High winds associated with a strong low pressure system (formerly Hurricane Ike) and sharp cold front produced widespread wind damage across central Pennsylvania. The damage occurred a few hours either side of midnight on the 15th in the wake of the cold front.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 CTP wrote it up.
High winds associated with a strong low pressure system (formerly Hurricane Ike) and sharp cold front produced widespread wind damage across central Pennsylvania. The damage occurred a few hours either side of midnight on the 15th in the wake of the cold front.
Non-thunderstorm wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph downed numerous trees and wires, which resulted in over 300,000 power outages across the state. A few minor injuries related to the downed trees were reported during this event.
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 State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 14, 6:50 PM EST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 750 PM EDT SUN SEP 14 2008 .SYNOPSIS... THE REMNANT CIRCULATION CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WILL RACE DOWN THE ST LAWRENCE RIVER VALLEY BY MONDAY MORNING...ACCOMPANIED BY A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL SWEEP THROUGH OUR REGION LATE TONIGHT. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION FOR MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO LATE IN THE UPCOMING WEEK...BRINGING A STRING OF DRY WEATHER WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND COMFORTABLE HUMIDITY. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/... THE REGION IS BASKING IN THE WARM SECTOR OF A FRONTAL SYSTEM THAT EXTENDS FROM A LOW JUST NORTH OF LAKE HURON DOWN TO THE REMNANT CIRCULATION OF HURRICANE IKE WHICH WAS JUST ENTERING SWRN INDIANA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THUS FAR THERE IS LITTLE OR NO SHOWER ACTIVITY BREAKING OUT IN ADVANCE OF THE STORM...MOST RAIN IS DIRECTLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CIRCULATION AND THE FRONT STRETCHING OUT TO THE NORTH. VERY WARM MID LEVELS OVER THE LOCAL AREA SEEM TO BE DOING THEIR PART IN SUPPRESSING CONVECTION DESPITE DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S AND 70S AND TEMPS IN THE 70S AND 80S. ENSEMBLES CONTINUE TO CONCENTRATE THE BEST POPS OVER NWRN PA WITH THE SREF POPS BEING PRETTY GENEROUS THERE. GMOS NUMBERS ARE LOWER...BUT SEEM UNDERDONE. USED A BLEND OF THE GMOS/SREF POPS LEANING CLOSER TO THE SREF. THIS WOULD BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS/STORMS INTO THE NWRN ZONES THIS EVENING TO AROUND DARK AS THE COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH IKE ENTERS THE REGION. CONCERN FOR SEVERE STORMS IS PRETTY LOW AS GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO INDICATE A STRONG CAP. SREF/MREF/GFS ALL SHOW BEST CAPE CONFINED TO EASTERN PA AND UP INTO NY. WHILE I THINK THE CHANCES FOR WIDESPREAD SEVERE WILL BE PRETTY LIMITED...OF BIGGER CONCERN MAY BE SOME ISOLATED GUSTS IN SHOWERS AS CONVECTIVE AND MECHANICAL MIXING ALLOWS SOME STRONG WINDS TO MIX DOWN TO THE SFC AT TIMES. NAM/GFS BOTH SHOW A STRONG ISALLOBARIC COUPLET PASSING JUST NORTH OF THE REGION BETWEEN 00-06Z...AND WITH 40-50KT WINDS PROGGED AT 850MB...IT WILL GET GUSTY IN GENERAL AND SOME STRONGER WINDS COULD DEVELOP IN ANY SHOWERS/STORMS THAT MANAGE TO FORM AND MOVE ACROSS. HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE WIND ADV FOR THE NW MTNS...GIVEN STRONG WINDS BEING OBSERVED AHEAD OF IKE OVR OHIO. OVERNIGHT WILL REMAIN MILD WITH REAL COOL ADVECTION LIKELY NOT HAVING AN IMPACT UNTIL DURING THE DAY MONDAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM MONDAY/... DRIER AND COOLER AIR WILL BEGIN ADVECTING INTO THE REGION MONDAY WITH GRADUALLY RELAXING WINDS. STRONG GRADIENT SUGGESTS WE COULD STILL BE GUSTING 15-25 MPH INTO EARLY AFTERNOON...BUT THE SFC HIGH WILL EVENTUALLY BRING DIMINISHING FLOW. IT WILL LIKELY BE SOME 10-20 DEGREES COOLER TOMORROW THAN TODAY WITH STEADILY LOWERING HUMIDITY. OUTPUT FROM NAM/GFS/GEFS AND SREF ALL HAVE THAT COOL SEASON APPEARANCE WITH THE SUGGESTION OF COLD ADVECTION STRATO-CU HANGING IN OVER WESTERN AND NWRN AREAS TOMORROW ALONG WITH THE CHANCE OF SOME LINGERING SHOWERS. I DIDNT GO AS HIGH AS SREF POPS WOULD TAKE ME...BUT DID KEEP THE MENTION OF SCATTERED SHOWERS FOR MUCH OF THE DAY AND EVEN KEPT IT CLOUDY OVER MOST OF THE REGION WELL INTO THE AFTERNOON. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... THE STRING OF DRY AND RELATIVELY COOL DAYS IS IN STORE THROUGH THE ENTIRE PERIOD...AS A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVES FROM THE NATIONS HEARTLAND...TO THE UPPER ST. LAWRENCE RIVER VALLEY. STRONG WESTERLY FLOW...ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF AN UPPER TROF OVER FAR NORTHEAST CANADA...WILL NOT BE TOO FAR AWAY FROM PA...AND A COUPLE OF SHORTWAVES MAY MOVE TOWARD THE REGION. THE MOST ROBUST OF THEM IS INDICATED ON THUR DAY ASSOCIATED WITH A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE REGION. THIS LOOKS TO BE THE ONLY CHANCE OF ORGANIZED PCPN DURING THE LONG TERM PD. && .AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... LAST NIGHT AND TODAY TURNED OUT AS EXPECTED. SATURDAY EVENING SHOWERS AND FOG GIVE WAY TO A NICE LAST SUMMER DAY WITH VFR CONDITIONS TODAY. IT WAS ONE OF THE MORE HUMID DAYS THIS SUMMER... BUT WITH HI CLDS AND A BREEZE...THIS OFFSET THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY SOME. ANYWAY...THE REMAINS OF IKE ARE RACING ACROSS THE LOWER LAKES AREA AT THE CURRENT TIME...IT LOOKS LIKE THE STORM WILL PASS NEAR YYZ...WITH THE RAIN REMAINING OVER LOWER LAKES FOR THE MOST PART. THE MAIN THING FOR C PA WILL BE GUSTY WINDS... ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NW. LLWS A CONCERN...MAINLY AT IPT... WHERE WINDS REMAIN RATHER LIGHT FROM THE EAST AND SE. THINK TEMPS ARE TOO WARM ALOFT FOR CONVECTION...BUT WILL WATCH SMALL BAND JUST WEST OF CLE. LIKE THE REMAINS OF HUGO...IKE WILL DRAG IN SOME RATHER COOL AIR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. HOWEVER...OTHER THAN SOME LOWER SC (MVFR) FOR FEW HOURS LATER TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY ACROSS THE HIGHER MTS...CONDITIONS WILL BE VFR TONIGHT AND MONDAY. LATEST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT ONCE WE SWEEP IKE AWAY...FAIR WEATHER WILL LAST MOST OF NOT ALL OF THE REST OF THE WEEK... AS HIGH PRESSURE PREVAILS. && .CLIMATE... UNSEASONABLY WARM TO NEAR-RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES /15-20 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL/ ARE FORECAST TODAY ACROSS CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. THE NORMAL MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE AT WILLIAMSPORT FOR TODAY 74 DEGREES. THE RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE IS 92 DEGREES SET BACK IN 1952. THE NORMAL MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE AT HARRISBURG FOR TODAY 76 DEGREES. THE RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE IS 90 DEGREES SET BACK IN 1995/1947/1931. SEE SPSCTP FOR A RUNDOWN OF OTHER RECORDS AROUND THE REGION. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT MONDAY FOR PAZ004-005. && SYNOPSIS...LACORTE NEAR TERM...LACORTE/FITZGERALD SHORT TERM...LACORTE LONG TERM...FITZGERALD/GARTNER AVIATION...LACORTE/MARTIN CLIMATE...LACORTE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1219 PM EDT SUN SEP 14 2008 PAZ004-005-151630- WARREN-MCKEAN- 1219 PM EDT SUN SEP 14 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IKE WILL RACE DOWN THE ST. LAWRENCE RIVER VALLEY OVERNIGHT DRAGGING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>035-037-041-042-045-151630- POTTER-ELK-CAMERON-NORTHERN CLINTON-CLEARFIELD-NORTHERN CENTRE- SOUTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN-JUNIATA-SOMERSET- BEDFORD-FULTON-TIOGA-NORTHERN LYCOMING-SULLIVAN-SOUTHERN CLINTON- 1219 PM EDT SUN SEP 14 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT...AHEAD OF A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM THAT WAS ONCE HURRICANE IKE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ036-046-049>053-056>059-063>066-151630- FRANKLIN-SOUTHERN LYCOMING-UNION-SNYDER-MONTOUR-NORTHUMBERLAND- COLUMBIA-PERRY-DAUPHIN-SCHUYLKILL-LEBANON-CUMBERLAND-ADAMS-YORK- LANCASTER- 1219 PM EDT SUN SEP 14 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT UNSEASONABLY WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE MIDDLE AND LOWER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON...WITH NEAR RECORD TEMPERATURES AND OPPRESSIVE DEWPOINTS RESULTING IN HEAT INDEX VALUES IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
14 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Non-thunderstorm winds brought down numerous trees and wires across Warren County.
Non-thunderstorm winds brought down numerous trees and wires across McKean County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Potter County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Cameron County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Elk County.
The Clearfield ASOS (KFIG) reported a peak wind gust of 69 mph. Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Clearfield County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Cambria County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Tioga County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Northern Lycoming County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Northern Clinton County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Northern Centre County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees and wires across Southern Centre County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees and wires across Blair County.
Non-thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and wires across Southern Clinton County. Two people sustained minor injuries after a tree fell onto their car in Lock Haven.
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, September 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: 126649, 126650, 126655, 126656, 126657, 126658, 126659, 126661, 126662, 126663, 126664, 126665, 126666, 126669.