An isolated severe thunderstorm formed along the lee side trof over eastern Pennsylvania during the afternoon of the 30th.
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 PHI wrote it up.
An isolated severe thunderstorm formed along the lee side trof over eastern Pennsylvania during the afternoon of the 30th.
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 Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 30, 4:09 PM EST, 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 509 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A SERIES OF WEAK FRONTS WILL CROSS THE AREA TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE IS THEN FORECAST TO BUILD OVER THE REGION SUNDAY AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM SHOULD AFFECT THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... PUBLIC PRODUCTS ARE BEING REISSUED WITH A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FOR (ABOUT) THE SOUTHERN HALF OF OUR AREA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD FROM PA AND MD AND THE MID LEVEL WIND FIELD IS BECOMING A BIT STRONGER AS THE VORTICITY FROM WESTERN PA MOVES TOWARD THE AREA. THE WATCH IS SCHEDULED TO REMAIN UNTIL MIDNIGHT, BUT COULD BE CANCELLED EARLIER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... A SERIES OF COLD FRONTS WILL CONTINUE TO COME THROUGH FROM THE WEST AS WE MAINTAIN A TROUGH ALOFT THAT SHOULD BEING PIECES OF DRIER AND SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR DOWN FROM THE NW BEHIND EACH OF THE FRONTS. SINCE THE AIRMASS WILL HAVE LESS MOISTURE AND NOT BE AS UNSTABLE AS IT WAS WEDNESDAY/TODAY...I EXPECT MOST CONVECTION TO DEVELOP IN RESPONSE TO DAYTIME HEATING AND THE CYCLONIC FLOW ALOFT. IN GENERAL CONDITIONS SHOULD GENERALLY BE DRY, BUT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHC OF CONVECTION THURSDAY AFTN AND ANOTHER CHC OF SHOWERS AND TSTMS SAT AFTN. THE GFS FOR SATURDAY SEEMS TO BE AN OUTLIER WITH THE POTENTIAL PCPN FOR SATURDAY AND WAS NOT FOLLOWED. MAV TEMPS GENLY LOOK A BIT HIGH FOR THE MAX TEMPS. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE COLD FRONT SHOULD CLEAR THE COAST AND SLOWLY MOVE OUT TO SEA SATURDAY NIGHT. THE UPPER TROUGH WILL REMAIN OVERHEAD UNTIL MONDAY WHEN IT SLIDES OFF TO THE EAST. HOWEVER, WE HAVE KEPT THE FORECAST DRY AT THIS TIME AS THE POSSIBILITY OF PRECIP IS TOO SMALL TO PUT IN THE FORECAST. HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA MONDAY AND REMAIN IN CONTROL OF THE WEATHER THROUGH TUESDAY. BY LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY, A WARM FRONT MAY CROSS THE REGION, BRINGING THE NEXT BEST CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION. THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY NOT CROSS UNTIL WEDNESDAY NIGHT, BUT STILL A CHANCE OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY AS WELL. TEMPERATURES IN THE EXTENDED WILL BE CLOSE TO OR A FEW DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. && .AVIATION /21Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE ALONG THE COAST WILL MOVE OFF TO THE EAST TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES IN FROM THE WEST. MORNING FOG AND HAZE TOOK A WHILE TO BURN OFF TODAY. SOME AREAS DIDNT REACH VFR UNTIL THE AFTERNOON HOURS. FEW TO SCT FAIR WEATHER CU AND AC COVERED MUCH OF THE REGION WITH CI ABOVE. A FEW WIDELY SCT SHOWERS/TSTMS BEGAN DEVELOPING BY MID AFTERNOON, BUT A MORE ORGANIZED AREA OF PCPN IS EXPECTED EARLY TONIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES IN FROM THE WEST. EXPECT GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT EXCEPT LOWERING TO MVFR/IFR IN THE PCPN. LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL SWING AROUND TO W OR WNW LATE. SPEEDS WILL BE QUITE LIGHT IN OUR SHELTERED AREAS, SO SOME MVFR VSBYS ARE LIKELY DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS. THE W TO WNW FLOW OF DRIER AIR WILL BRING A RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS THURSDAY WITH SOME FAIR WEATHER CU AND CI. OUTLOOK...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE IN CONTROL INTO FRIDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER FRONTAL SYSTEM MAY BRING SHOWERS/TSTMS SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN RETURN SUNDAY INTO THE EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK. && .MARINE... TRANQUIL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE MARINE AREA THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. EVEN WITH SEVERAL FRONTAL ZONES CROSSING THE AREA, ONE LATE TONIGHT AND ANOTHER SATURDAY, WINDS AND SEAS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REACH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE FRONT LATE TONIGHT WILL NOT BE A STRONG ONE. WINDS MAY SWING AROUND TO W FOR A BRIEF PERIOD THURSDAY MORNING BUT SHOULD GO BACK TO S OR SW LATER IN THE DAY. THAT SAME PATTERN IS EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM, THAT WILL BE DRAGGING A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE AREA LATE SATURDAY, IS EXPECTED TO BE FAIRLY STRONG STORM. BEHIND THE FRONT, N TO NW WINDS ARE EXPECTED LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. LATER MONDAY, AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WEAKENS, WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SWING AROUND TO THE S. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...OHARA/STAUBER NEAR TERM...OHARA/STAUBER SHORT TERM...STAUBER LONG TERM...STAUBER AVIATION...RPW MARINE...RPW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 252 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2008 ANZ430-DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027- PAZ054-055-060>062-067>071-311900- DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD- QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET- MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER- CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY- ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN- SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON- CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA- 252 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...NORTHERN DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...DELAWARE BAY WATERS...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE AND CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS, HAIL, VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. ANZ431-450>455-311900- DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK TO MANASQUAN INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM MANASQUAN INLET TO LITTLE EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE EGG INLET TO GREAT EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM GREAT EGG INLET TO CAPE MAY NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE MAY NJ TO CAPE HENLOPEN DE OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM- 252 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE AND CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS, HAIL, VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 1235 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2008 DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054- 055-060>062-067>071-310100- NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD- QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON- SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM- GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND- ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC- COASTAL OCEAN-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH- NORTHAMPTON-CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILMINGTON...DOVER...GEORGETOWN... REHOBOTH BEACH...ELKTON...CHESTERTOWN...CENTREVILLE...EASTON... DENTON...NEWTON...WASHINGTON...MORRISTOWN...FLEMINGTON... SOMERVILLE...NEW BRUNSWICK...FREEHOLD...SANDY HOOK...TRENTON... PENNSVILLE...GLASSBORO...CAMDEN...CHERRY HILL...MOORESTOWN... MOUNT HOLLY...JACKSON...MILLVILLE...HAMMONTON... CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE...OCEAN CITY...ATLANTIC CITY... LONG BEACH ISLAND...WHARTON STATE FOREST...JIM THORPE... STROUDSBURG...READING...ALLENTOWN...BETHLEHEM...WEST CHESTER... NORRISTOWN...DOYLESTOWN...MEDIA...PHILADELPHIA 1235 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2008 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING... ALTHOUGH ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS COULD FORM DURING THIS AFTERNOON, MORE WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, DELAWARE AND NORTHEAST MARYLAND THIS EVENING. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST THIS EVENING AND CROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. THIS APPROACHING FRONT, ALONG WITH A VERY WARM AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE WILL ALLOW THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP. AN THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS, HAIL, VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. REMEMBER, IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH...SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. RNS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 406 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2008 PAZ060-061-302100- BERKS PA-LEHIGH PA- 406 PM EDT WED JUL 30 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OR TWO WILL AFFECT BERKS COUNTY AND POSSIBLY LEHIGH COUNTY THROUGH 5:00 PM... AT 4:05 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 16 MILES WEST OF READING...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR BERNVILLE AND SINKING SPRING AROUND 410 PM...WHITFIELD...WYOMISSING HILLS...AND WEST LAWN AROUND 415 PM...AND NEAR WYOMISSING AND WEST READING AROUND 420 PM. IF THE THUNDERSTORMS HOLD TOGETHER, THEY MAY AFFECT PORTIONS OF LEHIGH COUNTY TOWARD 4:45 PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN MAY FALL FROM THESE STORMS...POSSIBLY CAUSING WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. THESE STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 45 MILES AN HOUR. EXPECT OCCASIONAL TO FREQUENT LIGHTNING FROM THESE STORMS. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 148 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:19 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm caused wind damage around the central part of Berks County. Wind gusts up to 60 mph were estimated in Sinking Spring. Downed trees were reported in Richmond and Alsace Townships.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, July 2008
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: 124466.