Severe thunderstorms developed south of a stationary frontal boundary over New York state, producing sporadic wind damage across northern Pennsylvania.
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.
Severe thunderstorms developed south of a stationary frontal boundary over New York state, producing sporadic wind damage across northern Pennsylvania.
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 11, 7:28 PM EST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 828 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 .SYNOPSIS... SUMMERTIME WARMTH AND HUMIDITY WILL COME TO AN END LATE TONIGHT AND TUESDAY AS A VIGOROUS UPPER TROF AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT CROSSES THE REGION. A FAIRLY WELL-ORGANIZED BAND OF SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO THE WEST TONIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. COOLER...DRIER AND WINDY CONDITIONS WILL ARRIVE DURING THE DAYLIGHT HOURS TUESDAY...AND LAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. MILDER CONDITIONS WILL RETURN FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AND CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND AS ANOTHER UPPER RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE REGION. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM TUESDAY MORNING/... 830 PM UPDATE... UPDATE FOR SVR WATCH 168 COVERING THE NWRN MTNS. STORMS HAVE SOME MOMENTUM WITH UPSTREAM COUNTIES COVERED BY NUMEROUS WARNINGS. COLD POOL BEHIND THE MAIN LINE WILL LIKELY FORCE THE CLUSTERED STORMS INTO MORE OF A BOW. BEST DYNAMICS/SHEAR ARE TO THE NORTH...SO BAX DOES NOT GO TOO FAR SOUTH. HOWEVER...SOME STRONG GUSTS/SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF I-80. 6 PM UPDATE... WE HAVE REACHED THE ANTICIPATED LULL...AS WE WAIT FOR THE STORM IN OH TO SLIDE STEADILY EASTWARD. HAVE ADJUSTED POPS/WX AND SKY TO FIT THE GOING TRENDS. PREV... A LULL IN THE ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED FROM MID TO LATE EVENING BETWEEN THE DIURNAL MAXIMUM OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AND ARRIVAL OF COLD FRONTAL BAND FROM OHIO LATE TONIGHT. TIMING HAS SLOWED EVEN FURTHER FROM LAST NIGHT'S RUNS...WITH FRONT REACHING CENTRAL MOUNTAINS FROM 06 TO 08Z OR AFTER. MODELS TRACK COLD FRONT THROUGH MOST OF CENTRAL PA FROM 06Z TO 12Z TUESDAY MAKING SEVERE WEATHER UNLIKELY. HIGHEST POPS REMAIN ACROSS THE NORTHWEST WITH THE STRONGEST FRONTAL FORCING...WITH THE LOWEST CHANCE OF RAIN FROM THE FROPA OVER THE SOUTHEAST...WHICH MAY BE MISSED FROM THE OVERNIGHT ACTIVITY. TONIGHT WILL LIKELY BE THE WARMEST NIGHT OF OUR RECENT STRING OF WARM NIGHTS...DUE TO SURGING LOW LVL MOISTURE AND INCREASING CLOUD COVER. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM TUESDAY/... FRONT CLEARS SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES EARLY TUESDAY...WITH WINDY AND DRIER CONDITIONS IN STORE FOR MOST OF THE REGION. MODEL FORECAST SOUNDINGS INDICATE MODERATE MIXING POTENTIAL WITH MANY AREAS SEEING 30-35 MPH GUSTS OR HIGHER. EXPECT HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH AND WEST TO SEE SCT -SHRA...WHILE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST AREAS REMAIN PARTLY SUNNY AND DRY. HIGHS WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 60S NORTHWEST TO THE LOWER 80S LOWER SUSQ RIVER VALLEY. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... STILL LOOKING AT A FEW SHOWERS ACROSS THE NORTH TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WED...WITH THE COLD AIR ALOFT. IT WILL BE BREEZY AND COLDER FROM LATE TUE INTO THU MORNING. LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO MONITOR THE NEED FOR FROST AND FREEZE PRODUCTS. MID SHIFT INSERTED SHOWERS INTO THE FCST FOR FRIDAY INTO SAT. THIS BASED ON WEAK SYSTEM DROPPING SE. WHILE MOISTURE MAY BE LIMITED...DIRECTIONAL SHEAR WILL BE THERE. I DID CUT BACK ON THE SHOWERS SOME ON THE FIRST PART OF FRIDAY. DID ADJUST POPS SOME FOR SUNDAY...AS SYSTEM DROPS SE OF OUR AREA...DID CUT BACK SOME. FOR MONDAY...ADJUSTED POPS