Scattered thunderstorms developed well ahead of an approaching cold front, in a warm and very muggy airmass (high CAPE / low shear) over central Pennsylvania. Several of the storms produced sporadic wind damage and heavy rain.
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.
Scattered thunderstorms developed well ahead of an approaching cold front, in a warm and very muggy airmass (high CAPE / low shear) over central Pennsylvania. Several of the storms produced sporadic wind damage and heavy rain.
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 Jul 6, 11:23 AM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 1223 PM EDT Sat Jul 6 2019 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front over Lake Erie at midday will drift slowly southeast across the state this afternoon and tonight, reaching close to the MD border by sunrise Sunday. Locally heavy rain and gusty winds are expected from thunderstorms developing ahead of this frontal boundary this afternoon and evening. The cold front will move only slowly southward on Sunday and Monday. The air will dry out noticeably over the northern half of the state on Sunday, but still feel a little humid in the south. High pressure centered to our north will continue to bring in drier air in for the first half of the week. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT/... Radar beginning to gradually light up in the heat of the midday across the favored east slopes of the Pocono Plateau in Eastern PA, and more recently along the Lake Erie Breeze boundary just southeast of Interstate 90. Over the Bulk of Central PA and the Susq Valley, a weak mid level thermal ridge and earlier fog/low stratus was helping to suppress convection for now. However, SB Cape of over 3000 j/kg was advecting into central PA from the west ATTM. Very high PWAT air averaging 1.75 to 2 inches across the CWA will help fuel the TSRA with enough juice to bring the potential for locally torrential rain over over 2 inches within just a 30 minute period where some temporary training occurs. FFG values on the 1-3 hour timeframe are 1.5 to 2 inches across portions of our Western and NW Mtns while guidance is near or over 3 inches across much of the Central mtns and Susq Valley, so there's less of a flash flooding concern there. Flash Flood Watch was issued in collaboration with surrounding WFOs to include the Laurels and NW mtns through 04Z Sunday. SPC MRGL risk also has been carried forward to Day 1. Freezing level is around 13-15KFT AGL so large hail is not a significant threat, but localized wet microburts could occur beneath the collapsing taller cores in the TSRA, especially across the north where 0-3km bulk shear will be somewhat stronger at 25-30 kts. Heat index gets into the 90s in the SE half of the area, with temps in the u80s again. The NW will have that early convection which will likely hold their temps down until late aftn when they should poke up to around 80F. && .SHORT TERM /MIDNIGHT THROUGH 6 PM SUNDAY/... By sunset, the storms should be drifting to the south of UNV- IPT. As usual, the SE will storms last a little longer into the night with the sfc front/trough and some lift ongoing at sunset. But, the convection will become less numerous as we approach midnight. The drier air will lag a little behind the back of the main batch of convection. There will probably be some showers over the nrn mtns as the real push of dry air goes through in the late evening and early night. The dewpoints and PWATs should begin to fall off gradually - but only for the north tonight. The dry air will have trouble getting down to the Turnpike as the front hangs up just to the south of the state on Sunday and perhaps into Monday. Thus, a revival of isold/sct convection is expected for the srn two tiers of counties Sun aftn. These will be poorly organized, and not all that deep. They will die off as evening craws closer. Mins tonight will drop back close to 60F in the nrn tier, but hang in the 70s in the S. More sun in the north (after some fog) should help temps get back to the u70s on Sunday, and most other places will be back into the 80s. Can't shake summer that easily. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... Drier air will gradually slip southward into the area, with the 12z GEFS showing PWATs dropping to -1SD below normal across nrn PA Sunday into Monday. However, the cold front could get hung up just south of the region, which would maintain a low chance for aftn SHRA/TSRA across srn PA for Monday. As is often the case in July, the higher humidity never makes it very far to our south and it will gradually return northward into central PA later next week. Along with increasing humidity will come the potential for diurnal convection. && .AVIATION /16Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected to develop during the afternoon and evening in advance of a cold front pushing southeast from the eastern Great Lakes. Locally heavy downpours will produce brief IFR/LIFR vis and strong wind gusts. Lingering showers/storms should fade into tonight with a general drying trend from north to south expected into Sunday. A light wind should preclude fog formation in most areas but some patchy low clouds are possible especially over the far southwest airspace. .Outlook... Sun...Isolated PM t-storms possible srn 1/4. Mon...AM valley fog nrn 1/2. Isolated PM t-storms possible srn 1/3. Tue...Isolated PM t-storms possible srn 1/3. Wed...Isolated PM t-storms possible wrn 1/3. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch through this evening for PAZ004-005-010-017- 024-025-033-034. && SYNOPSIS...Lambert NEAR TERM...Lambert SHORT TERM...Dangelo LONG TERM...Evanego AVIATION...Lambert/Steinbugl
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 1201 PM EDT Sat Jul 6 2019 PAZ006-011-012-018-019-026>028-035>037-041-042-045-046-049>053- 056>059-063>066-071615- Potter-Cameron-Northern Clinton-Northern Centre-Southern Centre- Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata-Fulton-Franklin-Tioga-Northern Lycoming- Sullivan-Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-Union-Snyder-Montour- Northumberland-Columbia-Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill-Lebanon-Cumberland- Adams-York-Lancaster- 1201 PM EDT Sat Jul 6 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Strong to severe thunderstorms with gusty winds are possible from around 2 pm into the evening. Also, very heavy rainfall is possible and could lead to flash flooding, especially in locations which have received heavy rain in the past two days. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. PAZ004-005-010-017-024-025-033-034-071615- Warren-McKean-Elk-Clearfield-Cambria-Blair-Somerset-Bedford- 1201 PM EDT Sat Jul 6 2019 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH 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. Flash Flood Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. 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
1129 AM EDT Sat Jul 6 2019
PAZ058-061615-
Schuylkill PA-
1129 AM EDT Sat Jul 6 2019
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PARTS OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY UNTIL
