The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy brought showers and generally low-topped thunderstorms to central Pennsylvania in a high shear, low CAPE environment. Anomalously high PWATS and a very humid airmass (dewpoints were in the low 70s across the region) led to torrential downpours.
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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.
The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy brought showers and generally low-topped thunderstorms to central Pennsylvania in a high shear, low CAPE environment. Anomalously high PWATS and a very humid airmass (dewpoints were in the low 70s across the region) led to torrential downpours. A few of the storms exhibited rotation, and one such storm produced sporadic wind damage across Cumberland County.
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 Jun 23, 1:58 PM EST, 59 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 258 PM EDT Fri Jun 23 2017 .SYNOPSIS... The combination of an approaching frontal system and the remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy will funnel a plume of deep tropical moisture into the region today and tonight. The cold front will push east across the region during the morning Saturday, followed by drier and cooler air with comfortable humidity that will last through much of next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Showers are becoming more numerous once again as the leading edge of the deep plume of tropical moisture begins to nose into western PA. Additionally on the southern edge of the clouds over the lower Susq Valley, temperatures have warmed into the 80s. Combined with dewpoints in the low to mid 70s, ML CAPEs have cooked up to between 500 and 1000J. Moderate to strong deep layer shear also is supporting a large area of EHI's over 1 m2s-2, with much of the lower Susq in excess of 2 m2s-2. So before the heavy rain threat evolves, we could be dealing with severe storms with the potential for supercells. SPC has expanded their Slight Risk to cover much of SRN PA as a result. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for much of southern PA. Analysis shows PWATs exceeding 2" (2-4 sigma) in a wide plume from the Louisiana Gulf Coast up into central PA, and moisture transport vectors indicate a continued advection of this tropical airmass into our region. With the convection starting to surge into the area, the remainder of the afternoon into the evening will just see an increase in the extent and intensity of the rain. QPF on the order of 1.00" to 2.50" looks reasonable with the usual embedded areas of higher amounts which could cause flooding. The most vulnerable area looks to be the Laurels where instability will combine with terrain bringing enhanced lift causing localized heavier amounts. As a result we have issued a Flash Flood Watch for our SWRN 4 counties. && .SHORT TERM /SATURDAY/... Conditions will improve rapidly Saturday morning as the deep moisture speeds eastward. NHC expects whatever is left of Cindy to be on the MD coast by 8AM so the best of the rain will be over with drier air sweeping in behind the departing low and cold front. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... Models have trended toward much better agreement with the evolution of the seasonably strong large scale upper trough over the Eastern U.S. A couple of shortwave impulses reflecting weak surface fronts or troughs will provide a limited/mainly diurnal opportunity for widely scattered showers/isolated low- topped thunderstorms Sunday-Tuesday. However, much of the this period will be pleasant and dry with below normal PW supporting low humidity and below normal temperatures relative to late June climatology. The trough is fcst to lift out and leave a more zonal pattern by the middle of the week, followed by a resurgence of the Southeast U.S. upper ridge. Models and ensembles show the ridge breaking down in the west as a trough shifts east across the Rockies into the Plains. Southerly flow increasing ahead of its attendant frontal system should result in an upward/warmer trend in temperatures accompanied by low level moisture/humidity. Expect max/min temps to get back to seasonal levels around midweek and likely reaching above normal levels by next Friday. && .AVIATION /19Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Widespread MVFR/IFR remains in place across central PA this aftn, as the remnants of TS Cindy make their way across the area. Showers are moving in from the west, some with locally heavy downpours and sudden reductions in vsby. Thunderstorms should develop as well, especially across srn PA where the sun has come out. Storms may contain gusty winds. Showers/storms will persist into this eve and tonight, with localized downpours remaining likely. This will result in significant reductions in both vsbys and cigs. Gradual improvement to VFR is expected area-wide on Saturday, as the system pulls east of the region. .OUTLOOK... Sat...Scattered restrictions in AM showers...otherwise becoming VFR. Sun...Mainly VFR. Mon-Tue...Mainly VFR, but with a chance of SHRA/TSRA. Tue-Wed...VFR. && .EQUIPMENT... KCCX radar will be offline for approximately 4 days starting Saturday, June 24th for technicians to install the first of 4 major service-life extension upgrades. The work on the radar has been scheduled to minimize potential impacts to operations and will be delayed if hazardous weather is forecast. