Increasing moisture along with an approaching upper level disturbance brought scattered showers and thunderstorms across northeast Pennsylvania. Isolated storms produced large hail and damaging wind gusts.
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.
Increasing moisture along with an approaching upper level disturbance brought scattered showers and thunderstorms across northeast Pennsylvania. Isolated storms produced large hail and damaging wind gusts.
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 Aug 13, 3:03 PM EST, 56 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 403 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A COMPLEX AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD FROM THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY REGION TO OFF THE EAST COAST MONDAY. THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW THIS SYSTEM WITH FAIR AND DRIER WEATHER FOR THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/... SPC MESOANALYSIS CHARTS AT 16Z SHOW A RIBBON OF HIGHER 850 MB DWPTS STREAMING NORTHWARD ACRS MOST OF C AND W PA INTO FAR SW NY ATTM. THIS...COMBINED WITH THE DAY/S HEATING WAS LEADING TO A THETA-E RDG IN THIS GENERAL AREA AND MIXED LAYER CAPES OF 500 TO 1000 J/KG. WV IMAGERY CONTS TO SHOW SHRT WAVE ACVTY PUSHING EWRD INTO NY AND PA ATTM WHICH WILL CONT TO SUPPORT A LL SRLY FLOW AND LL THETA-E ADVTN INTO C NY AND NE PA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS. THIS ADVTN...COUPLED WITH SOME HEATING WILL INCREASE CAPES TO BTWN 500 AND 1000 J/KG THIS AFTERNOON ACRS MUCH OF NE PA TO AT LEAST THE FINGER LAKES...NOT TO CERTAIN CAPES WILL REACH THOSE LEVELS FARTHER E BEFORE SUNSET. SPC MESOANALYSIS CHARTS FOR 16Z ALSO SHOWS A RIBBON OF 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR OF GREATER THAN 30 KNOTS PUSHING INTO PA FROM OH AND IND. THIS INCREASED SHEAR ALOFT WAS ASSCTD WITH A MID-LVL JET STREAK W/ THE ABOVE MENTIONED SHRT WAVE FEATURE. HENCE MARGINAL SHEAR AND MARGINAL CAPE SHUD CONT THE FORMATION OF A BAND OF SCT SHRA AND TSRA INTO THE AFTERNOON AND ERLY EVE FROM THE FINGER LAKES SOUTHEAST TO NE PA. POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR ISLD SVR AND HAVE MENTIONED IN HWO. THE HRRR SUGGESTS SOME SORT OF CONVECTIVE COMPLEX IN NE PA BY 02-05Z IN NE PA. OTHER MODELS HAVE HINTED AS SOME SORT OF CONVECTIVE ORGANIZATION IN ERN PA TO NRN NJ AND SERN NY THIS EVE SUGGESTING HRRR MAY BE ON TRACK. WILL HV HIGHER POPS IN NE PA/SERN NY INTO THE EVE TO REFLECT THIS. AFTER THIS INITIAL UPR LVL WAVE ACVTY PUSHES E...I BELIEVE CONVECTIVE ACVTY WILL WANE OVERNIGHT IN C NY AND NE PA. A FEW ISLD POCKETS OF ACTY WILL BE LEFT OVER BUT CAPES VANISH AND THERE REALLY IS NO SIGNIFICANT SYNOPTIC FORCING B4 12Z SUN TO SUPPORT MUCH IN THE WAY OF POPS AFTER 6-7Z SUN. HENCE I DROP POPS WAY DOWN AFTER 6-7Z TO THE SLGHT CHC-CHC BEFORE NEXT WAVE ARRIVES AFTER 12Z SUN. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY/... VERY COMPLICATED FORECAST SCENARIO WITH THE EVOLUTION OF THE LARGE SCALE CYCLONE TRACKG FROM THE GREAT LAKES SOUTHEASTWARD TO THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC COAST. WV IMAGERY SHOWS A VIGOROUS UPR LVL WAVE OVR IA/MO/IL WHICH WILL CONT TO DROP SOUTHEWASTWARD REACHING THE LWR OH VLLY BY SUNDAY. THIS UPR LVL WAVE WILL SPIN UP A COASTAL LOW BY MONDAY-TUESDAY. THIS SYSTEM HAS VARIOUS SHRT WAVES AND CONVECTIVE COMPONENTS OF WHICH THE MODELS ARE VARYING TO SOME EXTENT ON THE OVERALL EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SYSTEM. THIS IS NO SURPRISE GIVEN THE CONVECTIVE COMPONENTS. THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS CONTS TO REMAIN VERY UNCERTAIN AT LEAST AS TO WHERE AND WHEN THEY MAY OCCUR. WE BELIEVE SOMEBODY STANDS TO SEE A LOT