1215 PM EDT...
At 1127 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated strong thunderstorms along a
line extending from New Mahoning to near Snyders. Movement was
to the east southeast at 20 mph.
Brief wind gusts between 40 and 50 mph and pea size hail are
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Snyders.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Minor flooding may develop. Do not drive into water covering the
roadway.
If on or near ab area lake, get out of the water and move indoors or
inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning can strike out to 10 miles
from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are close
enough to be struck by lightning. Move to safe shelter now! Do not
be caught on the water in a thunderstorm.
&&
LAT...LON 4070 7581 4068 7587 4075 7601 4082 7589
4073 7576
TIME...MOT...LOC 1527Z 290DEG 17KT 4079 7580 4076 7591
LambertPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1236 PM EDT SAT JUL 06 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM HEAVY RAIN JERSEY SHORE 41.20N 77.27W
07/05/2019 M1.91 INCH LYCOMING PA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
EVENT NUMBER CTP1901510
TRAVISSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
128 PM EDT Sat Jul 6 2019
PAZ004-005-061830-
McKean PA-Warren PA-
128 PM EDT Sat Jul 6 2019
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PARTS OF WARREN AND MCKEAN
COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM EDT...
At 126 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated strong thunderstorms along a
line extending from 6 miles north of Scandia to near Youngsville to
near Grand Valley. Movement was east at 25 mph.
Torrential rain of 1 to 2 inches is expected.
Localized wind gusts 40 to 50 mph and pea size hail are possible.
Locations impacted include...
Warren, Bradford, Allegany State Park, Sheffield, Youngsville,
Russell, Scandia, Ludlow, Marshburg, Grand Valley, Warren South,
Garland, Kinzua Dam, Chapman State Park, Tidioute, Lewis Run,
Starbrick, Clarendon and University Of Pittsburgh - Bradford.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Minor flooding may develop. Do not drive into water covering the
roadway.
If on or near an area lake, get out of the water and move indoors or
inside a vehicle. Remember, lightning can strike out to 10 miles
from the parent thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are close
enough to be struck by lightning. Move to safe shelter now! Do not
be caught on the water in a thunderstorm. Persons in campgrounds
should consider seeking sturdy shelter until these storms pass.
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional
information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 4180 7961 4182 7959 4194 7939 4200 7920
4200 7837 4162 7913 4163 7925 4171 7962
TIME...MOT...LOC 1726Z 281DEG 20KT 4200 7900 4189 7929 4176 7955
LambertThe Buffalo radar (KBUF), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:40 UTC.
17 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and wires near Scandia.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees in DuBois.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees in Union Township.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees near Route 949 in Cherry Tree Flats.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees in Pine Township.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees near Keating. One of the trees fell onto two kayakers who has pulled ashore when the storm approached. The kayakers were transported to a nearby hospital, and one passed away.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree onto a vehicle in Renovo.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down a tree onto wires in Unionville.
A thunderstorm produced penny-sized hail in Loganton.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and wires onto Roxbury Avenue in Johnstown.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees and wires onto Reed Road in Rush Township.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees adn wires in Hegins.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees in Roxbury.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees in North Londonderry Township.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees in Susquehanna Township.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees in Middle Paxton Township.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down multiple trees in the Hershey area.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down wires along Green Acre Road in Warwick Township.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind, Clinton | 2019-07-06 | Male | Under Tree | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, July 2019
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: 842175, 842177, 842180, 842184, 842186, 840991, 842294, 842295, 842150, 842317, 842320, 842323, 842332, 842562, 842565, 842566, 842567, 842568.