A low-amplitude mid/upper level trough coupled with moderate instability allowed for thunderstorm development over the higher terrain of central PA during the late morning. Storms encountered a more favorable convective environment as they moved east during the afternoon, becoming more organized near edge of stronger northwesterly flow aloft and deep-layer shear.
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.
A low-amplitude mid/upper level trough coupled with moderate instability allowed for thunderstorm development over the higher terrain of central PA during the late morning. Storms encountered a more favorable convective environment as they moved east during the afternoon, becoming more organized near edge of stronger northwesterly flow aloft and deep-layer shear. The storms that intensified to severe levels produced sporadic wind damage.
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 27, 10:14 AM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1114 AM EDT TUE MAY 27 2014 .SYNOPSIS... WARM AND MOIST AIR WILL BE FLOWING INTO THE REGION FROM THE SOUTHWEST TODAY. LOW PRESSURE PASSING THROUGH NEW YORK STATE WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT DOWN THROUGH THE REGION FROM THE NORTH ON WEDNESDAY. ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL DIVE SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA BY FRIDAY. THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS WILL BE ACROSS THE REGION ON TUESDAY AND WED. A FEW MORE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT...AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTHEAST. DRY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR NEXT WEEKEND. COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL PREVAIL FOR THE LATER PART OF THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... DEEP LAYER MOISTURE CONTINUES TO INCREASE OVER THE AREA LATE THIS MORNING...AND IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO OVER 1.5" BY 18Z. LOW TO MID 60 SFC DEWPOINTS OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WILL BE REPLACING CURRENT READINGS IN THE 50S. FURTHER EAST...THE BIG INCREASE IN MOISTURE WILL OCCUR DURING THE MIDDAY/EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. THE INCREASING MOISTURE AND SURFACE HEATING HAS ALREADY STARTED TO DESTABLIZE OH AND NW PA...WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS HAVING DEVELOPED THERE IN THE PAST HOUR. AFTERNOON CAPES ARE EXPECTED TO REACH SEVERAL HUNDRED J/KG...WITH MODEL MUCAPES EXCEED 1200 J/KG ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL PA TODAY). ENVIRONMENTAL WINDS ARELIGHT UNIDIRECTIONAL FAVORING SMALL BOWING STRUCTURES WITH SOME STORMS...ALTHOUGH WEAK SPEED SHEAR MEANS THAT MOST CELLS WILL BE PULSERS. OVERALL LOOKS LIKE A MARGINAL SEVERE WEATHER DAY WITH SOME LOCALLY GUSTY STORMS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINERS. THE THICKENING MID AND HIGH CLOUDS TODAY WILL TRIM THE OTHERWISE STRONG LATE MAY SFC HEATING...AND DEWPOINTS WILL BE NOTICEABLY HIGHER. MAX TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S NORTH TO THE LOWER 80S SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/... THE SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STORMS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT...AND WEDNESDAY...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF...TO TWO THIRDS OF THE STATE BASED ON AN OPER MODEL/ENSEMBLE BLEND. A SQUEEZE PLAY WILL ENSUE FOR WEDNESDAY AS A SFC CFRONT SAGS SOUTH FROM NEW YORK STATE...AND A COOLER...LOW OVERCAST MARINE LAYER PUSHES WEST TWD THE MTNS OF CENTRAL PA. HIGH PROBABILITIES EXIST FOR 0.25 INCH BASIN AVERAGE RAINFALL DURING THE 12 HOUR PERIODS OF TODAY...TONIGHT...AND WEDNESDAY WITH THE BEST CHANCE APPEARING TO BE ACROSS CENTRAL OR SOUTHERN PENN. MEAN...TOTAL RAINFALL IN ANY GIVEN LOCATION BY 00Z THURSDAY SHOULD BE AROUND ONE-HALF OF AN INCH...WITH A FEW LOCATIONS THAT SEE MULTIPLE STORMS PICKING UP AS MUCH AS 1.5 INCHES. THESE AMOUNTS WILL BE A DECENT AMOUNT BELOW 6-HOUR FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE WHICH AVERAGES GENERALLY BETWEEN 2 AND 2.5 INCHES. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... EXPECT MOST OF THU INTO FRIDAY TO BE DRY...BUT WITH ANOTHER COLD FRONT DROPPING SE...SOME SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. SITUATION WILL BE SIMILAR TO THIS PAST WEEKEND. CYCLONIC FLOW AND COLD AIR ALOFT MAY TRIGGER OFF LOW TOP STORMS INTO FRIDAY EVENING. LEFT SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY DRY FOR NOW. A LOT OF SPREAD IN MODEL SOLUTIONS...EVEN DIFFERENT RUNS OF THE EC MODEL. HOPE ALL GET OUT AND ENJOY THE NICE MEMORIAL DAY WEATHER. && .AVIATION /15Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... SHORTWAVE DROPPING SE ACROSS THE REGION MAY KEEP ISOLATED SHOWERS/TSTM AROUND THIS MORNING...BUT SHOULD HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT ON TAFS WITH WIDESPREAD VFR CONDITIONS PERSISTING. MOISTURE INCREASES FROM W TO E ACROSS THE STATE AS DAY PROGRESSES...BRINGING INCREASING INSTABILITY WHICH WILL LEAD TO DEVELOPMENT OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED POTENTIALLY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS - INITIALLY ACROSS THE WEST AFTER 16Z AND A BIT LATER IN THE EAST FROM EARLY AFTERNOON ONWARD. DID MENTION VCTS IN TAFS FOR LATER TODAY...AND WILL BE ABLE TO BETTER FOCUS IN ON VERY SHORT-TERM SHORT-LIVED IMPACTS/REDUCTIONS AT SPECIFIC TERMINALS AS EVENTS BEGIN TO UNFOLD LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH THIS EVENING...BUT SCT SHOWERS AND ISO TSTMS WILL PERSIST. CIG REDUCTIONS LIKELY LATER TONIGHT...WITH MVFR DECK DEVELOPING IN THE EAST AND IFR LIKELY IN THE WEST. A SQUEEZE PLAY WILL ENSUE FOR WEDNESDAY AS A SFC COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTH FROM NEW YORK STATE...AND A COOLER...LOW OVERCAST MARINE LAYER PUSHES WEST TWD THE MTNS OF CENTRAL PA. THIS WILL BRING WIDESPREAD REDUCTIONS TO THE REGION WED THROUGH THU NIGHT...BEFORE IMPROVEMENT ON FRIDAY. OUTLOOK... WED...SCT SHOWERS/ISO TSTM NORTH. SHOWERS/TSTMS LIKELY SOUTH. LOCAL REDUCTIONS WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD FROM THE SE IN THE AFTERNOON. THU...WIDESPREAD REDUCTIONS EXPECTED WITH LOW CLOUDS AND DRIZZLE. FRI-SAT...CIG/VSBY IMPROVING TO MAINLY VFR. SCT SHOWERS/TSTMS POSS. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...LAMBERT NEAR TERM...DEVOIR/LAMBERT SHORT TERM...LAMBERT LONG TERM...MARTIN AVIATION...RXR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 1237 PM EDT TUE MAY 27 2014 PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>036-045-049-050-056-057-059- 063>066-281645- WARREN-MCKEAN-POTTER-ELK-CAMERON-NORTHERN CLINTON-CLEARFIELD- NORTHERN CENTRE-SOUTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN- JUNIATA-SOMERSET-BEDFORD-FULTON-FRANKLIN-SOUTHERN CLINTON-UNION- SNYDER-PERRY-DAUPHIN-LEBANON-CUMBERLAND-ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER- 1237 PM EDT TUE MAY 27 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION TODAY...MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. HIGHLY LOCALIZED LARGE HAIL OF QUARTER-SIZE IN DIAMETER...AND STRONG WIND GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THE MORE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTH-CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND LAUREL HIGHLANDS...AS A COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTH AND WEST ACROSS THE STATE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ037-041-042-046-051>053-058-281645- TIOGA-NORTHERN LYCOMING-SULLIVAN-SOUTHERN LYCOMING-MONTOUR- NORTHUMBERLAND-COLUMBIA-SCHUYLKILL- 1237 PM EDT TUE MAY 27 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SCATTERED STRONG TO POTENTIALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. HIGHLY LOCALIZED LARGE HAIL OF QUARTER-SIZE IN DIAMETER...AND STRONG WIND GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THE MORE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ONCE AGAIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTH-CENTRAL MOUNTAINS AND LAUREL HIGHLANDS...AS A COLD FRONT SAGS SOUTH AND WEST ACROSS THE STATE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The State College radar (KCCX), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:19 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees near Coudersport.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees in the far southern portion of Pike Township.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees along SR144 near Ole Bull State Park.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees near Philipsburg.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down several large limbs in Muncy.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down several large tree limbs near Middleburg.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees in Unityville.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees and utility wires across Halifax Township.
A trained spotter measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 61 mph.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and utility wires along SR72 near Manheim.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, May 2014
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: 508992, 508993, 508994, 508995, 508996, 508997, 508998, 508999, 509000, 509001.