OF RAIN. BUT WHERE AND WHEN? SO...TO PINPOINT A SPECIFIC AREA AND TIME THIS FAR IN ADVANCE WUD BE NOT BE WISE. SO NO FLASH FLOOD WATCHES THIS SHIFT. I EXPECT ANTHR BATCH OF SHWRS AND TSRA TO APPRCH NRN PA AND SC NY DURG THE DAY SUNDAY FROM THE S AS THIS NEXT MORE SIGNFNCT UPR LVL WAVE PUSHES INTO THE OH VLLY. THE EURO...CMC...NAM...GFS ALSO HAVE HIGHER QPF BTWN 12 AND 18Z ACRS PA VS NY SUGGESTG LOWER POPS FOR C NY SUN AM...WITH HIGHER POPS DOWN INTO PA. AFTER 18Z...NAM...GFS AND EURO ALL KEEP HEAVIER PRECIP FARTHER SE FROM NE PA TO ERN NY WITH MUCH LESS QPF IN C NY. ONLY LAST NGT/S EURO SUGGESTS HEAVIER PRECIP REACHES C NY SUN PM. WHAT THIS BOILS DOWN TO IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT SUNDAY WILL NOT BE A COMPLETE WASH OUT...ESPECIALLY IN C NY. HAVE ADJUSTED POPS TO REFLECT THIS AND HOLD OFF ON MORE SIGNIFICANT SHWR/TSRA ACVTY UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY IN C NY. THE SIGNIFICANT OF THIS IS THAT THE THREAT FOR ANY FLASH FLOODING WUD BE DELAYED UNTIL SUN NGT AT THE EARLIEST. THIS GIVES US SOME TIME TO RE-EVALUATE POTENTIAL AND BUYS US SOME TIME IN A COMPLEX SCENARIO. FOR SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY...SYNOPTIC MODELS SEEM TO BE PULLING HIGHEST QPF FARTHER E OF C NY AND NE PA. 00Z EURO STILL HOLDS ONTO THE IDEA OF HEAVIER RAINS SUN NGT C NY/NE PA BUT WAITG FOR THE LATER RUN TO SEE IF THIS STILL HOLDS. THE NAM TRIES TO DUMP VERY HEAVY RAINS ON THE CATSKILLS AND POCONOS...MON INTO MON NGT...BUT THIS LOOKS OVERDONE. WILL STILL HV TIME TO WATCH THIS. SO IN EFFECT WE MAY ESCAPE THE BRUNT OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN IN OUR CWA. HOWEVER...IT IS TOO EARLY TO DROP THE IDEA AND WILL KEEP IN HWO AS UNCERTAINTIES STILL UNBOUND THIS FAR OUT. MY GUT FEELING IS THAT THE CATSKILLS AND POCONOS CUD STILL SEE A LOT OF RAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...BUT LATER...LIKE MONDAY-MON NGT. LEANED TWDS THE GFS FOR MON NGT/TUE AS SYSTEM FINALLY PULLS OUT. CHC FOR -SHRA ALL AREAS MON EVNG...WITH A DRYING TREND LATER AT NGT. ON TUE...GFS PROFILES SUGGEST PSBL TSRA WITH AFTN HEATING ACRS THE POCONOS AND SRN CATSKILLS ON THE NWRN FRINGE OF THE DEEPER SYNOPTIC MSTR. KEPT LOW CHC POPS ACRS THESE AREAS. OTRW IMPRVG CONDITIONS ON TUE ACRS CNTRL NY WITH SKIES XPCTD TO BCM PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... MEDIUM RANGE MODELS REMAIN IN FAIR AGREEMENT THROUGH EXTENDED PERIOD ACROSS THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. INITIALLY A FLAT RIDGE WILL RESIDE OVER THE NORTHEAST WHICH GRADUALLY MOVES EAST AND IS FOLLOWED BY A WEAK UPPER LEVEL TROF. TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT, SFC HIGH PRES WILL MOVE FROM THE VICINITY TO THE ATLANTIC COAST. PERIOD WILL BE DRY WITH MAINLY CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, UPPER LEVEL HEIGHTS LOWER AS A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE UPPER GREAT LAKES THEN WASHES OUT OVER THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE CHC POPS THROUGH THE PERIOD. TEMPS WILL REMAIN NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE SEASONAL NORMALS. && .AVIATION /20Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... A COMPLEX AND LOW CONFIDENCE FCST. IN GNRL XPCT SCT SHRA/TSRA/MVFR THIS AFTN/EARLY EVNG. LATER TNGT...SOME INDICATIONS THAT A LOWER STRATUS DECK MAY ENCROACH INTO NE PA AND THE SRN TIER OF NEW YORK...AND GUIDANCE ALSO SUGGESTED POTNL FOR LIFR FOG AT ELM...SO MVFR/LCL IFR RESTRICTIONS LATE TNGT MOST SITES. XPCT THE LOW CLDS TO BURN OFF SUNDAY MRNG BEFORE CLDS THICKEN WITH BETTER CHC FOR SHRA/TSRA SUNDAY AFTN/EVNG. SRLY WINDS THIS AFTN 10-20 KTS...BECMG SSE 5-10 KTS TNGT INTO SUNDAY. OUTLOOK... SUN NGT/MON/MON NGT...SCT IFR/MVFR IN