and 208 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 2025-05-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 42 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2025-05-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 74 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
42 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-78 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
686 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
74 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
156 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

621 
WUUS51 KPHI 061812
SVRPHI
PAC011-077-061900-
/O.NEW.KPHI.SV.W.0036.250506T1812Z-250506T1900Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
212 PM EDT Tue May 6 2025

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

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

* Until 300 PM EDT.

* At 212 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Reading,
  moving north at 30 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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Lyons, West Lawn, West Reading, Spring Ridge, Lorane, Kenhorst,
  Hamburg, Centerport, Leesport, Topton, Mohnton, Shillington,
  Wyomissing Hills, Fairview Hgts, Shoemakersville, Lenhartsville,
  Fleetwood, Sinking Spring, Mount Penn, and Birdsboro.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 31 and 53.
 Interstate 176 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 5 and 11.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 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 this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4064 7599 4059 7558 4020 7584 4024 7603
      4025 7604
TIME...MOT...LOC 1812Z 194DEG 27KT 4028 7590 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Staarmann
2 follow-up statements
711 
WWUS51 KPHI 061826
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
226 PM EDT Tue May 6 2025

PAC011-077-061900-
/O.CON.KPHI.SV.W.0036.000000T0000Z-250506T1900Z/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-
226 PM EDT Tue May 6 2025

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT
FOR CENTRAL BERKS AND WEST CENTRAL LEHIGH COUNTIES...

At 226 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Laureldale, or
near Reading, moving north at 30 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.

Locations impacted include...
Lyons, West Lawn, West Reading, Spring Ridge, Hamburg, Centerport,
Leesport, Topton, Wyomissing Hills, Fairview Hgts, Shoemakersville,
Lenhartsville, Fleetwood, Mount Penn, Laureldale, Reiffton, Reading,
Kutztown, Whitfield, and Wyomissing.

This includes the following highways...
 Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 31 and 51.
 Interstate 176 in Pennsylvania near mile marker 11.

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. 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 this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4059 7561 4029 7585 4033 7603 4064 7599
TIME...MOT...LOC 1826Z 192DEG 28KT 4041 7588 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Staarmann
965 
WWUS51 KPHI 061838
SVSPHI

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
238 PM EDT Tue May 6 2025

PAC011-077-061900-
/O.CON.KPHI.SV.W.0036.000000T0000Z-250506T1900Z/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-
238 PM EDT Tue May 6 2025

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM EDT
FOR NORTHEASTERN BERKS AND WESTERN LEHIGH COUNTIES...

At 238 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Kutztown, or 14
miles north of Reading, moving north 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.

Locations impacted include...
Kutztown, Shoemakersville, Lenhartsville, and Fleetwood.

This includes Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 33
and 46.
 
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. 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 this storm, and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4060 7568 4044 7582 4047 7597 4064 7597
TIME...MOT...LOC 1838Z 193DEG 28KT 4054 7584 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

Staarmann

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 6, 1:08 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBerks37 min
May 6, 1:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIChester44 min
May 6, 2:46 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIBerks, Carbon, Lehigh59 min
May 6, 3:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton49 min
May 6, 3:57 PM EDTTornado WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton33 min
May 6, 4:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton57 min
May 6, 4:19 PM EDTTornado WarningPHIMonroe26 min
May 6, 4:31 PM EDTTornado WarningPHIMonroe44 min
May 6, 4:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHICarbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2025Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2025

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.