A cluster of thunderstorms pushed from northwest to southeast across central Pennsylvania in a moderate CAPE, moderate shear environment during the afternoon and early evening hours of August 28, 2020. This cluster of storms produced sporadic wind damage along it's path.
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 cluster of thunderstorms pushed from northwest to southeast across central Pennsylvania in a moderate CAPE, moderate shear environment during the afternoon and early evening hours of August 28, 2020. This cluster of storms produced sporadic wind damage along it's path.
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 Aug 28, 10:30 AM EST, 0 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 1130 AM EDT Fri Aug 28 2020 .SYNOPSIS... Showers and thunderstorms are on tap again today, and cloud cover may keep it much cooler than the past few days. Rain is again likely on Saturday, as the remnants of Laura track just south of Pennsylvania. Some of the rainfall could be on the heavy side. A cooler and drier/less humid airmass will prevail Sunday and Monday. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... Convection ramping up early today with severe and FF threats evolving east-southeast across south central PA. CAMs are bullish in upstream storm clusters located just over wrn PA just south of I-80 at 15Z to become more widespread as they encounter a gradually destabilizing airmass. Vis sat loop shows cloud cover which may be a limiting factor for storm intensification across the Laurels into the southern Alleghenies. A severe thunderstorm watch is possible (60% probability) for southeast PA and perhaps adjacent parts of central PA and MD/DE/NJ. A Slight Risk will likely be included for remaining portions of south central PA in the upcoming 1630z convective outlook. Some convective training appears likely based on radar trends with rainfall rates 1-2 inch per hour. FFG is very high to the east of the Allegheny Front owing to ongoing moderate drought conditions, but parts of the Laurel Highlands are most vulnerable to potential flooding. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM SATURDAY/... There may be a short lull in the convection tonight, but the latest 06Z NAM generates more storms through the night. Any break won't be long as a cold front will approach right as the remnant low of Laura rolls by just to our south. The shear increases significantly from Friday as the long-wave trough swings down from central Canada. The attendant front will pass through the NW in the morning, and we may not have ample time to brew up sufficient instability to get things firing on all cylinders there. But, SPC has the SErn counties in a SLGT risk for Sat, and MRGL for most of the rest of the area. Expect more heavy rain from some of the storms, but they should be moving with some steam. After a few days of rain, the soil may be less able to soak in the rain, and minor flooding is again possible. The convection should be off to the east in the early evening, and leave a quiet rest of the weekend as high pressure builds in. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Little change in the extended tonight...populated with NBM and blended with surrounding offices for Laura's remnants. Behind the front and Laura, much cooler air will move into the region late this weekend and into next week. Expect high temps to be more in the 70s and lower 80s with low humidity. High pressure will lead to generally dry weather Sunday and Monday, although it may be cool enough aloft on Sunday for some lake effect rain showers to form off of Lake Erie which could move into the northern tier of PA. High pressure will drift eastward Monday with southerly flow developing across the region. This flow will bring an uptick in moisture for Tuesday and Wednesday leading to the chance for showers or thunderstorms each afternoon. && .AVIATION /15Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... A few storms still lingering in SW PA will affect JST and AOO through 08z. Then low clouds and some fog will develop over mainly the NW half of CWA overnight, bringing restrictions that will linger well into Fri morning over the NW Mtns. More showers likely to develop across the west late Friday morning, with showers/scattered tstms working eastward later in the day. A wet day expected on Saturday, as a strong cold front nears. Outlook... Fri...AM low cigs possible wrn highlands. Sct PM tsra impacts. Sat...Widespread showers and reductions are expected. Sun-Tue...Generally VFR w/ no sig wx expected. && .CLIMATE... Summer 2020 is on track for the warmest on record at Harrisburg with an average temperature of 78.1F month-to-date. August 2020 currently ranks 2nd warmest on record with an average temperature of 78.7F. 2016 holds the top spot coming in at 79.1F. Harrisburg has reached 90 degrees or higher 35 times since June 1st, including 1 day at 100F. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SYNOPSIS...Dangelo NEAR TERM...Steinbugl SHORT TERM...Dangelo LONG TERM...DeVoir/Travis AVIATION...RXR/Banghoff CLIMATE...Steinbugl/Travis
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 419 AM EDT Fri Aug 28 2020 PAZ006-012-019-026>028-035>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-056-063-064- 290830- Potter-Northern Clinton-Southern Centre-Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata- Fulton-Franklin-Tioga-Northern Lycoming-Sullivan-Southern Clinton- Southern Lycoming-Union-Snyder-Montour-Northumberland-Columbia-Perry- Cumberland-Adams- 419 AM EDT Fri Aug 28 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Strong to severe thunderstorms with gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall are possible, mainly late this morning and this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Strong to severe thunderstorms with gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall are possible on Saturday afternoon. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. PAZ004-005-010-011-017-018-024-025-033-034-290830- Warren-McKean-Elk-Cameron-Clearfield-Northern Centre-Cambria-Blair- Somerset-Bedford- 419 AM EDT Fri Aug 28 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds 60 mph or greater and large hail exceeding 1 inch in diameter are possible today. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Locally heavy rainfall is possible on Saturday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. PAZ057>059-065-066-290830- Dauphin-Schuylkill-Lebanon-York-Lancaster- 419 AM EDT Fri Aug 28 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Strong to severe thunderstorms with gusty winds, small hail, and locally heavy rainfall are possible this afternoon and early this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds 60 mph or greater and large hail exceeding 1 inch in diameter are possible on Saturday, mainly in the afternoon and evening hours. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
814 AM EDT FRI AUG 28 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 ESE SHUNK 41.55N 76.73W
08/27/2020 SULLIVAN PA PUBLIC
10-15 TREES DOWN EAST OF SHUNK.
&&
SDTSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
1100 AM EDT Fri Aug 28 2020
PAZ017-281545-
Clearfield-
1100 AM EDT Fri Aug 28 2020
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN CLEARFIELD
COUNTY...
At 1059 AM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Punxsutawney,
moving east at 35 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Curwensville, Irvona, Coalport, Westover, Mahaffey, Grampian,
Troutville, Burnside, Glen Hope, Lumber City and New Washington.
LAT...LON 4103 7880 4095 7840 4072 7851 4072 7878
4073 7881
TIME...MOT...LOC 1459Z 290DEG 32KT 4095 7901
SteinbuglThe State College radar (KCCX), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:32 UTC.
17 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A thunderstorm produced a lightning strike that caused a house fire on Nathan Lane in DuBois.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down several trees across the Johnstown area.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down half a dozen trees at Greenwood Furnace State Park.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires near Mill Creek.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph snapped power poles along Route 26 south of Pine Grove Mills.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down around a dozen trees and produced some property damage near Richvale.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down tree limbs and wires along Mountain Road to the east of Sunnyside.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees in Saville and Juniata townships.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires in Kulpmont.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires east of Walnut Bottom.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires east of Chambersburg.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires south of New Franklin.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires near Myerstown.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires south of Myerstown.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires southeast of Jonestown.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires on Golf Course Road near Dillsburg.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees onto wires northeast of New Oxford.
A severe thunderstorm producing winds estimated near 60 mph knocked down trees, wires and poles in Martic and New Providence townships.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, August 2020
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: 915906, 915958, 915959, 915960, 915961, 915962, 916002, 916001, 916003, 916004, 916005, 916006, 916007, 916008, 916009, 916010, 916011, 916012.