SHRA/TSRA. TUE...IMPRVNG TO VFR. TUE NGT/WED/WED NGT..VFR. THU...SCT AFTN TSRA/MVFR. && .HYDROLOGY... THERE IS STILL A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE RAINFALL FORECAST WITH SEVERAL MODELS SOLUTIONS DIVERGING IN AMOUNTS...BUT A GOOD SHOT OF RAIN IS STILL POSSIBLE. WE ARE LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM 1.5 TO 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH THE HIGHEST IN THE POCONOS AND CATSKILLS. MAIN RIVER SYSTEMS ARE CURRENTLY NEAR TO BELOW NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...WITH LOW STAGES AND FLOWS BEING REPORTED. THE FORECAST RAINFALL WOULD GENERALLY RESULT IN 2 TO 4 FOOT RISES IN RIVER LEVELS...BUT NO FLOODING. IT WOULD TAKE IN EXCESS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES FOR RIVERS TO REACH FLOOD STAGE. HOWEVER...RAINFALL MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES IN SPOTS FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY NGT RESULTING IN THE POSSIBILITY FOR SMALL STREAM AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AND DEVELOPED TOWNS AND VILLAGES. WILL CONT TO MENTION IN HWO. && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NY...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...DJN NEAR TERM...DJN SHORT TERM...DJN LONG TERM...RRM AVIATION... HYDROLOGY...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 312 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 NYZ015>018-022>025-044-055-056-PAZ038-039-043-044-047-141915- YATES-SENECA-SOUTHERN CAYUGA-ONONDAGA-STEUBEN-SCHUYLER-CHEMUNG- TOMPKINS-CORTLAND-TIOGA-BROOME-BRADFORD-SUSQUEHANNA-WYOMING- LACKAWANNA-LUZERNE- 312 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACROSS THE FINGER LAKES REGION SOUTHWARD TO NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA INTO THIS EVENING. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE THAT A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THE MAJORITY OF THE STORMS LIKELY WILL HAVE BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. THE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE OF A HIT AND MISS NATURE SO MANY AREAS WILL BE RAIN-FREE THROUGH THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BRING WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION FROM SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL FALL FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE FORECASTED TO BE 1 TO 3 INCHES. THESE AMOUNTS OF RAIN ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH RIVER FLOODING. HOWEVER...RAINFALL MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES IN SPOTS FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY NIGHT RESULTING IN THE POSSIBILITY FOR SMALL STREAM AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AND DEVELOPED TOWNS AND VILLAGES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THERE IS A CHANCE FOR LOCAL SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION THIS EVENING. REMEMBER...YOUR COUNTY IS AUTOMATICALLY ACTIVATED WHEN A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING IS ISSUED. PLEASE RELAY ALL STORM REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. RAINFALL SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORWARD RAINFALL REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BINGHAMTON. NYZ057-062-PAZ040-048-072-141915- DELAWARE-SULLIVAN-NORTHERN WAYNE-PIKE-SOUTHERN WAYNE- 312 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK...SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BRING WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL FALL FROM LATER SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE FORECASTED TO BE 1 TO 3 INCHES WITH UP TO 4 INCHES OR MORE POSSIBLE IN THE CATSKILLS AND POCONOS. THESE AMOUNTS OF RAIN