SOME MORE...AS WE WILL BE ON THE EASTERN AND NORTHERN EDGE OF THE WARM ADVECTION. && .AVIATION /01Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... VFR CURRENTLY OVER CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA WILL BREAK DOWN OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS A STRONG LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT TRACKS ACROSS ALL AIRFIELDS LATE TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY TUE...BRINGING MORE WIDESPREAD MVFR CIGS/VSBYS AND SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HAVE GENERALLY LEFT AIRPORTS VFR WITH TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS IN AND AROUND THE QUICKLY MOVING STORMS. EXPECT WIND SHIFTS TO THEW WEST WITH GUTSY IN THE 20 TO 30MPH POSSIBLE. BFD SHOULD BE THE FIRST AIRPORT AFFECTED WITH JST FOLLOWING BEHIND. THE REMAINDER TAFS WILL THEN BE AFFECTED FROM 04Z TO 06Z WEST TO EAST. ANY RAIN AND RESIDUAL MOISTURE COULD COUPLE TO ALLOW FOR PATCHY FOG TUESDAY MORNING. HOWEVER WITH THE PREDOMINATE FLOW SHIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST EXPECT WINDY AND DRIER CONDITIONS TO ARRIVE LATER TUE MORNING...WITH MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE IN THE NORTHWEST AND MAINLY VFR CONDS ELSEWHERE. OUTLOOK... MON...SCT-NUMEROUS AFTERNOON AND EARLY NIGHTTIME TSRA IMPACTS POSSIBLE. PATCHY MVFR TO IFR IN FOG LATE. TUE...MORNING LOW CLOUDS AND FOG POSSIBLE...THEN BREEZY AND LESS HUMID WITH AREAS OF MVFR CIGS ACROSS THE NRN AND WRN MTNS. WED-THU...VFR. FRI-SAT...MVFR WITH SCT MAINLY AFTERNOON SHRA/TSRA. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SYNOPSIS...DEVOIR NEAR TERM...DANGELO/DEVOIR SHORT TERM...DEVOIR LONG TERM...MARTIN AVIATION...DEVOIR/CERU/RXR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 822 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 PAZ019-025>028-034>036-045-046-049>053-056>059-063>066-130030- SOUTHERN CENTRE-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON-MIFFLIN-JUNIATA-BEDFORD-FULTON- FRANKLIN-SOUTHERN CLINTON-SOUTHERN LYCOMING-UNION-SNYDER-MONTOUR- NORTHUMBERLAND-COLUMBIA-PERRY-DAUPHIN-SCHUYLKILL-LEBANON-CUMBERLAND- ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER- 822 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. PAZ004>006-010-011-130030- WARREN-MCKEAN-POTTER-ELK-CAMERON- 822 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 168 IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. FROST IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS PLEASE REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE. PAZ012-017-018-024-033-037-041-042-130030- NORTHERN CLINTON-CLEARFIELD-NORTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA-SOMERSET-TIOGA- NORTHERN LYCOMING-SULLIVAN- 822 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. FROST IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
408 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
PAZ012-041-045-046-112100-
NORTHERN CLINTON PA-SOUTHERN CLINTON PA-SOUTHERN LYCOMING PA-
NORTHERN LYCOMING PA-
408 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...
AT 407 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
LOCK HAVEN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
30 MPH WIND GUSTS AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WILLIAMSPORT...LOCK HAVEN...JERSEY SHORE...MILL HALL...AVIS...
DUNNSTOWN...FLEMINGTON...CASTANEA...MCELHATTAN...COGAN STATION...
LITTLE PINE STATE PARK...LOYALSOCKVILLE...TROUT RUN...WATERVILLE...
GARDEN VIEW...BEECH CREEK...SALLADASBURG AND LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 180 NEAR MILE MARKER 29.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 4154 7701 4130 7683 4105 7758 4107 7756
4107 7758 4109 7762 4110 7765 4118 7772
TIME...MOT...LOC 2007Z 240DEG 49KT 4118 7749
MARTINSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
416 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
PAZ034-112030-
BEDFORD PA-
416 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT BEDFORD COUNTY UNTIL 430 PM
EDT...
