Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 67, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 2026, 3:52 PM EDT for Lancaster County, York County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 38 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, 3:52 PM EDT (19:52 UTC)
- Expired
- May 20, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT
- In force
- 38 min
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 0.75 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Lancaster County, PA, York County, PA
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 141 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:56 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.
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, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 139 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, 2:58 PM EDT, 54 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 20, 2:58 PM EDT, 54 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, May 20, 12:44 PM EDT, 3 hours 8 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, 12:45 PM EDT, 3 hours 7 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
BaucoLocal storm report, May 20, 1:43 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, May 20, 1:57 PM EDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
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</html>Special weather statement, May 20, 3:34 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, May 20, 3:35 PM EDT, 17 minutes before
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</html>Special weather statement, May 20, 3:40 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
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</html>The 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, 1:03 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Franklin, Fulton | 42 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, 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.