S. A sharp cold front formed a line of strong to severe thunderstorms which blew through Pennsylvania Friday afternoon.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS BGM wrote it up.
A persistent ridge of high pressure brought unseasonably mild temperatures to the northeast U.S. A sharp cold front formed a line of strong to severe thunderstorms which blew through Pennsylvania Friday afternoon. Winds from these thunderstorms knocked down numerous trees and power lines. Along with the severe thunderstorms, three tornadoes touched down in northeast Pennsylvania, the first occurrence of tornado touch downs in Pennsylvania during the month of December on record.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Binghamton, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 1, 2:30 PM EST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 230 PM EST FRI DEC 1 2006 .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... INTENSE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN STILL EXPECTED THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AS SHARP COLD FRONT AND STRONG UPPER TROUGH PUSH THROUGH. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #875...NUMEROUS CONVECTIVE WARNINGS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH...AND HIGH WIND WARNING ALL ARE COVERING THIS SITUATION. LATER TONIGHT...STRONG DRY AND COLD ADVECTION TAKE OVER...PUSHING THE RAINFALL WELL TO OUR EAST. WE STILL COULD SEE STRONG GUSTY WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT....AS ISALLOBARIC FORCING AND STEEPENING LOW-LEVEL LAPSE RATES COULD YET PRODUCE 50-60 MPH GUSTS. TOWARDS DAYBREAK...LOW-LEVEL STEERING CURRENTS AND LAKE GENERATED INSTABILITY COULD BRING A LAKE SNOW BAND DOWN TOWARDS NORTHERN ONEIDA COUNTY. SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY EVENING...THE MAIN EMPHASIS WILL BE ON LAKE EFFECT SNOW POTENTIAL FOR NORTHERN ONEIDA...WITH INCREASING MOISTURE BELOW THE INVERSION AND DEEPENING COLD AIR. AT THIS TIME...WE THINK AT LEAST ADVISORY CRITERIA SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE. WELL HOLD OFF ON ANY WATCHES...THOUGH...UNTIL AT LEAST THIS EVENING...IN ORDER TO LET THE SQUALL LINE AND ITS MYRIAD OF HAZARDS EXIT THE REGION. LATER SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY LOOK CHILLY...BUT MAINLY DRY. -MJ && .AVIATION /011800Z - 021800Z/... COMPLEX SITUATION WITH WARM FRONT STILL IN CENTRAL NY AND COLD FRONT EXPECTED WITHIN THE NEXT 6 HOURS. VLIFR CIGS ON N SIDE OF FRONT IN SYR AND UCA WILL LIFT WITHIN 2 HOURS WITH SFC LOW AND TRIPLE POINT PUSHING NE ACROSS FAR WRN NY. E WINDS AT THESE 2 SITES SHIFTING TO SE AND S LIKE SITES FURTHER S. WINDS WILL PICK UP TO 15 WITH HIGHER GUSTS AHEAD OF COLD FRONT. BROKEN LINES AND BOWS WITH SOME THUNDER WILL MOVE THROUGH FROM W TO E WITH IFR VSBY AND CIGS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS 19 TO 22Z. THIS HEAVIER RAIN WITH STRONG COLD FRONT. BEHIND COLD FRONT WINDS WILL SHIFT TO W AND PICK UP FURTHER TO 20 TO 30 KTS SUSTAINED. MVFR AND VFR CIGS AND VFR VSBYS WITH NO PRECIP. LATE TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY W TO NW WINDS SUBSIDE SOME BUT BECOMES ALIGNED AS COLDER AIR SETS OFF LAKE EFFECT. CONDITIONS MAY FALL TO MVFR ESPECIALLY SYR AND UCA. -TAC && .LONG RANGE /SUNDAY NIGHT - FRIDAY/... A STRONG SHORT WAVE AND A COASTAL SFC LOW WITH INVERTED TROF WILL PUSH THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT WITH SOME SNOW. HEAVIER COASTAL PRECIP STAYS TO THE SE OF THE CWA SO BEST ACCUMULATING SNOW IN NORTH WITH LAKE ENHANCEMENT AND COLDER AIR. FLOW LINES UP LATE MONDAY BUT BRIEF AS A SFC LOW PASSES TO THE N. MORE LES BEHIND THIS FEATURE INTO FRIDAY. FOLLOWED HPC GUIDANCE WITH HIGHER POPS IN CENTRAL NY FOR LES...BUT STILL JUST CHC POPS. UL TROF REMAINS OVER NE US THROUGH THIS PERIOD. -TAC && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF CENTRAL NY UNTIL MIDNIGHT. ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 7 PM FOR ALL OF CENTRAL NY. ...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 AM SATURDAY FOR ALL OF CENTRAL NY. PA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST PA UNTIL MIDNIGHT. ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 7 PM FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST PA. ...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 7 AM SATURDAY FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST PA. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 208 AM EST FRI DEC 1 2006 NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044>046-055>057-062-PAZ038>040-043- 044-047-048-072-020715- NORTHERN ONEIDA-YATES-SENECA-SOUTHERN CAYUGA-ONONDAGA-STEUBEN- SCHUYLER-CHEMUNG-TOMPKINS-MADISON-SOUTHERN ONEIDA-CORTLAND- CHENANGO-OTSEGO-TIOGA-BROOME-DELAWARE-SULLIVAN-BRADFORD- SUSQUEHANNA-NORTHERN WAYNE-WYOMING-LACKAWANNA-LUZERNE-PIKE- SOUTHERN WAYNE- 208 AM EST FRI DEC 1 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK...SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A MYRIAD OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED, INCLUDING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE COLD FRONT, HIGH WINDS ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT, AND POTENTIALLY FLASH FLOODING. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PADAVONA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 930 AM EST FRI DEC 1 2006 NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044>046-055>057-062-PAZ038>040-043- 044-047-048-072-012200- NORTHERN ONEIDA-YATES-SENECA-SOUTHERN CAYUGA-ONONDAGA-STEUBEN- SCHUYLER-CHEMUNG-TOMPKINS-MADISON-SOUTHERN ONEIDA-CORTLAND- CHENANGO-OTSEGO-TIOGA-BROOME-DELAWARE-SULLIVAN-BRADFORD- SUSQUEHANNA-NORTHERN WAYNE-WYOMING-LACKAWANNA-LUZERNE-PIKE- SOUTHERN WAYNE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BOONVILLE...PENN YAN...SENECA FALLS... AUBURN...SYRACUSE...CORNING...HORNELL...WATKINS GLEN...ELMIRA... ITHACA...ONEIDA...UTICA...ROME...CORTLAND...NORWICH...ONEONTA... COOPERSTOWN...OWEGO...BINGHAMTON...WALTON...DELHI...MONTICELLO... TOWANDA...SAYRE...MONTROSE...TUNKHANNOCK...SCRANTON... WILKES-BARRE...HAZLETON...MILFORD...HONESDALE 940 AM EST FRI DEC 1 2006 ...A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA... A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH UPSTATE NEW YORK LATER TODAY...WITH A SHARP COLD FRONT SWINGING ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. AS THIS COLD FRONT CLASHES WITH THE UNSEASONABLY MILD AIR MASS IN PLACE...A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL RAPIDLY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS...IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO A POSSIBILITY. WE ARE EXPECTING THE LINE OF STORMS TO HIT THE FINGER LAKES REGION IN NEW YORK AND BRADFORD COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA BETWEEN 1 AND 3 PM...THEN AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 81 CORRIDOR...INCLUDING NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA...THE BINGHAMTON...SYRACUSE...AND UTICA AREAS...AS WELL AS THE CATSKILL MOUNTAINS...BETWEEN 2 AND 4 PM. PEOPLE SHOULD MONITOR THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS...FOR LATER UPDATES...INCLUDING ANY WATCHES OR WARNINGS. YOU COULD ALSO VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/BINGHAMTON. MJ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
208 PM EST FRI DEC 01 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0205 PM TSTM WND GST HORNELL 42.32N 77.66W
12/01/2006 E47 MPH STEUBEN NY AMATEUR RADIO
SKYWARN SPOTTER ESTIMATED WIND GUST OF 45 TO 50 MPH.
&&
DJNSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 209 PM EST FRI DEC 1 2006 NYZ015-012015- YATES NY- 209 PM EST FRI DEC 1 2006 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO THE AREA... * AT 204 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ITALY...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. * THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... ITALY AND ITALY HILL AT 220 PM EST... POTTER AND FRIEND AT 225 PM EST... PENN YAN AND MILO MILLS AT 230 PM EST... THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
257 PM EST FRI DEC 01 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0256 PM NON-TSTM WND GST JOHNSON CITY 42.12N 75.96W
12/01/2006 M66.00 MPH BROOME NY BROADCAST MEDIA
MEASURED 66 MPH WIND GUST WBNG TV.
&&
DJNThe Binghamton radar (KBGM), 64 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:00 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down in East Smithfield, Ulster and Wilmot.
A large tree was blown down.
Numerous trees were blown down.
Trees and wires were blown down.
Numerous trees were blown down.
Many trees were blown down by strong thunderstorm winds. Most of the trees were uprooted, with a few snapped.
A 76 MPH wind gust was measured on Penobscot Mountain at about 2200 feet elevation.
At 4:52 pm EST, Friday, December 1st, a tornado touched down near Hobbie in Luzerne County. The tornado tracked about 20 miles east northeast through Dorrance, Mountaintop, and Fairview Heights to Bear Creek where it lifted. Most of the damage was F1 intensity with F2 intensity reached in Fairview Heights near route 309. A grocery store in Fairview heights had its windows blown out which injured 5 people. There was significant roof damage as well. An 8000 pound air conditioning unit was toppled on the roof of this grocery store. A roof was lifted off of a well built home approximately a quarter mile to the east northeast of the grocery store. Thousands of trees were blown down and uprooted along the path of this tornado. Shingle and roof damage was common along the entire path of this tornado too. Over 100 homes sustained at least minor damage. Two trailer homes and a construction trailer were completely destroyed. There was also minor damage to a high school in Fairview Heights. A roof was blown off the fire department in Dorrance.
A 66 mph wind gust was measured at television station WNEP TV 16.
Several trees were blown down.
Several trees were blown down.
At 5:26 pm, a tornado touched down about 3 miles East Northeast of Hawley. The tornado tracked east at about 65 mph with a maximum width of about 100 yards. The tornado had a path length of 5 miles as it lifted near Bohemia close to Route 590 at5:35 pm. The tornado knocked down scattered large trees along its path and was rated as an F0 on the Fujita with maximum winds between 50 and 70 mph.
A tornado touched down at 5:35 pm and tracked east at 65 mph through Lackawaxen at about 5:40 pm where it lifted. The tornado path length was about 5 miles with a maximum width of 200 yards. The tornado was rated an F1 on the Fujita scale. The tornado flattened a 200 yard wide area of trees at the base of a hill near the Lackawaxen River, about 1 mile upstream from the confluence of the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers. There were several other locations along the 5 mile path where numerous large trees were uprooted.
Several trees and wires were blown down around Gold Key Lake.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Pennsylvania, 2006Warnings in Pennsylvania, December 2006
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 7047, 7048, 7049, 7050, 7051, 7052, 7059, 7044, 7060, 7056, 7057, 7045, 7046, 7058.