COULD CAUSE MINOR PROBLEMS ON THE SMALLER RIVER SYSTEMS. HOWEVER... RAINFALL COULD BE HEAVY ENOUGH FROM SUNDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT CAUSING MORE DANGEROUS FLASH FLOODING. A FEW AREAS COULD SEE MAJOR FLASH FLOODING IF MORE THAN 4 INCHES OF RAIN FALLS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... RAINFALL SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORWARD RAINFALL REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BINGHAMTON. NYZ009-036-037-045-046-141915- NORTHERN ONEIDA-MADISON-SOUTHERN ONEIDA-CHENANGO-OTSEGO- 312 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BRING WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION LATER SUNDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL FALL LATER SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE FORECASTED TO BE 1 TO 3 INCHES. THESE AMOUNTS OF RAIN ARE NOT EXPECTED TO CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH RIVER FLOODING. HOWEVER...RAINFALL MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES IN SPOTS FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY NIGHT RESULTING IN THE POSSIBILITY FOR SMALL STREAM AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AND DEVELOPED TOWNS AND VILLAGES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... RAINFALL SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORWARD RAINFALL REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BINGHAMTON. DJN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 241 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 PAZ043-132000- WYOMING- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...TUNKHANNOCK 241 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN... AT 3:35 PM...RADAR INDICATED A SMALL CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN IN SOUTHWEST WYOMING COUNTY MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING TUNKHANNOCK BETWEEN 2:45 PM AND 3 PM. RAINFALL AMOUNTS COULD APPROACH 1 QUARTER OF AN INCH IN LESS THAN ONE HALF HOUR AND COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER IN POOR DRAINAGE AND LOW LYING AREAS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
418 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011
PAZ047-132115-
LUZERNE PA-
418 PM EDT SAT AUG 13 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT LUZERNE COUNTY...
* AT 413 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...AND VERY
HEAVY RAIN. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
NESCOPECK...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
* THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
ROCK GLEN AT 430 PM EDT...
NESCOPECK AT 435 PM EDT...
EAST BERWICK AT 440 PM EDT...
BEACH HAVEN AT 445 PM EDT...
BRIGGSVILLE AT 450 PM EDT...
CONYNGHAM AT 500 PM EDT...
SHICKSHINNY AND KOONSVILLE AT 505 PM EDT...
POND HILL AT 510 PM EDT...
THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE AND PRODUCE LARGE HAIL
AND/OR DAMAGING WINDS.
THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND COULD
CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING OF ROADS AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
LAT...LON 4096 7620 4107 7624 4113 7624 4113 7626
4114 7626 4131 7590 4107 7576 4106 7577
MANNINGThe Binghamton radar (KBGM), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:00 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees and wires were blown down on State Route 3040. Stop signs were blown down on interstate exit ramps.
Trees were blown down near I-80 West near Drums.
Numerous trees were downed at the I-80/I-81 interchange.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, August 2011
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: 342754, 342755, 342757, 342758.