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch from 6 PM EDT this evening through late tonight for PAZ024-025-033-034. && SYNOPSIS...La Corte NEAR TERM...La Corte SHORT TERM...La Corte LONG TERM...Steinbugl AVIATION...Evanego EQUIPMENT...Steinbugl
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service State College PA 222 PM EDT Fri Jun 23 2017 PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-037-041-042-045-046-049-051-053-241830- Warren-McKean-Potter-Elk-Cameron-Northern Clinton-Clearfield- Northern Centre-Southern Centre-Tioga-Northern Lycoming-Sullivan- Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-Union-Montour-Columbia- 222 PM EDT Fri Jun 23 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. Heavy rain may produce short-duration flooding in urban and poor drainage areas. Road closures are possible. Small streams and creeks are most susceptible to flooding. Strong to severe thunderstorms with gusty winds are possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. PAZ024-025-033-034-241830- Cambria-Blair-Somerset-Bedford- 222 PM EDT Fri Jun 23 2017 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 366 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and 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. Flash Flood Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. PAZ026>028-035-036-050-052-056>059-063>066-241830- Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata-Fulton-Franklin-Snyder-Northumberland- Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill-Lebanon-Cumberland-Adams-York-Lancaster- 222 PM EDT Fri Jun 23 2017 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 366 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and 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. Heavy rain may produce short-duration flooding in urban and poor drainage areas. Road closures are possible. Small streams and creeks are most susceptible to flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
218 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 2017
PAZ024-025-033-034-231845-
Bedford PA-Somerset PA-Blair PA-Cambria PA-
218 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 2017
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PARTS OF BEDFORD...SOMERSET...
BLAIR...AND CAMBRIA COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM EDT...
At 217 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated a strong thunderstorm over
Dale, moving east at 55 mph.
Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph are possible.
Locations impacted include...
Belmont, Johnstown, Windber, Westmont, Portage, Blue Knob State Park,
Salix-Beauty Line Park, Davidsville, Horseshoe Curve, Scalp Level,
Ski Gap, Dunlo, East Conemaugh, St. Michael, Lilly, South Fork,
Ehrenfeld, Queen, Paint and Gallitzin.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 4032 7903 4038 7898 4051 7846 4021 7847
4020 7909
TIME...MOT...LOC 1817Z 253DEG 46KT 4030 7891
EvanegoSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
329 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 2017
PAZ024-232000-
Cambria PA-
329 PM EDT FRI JUN 23 2017
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT PARTS OF CAMBRIA COUNTY UNTIL
400 PM EDT...
At 327 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated a strong thunderstorm near
East Conemaugh, moving east at 50 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible.
This strong thunderstorm will be near...
East Conemaugh and Daisytown around 330 PM EDT.
Nanty-Glo, Vinco and Belsano around 335 PM EDT.
Ehrenfeld, South Fork and St. Michael around 340 PM EDT.
Ebensburg and Portage around 345 PM EDT.
Sankertown, Cresson and Loretto around 350 PM EDT.
Gallitzin around 355 PM EDT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Very heavy rain is also occurring with this storm. When added to the
rainfall from today, this additional rain may lead to minor
flooding. Do not drive into water covering the roadway.
&&
LAT...LON 4036 7900 4052 7891 4063 7844 4060 7844
4056 7847 4051 7854 4037 7857 4034 7861
4029 7903 4031 7904
TIME...MOT...LOC 1927Z 256DEG 44KT 4041 7896
DangeloThe State College radar (KCCX), 103 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:56 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees sporadically across Cumberland County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, June 2017
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: 695585.