Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 64, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 2026, 1:03 PM EDT for Franklin County, Fulton County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 42 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 20, 2026, 1:03 PM EDT (17:03 UTC)
- Expired
- May 20, 2026, 1:45 PM EDT
- In force
- 42 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 1.0 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Franklin County, PA, Fulton County, PA
The radar
The State College radar (KCCX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:03 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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 12:39 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 5.1 hours before the alert went out and 117 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
- 47 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -204 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1752 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 23 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -79 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -47 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
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 State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 20, 2:46 AM EDT, 10 hours 17 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 20, 2:46 AM EDT, 10 hours 17 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Service Notice</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
<main class="wrap">
<section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
<div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
<h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
<p id="message1">
The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
</p>
<p id="message2">
Please try again in a few minutes.
</p>
<p class="small" id="detail">
If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
</p>
</section>
</main>
<script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>Hazardous weather outlook, May 20, 12:44 PM EDT, 19 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 1244 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026 PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024-025-037-041-042-045-046-049-051- 211645- Warren-McKean-Potter-Elk-Cameron-Northern Clinton-Clearfield- Northern Centre-Southern Centre-Cambria-Blair-Tioga- Northern Lycoming-Sullivan-Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-Union- Montour- 1244 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected for this afternoon. A few of these storms could be strong and contain damaging wind gusts. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. PAZ026>028-033>036-050-052-053-056>059-063>066-211645- Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata-Somerset-Bedford-Fulton-Franklin-Snyder- Northumberland-Columbia-Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill-Lebanon-Cumberland- Adams-York-Lancaster- 1244 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 234 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov/StateCollege on the internet for more information about the following hazards. Severe Thunderstorm Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 20, 11:51 AM EDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
1151 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026
PAZ034-201615-
Bedford PA-
1151 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN BEDFORD COUNTY
THROUGH 1215 PM EDT...
At 1151 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 11
miles northeast of Cumberland, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Clearville, Lake Gordon, Inglesmith, Hyndman, and Rainsburg.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3973 7871 3985 7872 3993 7833 3974 7836
3972 7838 3972 7852
TIME...MOT...LOC 1551Z 267DEG 23KT 3977 7861
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
BaucoSpecial weather statement, May 20, 12:15 PM EDT, 48 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
1215 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026
PAZ034-035-201645-
Bedford PA-Fulton PA-
1215 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN BEDFORD AND
SOUTHWESTERN FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 1245 PM EDT...
At 1215 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 16
miles west of Hancock, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Inglesmith and Barnes Gap.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3973 7856 3984 7856 3990 7824 3972 7825
3972 7854
TIME...MOT...LOC 1615Z 267DEG 23KT 3977 7848
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BaucoSpecial weather statement, May 20, 12:45 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
1245 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026
PAZ034-035-201715-
Bedford PA-Fulton PA-
1245 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN BEDFORD AND SOUTHERN
FULTON COUNTIES THROUGH 115 PM EDT...
At 1244 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Hancock to 18 miles south of Breezewood to
15 miles north of Paw Paw. Movement was east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Warfordsburg, Big Cove Tannery, Needmore, Barnes Gap, Inglesmith, and
Locust Grove.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for
south central Pennsylvania.
&&
LAT...LON 3984 7854 3991 7796 3982 7801 3973 7809
3972 7854
TIME...MOT...LOC 1644Z 273DEG 30KT 3979 7825 3975 7836 3975 7847
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
BaucoThe office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 11:51 AM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | Bedford | 24 min |
| May 20, 12:15 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | Bedford | 30 min |
| May 20, 12:45 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | Fulton | 30 min |
| May 20, 1:43 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Franklin | 47 min |
| May 20, 3:27 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill | 48 min |
| May 20, 3:34 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | York | 41 min |
| May 20, 3:40 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | Lancaster | 35 min |
| May 20, 3:52 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lancaster, York | 38 min |
| May 20, 4:01 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lancaster | 44 min |
| May 20, 4:16 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Lancaster | 44 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026
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.