Strong to severe convective development shifted east of the Lake Erie region into northwest Pennsylvania, within a zone of broader vertical ascent extending downstream from an upper level wave migrating into the Great Lakes region. Isolated straight-line wind damage occurred around a supercell that moved across northern Warren into McKean County.
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 CTP wrote it up.
Strong to severe convective development shifted east of the Lake Erie region into northwest Pennsylvania, within a zone of broader vertical ascent extending downstream from an upper level wave migrating into the Great Lakes region. Isolated straight-line wind damage occurred around a supercell that moved across northern Warren into McKean County. Heavy thunderstorm rains also produced localized flooding and flash flooding.
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 May 28, 6:30 PM EST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 730 PM EDT TUE MAY 28 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A WARM FRONT EXTENDING FROM WESTERN NEW YORK..TO THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY...WILL CONTINUE TO DRIFT TO THE NORTHEAST TONIGHT. WARMER AND MORE HUMID CONDITIONS WILL FOLLOW FOR WEDNESDAY... AND LAST INTO THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... LATEST REGIONAL RADAR MOSAIC SHOWS PRECIPITATION-FREE CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION...AND CLEARING SKIES ACROSS THE SWRN HALF OF THE CWA AS THE WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH AND EAST. OVERCAST AND COOL CONDITIONS WERE STILL FOUND ACROSS THE SUSQ VALLEY AND POINTS EAST WHERE TEMPS WERE IN THE U50S TO LOWER 60S. THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN THIS EVENING WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RATHER LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS CHUGGING EAST ACROSS LAKE ERIE AND INTO FAR NWRN PENN NEAR THE NOSE OF A 35KT SWRLY LLJ. THE BULK OF THIS FORCING/INSTABILITY WILL LIFT NE ACROSS WRN NEW AND TWD THE FINGER LAKES REGION OVERNIGHT...WITH ML CAPES WANING TO JUST 300-600 J/KG IN MOST AREAS OF CENTRAL PA. HIGH POPS FOR SHRA/POSSIBLE STRONG TO SVR TSRA WILL BE CONFINED TO OUR NW MTN ZONES FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...WHILE THE CENTRAL AND SE ZONES SHOULD SEE JUST ISOLATED TO SCT SHOWERS. UNDER THE INCREASING WARM PUSH...THE OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE QUITE MILD FOR LATE MAY...AROUND 10 DEG ABOVE NORMAL ON AVERAGE. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/... THE WARM FRONT SHOULD SURGE UP INTO NY ON WED...LEAVING ALL OF MY FCST AREA IN A VERY WARM AND RATHER HUMID AIRMASS. AS SUCH THE BEST FORCING SHOULD SIMILARLY BE SHOVED UP INTO NY STATE. THE MAIN ISSUE WILL BE HOW MUCH IF ANY DIURNAL CONVECTION MANAGES TO KICK OFF DURING THE DAY. THE OPERATIONAL NAM AND 09Z SREF BOTH ARE PRETTY GENEROUS SPLASHING MAINLY LIGHT QPF AROUND IN THE AFTERNOON...WHILE OTHER GUIDANCE IS NOT SO OPTIMISTIC THAT IT WILL RAIN. THE NAM SEEMS TO BE USING A FAIRLY PRONOUNCED SHORT WAVE RIDING OVER THE TOP OF THE BUILDING EASTERN RIDGE TO TRIGGER STORMS WHILE THE OTHER MODELS DO NOT SEEM SO KEEN ON THIS FEATURE. I LIKE THE IDEA OF KEEPING VERY LOW POPS OVER THE FAR NORTH...NEAREST THE WARM FRONT...WITH MOST OF THE REMAINDER OF MY REGION BEING HOT AND HUMID...BUT OTHERWISE RAIN FREE. HIGHS SHOULD SURGE WELL UP INTO THE 80S ACROSS THE AREA...SOME 10-15 DEG ABOVE NORMAL FOR A CHANGE. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... UPPER RIDGE IS FORECAST TO BUILD/AMPLIFY NWD ALONG THE EASTERN SEABOARD DURING THE PERIOD AS AN UPPER TROF CLOSES OFF/MOVES EASTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND INTO THE WRN GREAT LAKES. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER WARM SPELL FOR MUCH OF THE EAST AS WE HEAD INTO THE BEGINNING OF JUNE. THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BEGIN WITH SEVERAL DAYS OF MAINLY DRY WEATHER WITH LITTLE IN THE WAY OF LARGE SCALE FORCING APPARENT. SRLY/SWRLY SFC WINDS WILL LEAD TO INCREASING SFC MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY...BUT SIGNIFICANT CHANCES FOR SHOWERS/TSTMS WILL HOLD OFF TIL LATER SATURDAY AND ESPECIALLY SUNDAY AND MONDAY WHEN A FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE UPPER FLOW AND INTO PA. A COOL DOWN FOR THE FIRST FULL WEEK OF JUNE MAY THEN BE IN THE OFFING FOR THE NORTHEAST...AS UPPER FLOW BECOMES QUITE TROFFY LOOKING IN SEVERAL OF THE LONG RANGE MODELS. && .AVIATION /00Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... STEADY RAIN HAS GIVEN WAY TO SCATTERED SHOWERS OVER MOST OF THE AREA. SWRN TERMINALS HAVE IMPROVED TO VFR WHILE THE SLOW MOVING WARM FRONTAL ZONE CONTINUES TO CAUSE LOW CEILINGS TO HANG TOUGH FROM BFD-UNV DOWN INTO THE LOWER SUSQ VALLEY. IT NOW LOOKS LIKE IMPROVEMENT MAY BE SLOW OVER ABOUT THE NERN HALF OF THE FCST AREA...WHILE SWRN AREAS ARE MORE IN THE WARM AIR AND TRENDING TOWARD VFR WITH JUST SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. BY MID TO LATE MORNING ALL SITES SHOULD ENJOY THE IMPROVEMENT AS THE WARM FRONT FINALLY EMERGES UP INTO NY STATE. BEST CHANCE FOR MORE THUNDER AND REDUCED CONDITIONS WILL BE ALONG THE NY BORDER WED AFTERNOON. .OUTLOOK... THU-FRI...MAINLY VFR. SOME RESTRICTIONS IN AM FOG AND HAZE POSSIBLE. SAT-SUN...MAINLY VFR BUT WITH AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE... MANLY WEST. && .EQUIPMENT... STATE COLLEGE RADAR IS BACK UP AND IN NORMAL OPERATING MODE AS OF 23Z THIS EVENING. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...LAMBERT/LA CORTE NEAR TERM...LAMBERT/LA CORTE SHORT TERM...LA CORTE LONG TERM...GARTNER AVIATION...LA CORTE EQUIPMENT...LAMBERT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 410 AM EDT TUE MAY 28 2013 PAZ006-011-012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-290815- POTTER-CAMERON-NORTHERN CLINTON-CLEARFIELD-NORTHERN CENTRE- SOUTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN-JUNIATA-SOMERSET- BEDFORD-FULTON-FRANKLIN-TIOGA-NORTHERN LYCOMING-SULLIVAN- SOUTHERN CLINTON-SOUTHERN LYCOMING-UNION-SNYDER-MONTOUR- NORTHUMBERLAND-COLUMBIA-PERRY-DAUPHIN-SCHUYLKILL-LEBANON-CUMBERLAND- ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER- 410 AM EDT TUE MAY 28 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ004-005-010-290815- WARREN-MCKEAN-ELK- 410 AM EDT TUE MAY 28 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A WARM FRONT LIFTING NORTH THROUGH THE AREA WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE THAT SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS LATE TUESDAY COULD CONTAIN DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OR LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
434 PM EDT TUE MAY 28 2013
PAZ024>026-034-035-282130-
BEDFORD PA-BLAIR PA-CAMBRIA PA-FULTON PA-HUNTINGDON PA-
434 PM EDT TUE MAY 28 2013
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT BEDFORD...FULTON...
HUNTINGDON...SOUTH CENTRAL CAMBRIA AND SOUTHERN BLAIR COUNTIES
THROUGH 530 PM EDT...
AT 429 PM EDT...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME STRONG IN
INTENSITY...WAS LOCATED FROM CASSANDRA TO CESSNA TO
RAINSBURG...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
EXPECT OCCASIONAL...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING FROM THESE
STORMS. DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN
LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT SKI GAP...HOLLIDAYSBURG...LAKEMONT...
VALLEY-HI...WATERFALL AND RAYSTOWN DAM.
OTHER NOTABLE LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE BLUE KNOB SKI RESORT AND
JUNIATA COLLEGE.
THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA INTERSTATES...THE
PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 137 AND 185...I-70 BETWEEN
MILE MARKERS 147 AND 160...I-99 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 0 AND 29.
LAT...LON 3980 7867 4004 7864 4021 7868 4024 7866
4025 7869 4036 7871 4060 7799 4042 7790
4040 7791 4039 7789 4026 7782 4005 7788
4001 7792 3985 7799
FORECASTER: LAMBERTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
750 PM EDT TUE MAY 28 2013
PAZ004-290045-
WARREN PA-
750 PM EDT TUE MAY 28 2013
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN WARREN COUNTY
BETWEEN 810 PM AND 845 PM EDT...
AT 747 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 13 MILES WEST OF ELGIN...
MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
THIS STORM WILL AFFECT COLUMBUS...LOTTSVILLE AND SUGAR GROVE.
THIS WILL IMPACT THE FOLLOWING MAJOR ROADS...ROUTE 6...ROUTE 62.
LAT...LON 4200 7926 4200 7920 4179 7921 4180 7962
4197 7962 4200 7961 4201 7927
FORECASTER: LAMBERTThe Buffalo radar (KBUF), 131 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:13 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down several trees near Youngsville.
Heavy thunderstorm rains caused flash flooding and closed portions of US Route 6 in Columbus Township, SR 69 (Jackson Run Road) and SR 59 (Kinzua Road) in the northern part of the county. Warren Fire units were called for a water rescue on Brown Run Road as Brown Run came out of its banks and over-flowed the bridge. The flood waters also impacted one home on the south-side of Kinzua Road.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees along Swamp Road near the Pennsylvania-New York border.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and utility wires on Farm Colony Road near the Allegheny Forest Supervisor Office just off of Route 62 north of Warren.
NWS meteorologists determined that straight-line winds caused structural damage at a baseball field located just north of Backup Corners near Route 62 in Pine Grove Township. The bleachers, fencing and roof of the concession stand were damaged. A large building had its roof removed, a flag pole was bent, and a light pole was collapsed.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees along Route 62 near Russell.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and utility wires on Dennis Lane near the Pitt-Bradford campus.
Heavy thunderstorm rains produced flooding across northwest McKean County. The flooding was primarily confined to rural areas, but a few secondary roads were closed around Bradford.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, May 2013
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: 444298, 444082, 444295, 444294, 444299, 444293, 444296, 444096.