AT 415 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER
NEW ENTERPRISE...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.
40 MPH WIND GUSTS AND DIME SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE.
THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
COALDALE AROUND 430 PM EDT.
OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE HOPEWELL...DEFIANCE...
SAXTON AND WOODBURY.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 99 FROM MILE MARKERS 8 TO 12.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
INTENSE RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO
FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 4020 7853 4027 7836 4025 7830 4025 7828
4027 7827 4027 7826 4026 7825 4023 7824
4018 7817 4016 7814 4007 7842
TIME...MOT...LOC 2015Z 251DEG 8KT 4017 7837
DANGELOSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
456 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
PAZ026-034-035-112145-
BEDFORD PA-FULTON PA-HUNTINGDON PA-
456 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...
AT 454 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
WELLS TANNERY...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
30 MPH WIND GUSTS AND PEA SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
WATERFALL AND COALDALE AROUND 500 PM EDT.
ROCKHILL FURNACE AROUND 515 PM EDT.
OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE CASSVILLE...BROAD TOP
CITY...COALMONT...HOPEWELL AND ORBISONIA.
THIS INCLUDES THE PENNSYLVANIA TURNPIKE FROM MILE MARKERS 165 TO 174.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 4015 7835 4038 7794 4019 7777 4017 7780
4010 7784 4000 7823
TIME...MOT...LOC 2054Z 240DEG 49KT 4012 7821
MARTINSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
503 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
PAZ045-046-049-052-112200-
SOUTHERN CLINTON PA-UNION PA-SOUTHERN LYCOMING PA-NORTHUMBERLAND PA-
503 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
...A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN
CLINTON...UNION...SOUTHERN LYCOMING...AND NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTIES
UNTIL 600 PM EDT...
AT 503 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY
HEAVY RAIN NEAR AVIS...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
40 MPH WIND GUSTS AND DIME SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
THUNDERSTORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MILTON...LEWISBURG...JERSEY SHORE...CARROLL...WATSONTOWN...
MONTGOMERY...LINNTOWN...AVIS...NEW COLUMBIA...MONTANDON...
ALLENWOOD...SPRUCE RUN RESERVOIR...DELAWARE RUN...ELIMSPORT...
COLLOMSVILLE...WEST MILTON...OVAL...MCEWENSVILLE AND BUCKNELL.
FOR THOSE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 80...THIS INCLUDES AREAS BETWEEN THE
LOGANTON AND LIMESTONEVILLE EXITS...SPECIFICALLY FROM MILE MARKERS
189 TO 213.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 180 FROM MILE MARKERS 1 TO 9.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
INTENSE RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM...AND MAY
LEAD TO FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 4093 7685 4103 7716 4104 7715 4103 7717
4109 7735 4121 7734 4122 7732 4118 7676
TIME...MOT...LOC 2103Z 280DEG 18KT 4115 7729
CERUSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
916 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
PAZ004-120215-
WARREN PA-
916 PM EDT MON MAY 11 2015
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WARREN COUNTY UNTIL 1015 PM
EDT...
AT 916 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR RICEVILLE TO NEAR
WEST HICKORY TO CLARION... AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
40 MPH WIND GUSTS AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
COLUMBUS AROUND 935 PM EDT.
SPRING CREEK AROUND 940 PM EDT.
CHAPMAN STATE PARK AROUND 945 PM EDT.
SHEFFIELD AND LOTTSVILLE AROUND 950 PM EDT.
KINZUA DAM AROUND 1000 PM EDT.
OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE STARBRICK...
CLARENDON...TIDIOUTE...SUGAR GROVE AND BEAR LAKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 4200 7892 4185 7891 4183 7892 4183 7895
4162 7896 4162 7961 4198 7961 4200 7957
TIME...MOT...LOC 0116Z 236DEG 32KT 4179 7978 4155 7937 4121 7939
DEVOIRThe State College radar (KCCX), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:34 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a couple of trees near Tidioute.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees across Route 6 near Roystone.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees 1 mile east of Burnside.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked wires down near St. Augustine.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and wires near Grampian.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down wires near Austin.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and wires near West Moshannon.
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees near Westfield.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, May 2015
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: 571338, 571339, 571340, 571341, 571342, 571343, 571344, 571345.