Tornadoes · United States · Pennsylvania · 2009
EF2 tornado, Bossardsville to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, July 29, 2009
From Bossardsville to Stroudsburg, this EF2 tornado ran 4.6 miles across Monroe County on July 29, 2009, touching down at 1:35 PM EDT and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody and injured 2, and did $1.0 million of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mphthis tornado
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- EF2
- Date
- July 29, 2009
- Touchdown
- 1:35 PM EDT (17:35 UTC)
- Lifted
- 1:44 PM EDT (17:44 UTC)
- On the ground
- 9 minutes
- Path length
- 4.6 miles (7.4 km)
- Path width
- 100 yards (91 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Property damage
- $1.0 million
- County
- Monroe County
- Touchdown point
- 40.930, -75.251
- Lift-off point
- 40.977, -75.188
- Record number
- 0907291135-01
What the Weather Service recorded
A warm front retreating to the north and a cold front approaching from the west produced strong to severe thunderstorms across eastern Pennsylvania during the afternoon of the 29th. One EF-2 tornado also occurred.
An EF-2 tornado with estimated maximum wind speeds of 120 mph touched down and affected Hamilton and Stroud Townships. The highest wind speeds and worst reported damage occurred on Middle Road in Hamilton Township and Stroudsmoor Road in Stroud Township. Two men were injured and about 10,000 homes and businesses lost power. Hundreds of trees were destroyed and at least 25 telephone poles had to be replaced. Power was not fully restored until the 31st. In Hamilton Township, two homes suffered roof damage and four large farm buildings and one garage were destroyed. In Stroud Township, one home lost its roof, two others had trees on their roofs and a section of a resort building lost its roof. This was the first reported tornado in Monroe County since July 1, 2001 and the first reported EF2 or F2 tornado in the county since October 5, 1979.||The tornado touched down southwest of Kemmertown Road in Hamilton Township before causing substantial damage to the Blakeslee Farm near the intersection of Middle and Blakeslee Roads. On Kemmertown Road, a downed tree damaged a porch at an assisted living facility. At the Blakeslee Farm, the tornado destroyed three barns and a garage shed and took the roof and attic off of the home. A 46-year-old man suffered facial and rib injuries and a 66-year-old man suffered a head injury as the garage shed collapsed. In addition to the property damage, the tornado damaged the corn, hay, wheat and oat crops on the farm. Thirty percent of the trees on the property were destroyed . ||The tornado then lifted, causing only relatively minor damage as it followed Middle Road into Stroud Township. However, more substantial damage again occurred from Larsens Lane northeast to Fox Run Road and Essig Lane. More damage occurred as the tornado crossed Stroudsmoor Road, where numerous trees were felled, and roof damage occurred to the Stroudsmoor Country Inn. A downed tree also damaged a home on Stroudsmoor Road. Another downed tree damaged a home on Pennsylvania State Route 191. The tornado lifted just before it moved over the intersections of Routes 191 and 611 (Foxtwon Hill Road) just south of Stroudsburg. The tornado was on the ground for about 4.6 miles and its maximum width was about 100 yards. Damage was estimated at 1 million dollars.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Jul 29, 1:15 PM EDT, 20 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 29, 1:15 PM EDT, 20 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
115 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009
.SYNOPSIS...
A WEAK COLD FRONT OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL DRIFT VERY
SLOWLY TO THE SOUTH AND EAST THROUGH TONIGHT BEFORE DISSIPATING
OVER PENNSYLVANIA. ANOTHER WEAK COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO COME
DOWN FROM THE NORTHWEST FRIDAY BEFORE STALLING TO THE SOUTH ON
SATURDAY AND THEN MOVING BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT SUNDAY AND
MONDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
YOU KNOW ITS NOT GOING TO BE A VERY GOOD DAY WHEN YOU ALREADY HEAR
STATIC ON THE AM RADIO ON YOUR DRIVE IN TO WORK AND THE WINDOWS OF
THE LOCAL COFFEE SHOP ARE ALL COVERED IN FOG AND DEW. THE LATEST
MSAS ANALYSIS ALREADY HAS A -6C BULLSEYE OVER PHL AND ILG ALREADY
AND WE ARE CLOUDY AND THERE ARE STILL MANY CLOUDS UPSTREAM.
LEAD SHORT WAVE IN SPITE OF CLOUDS HAS ALREADY CAUSED HAIL AS
LARGE AS PING PONG BALLS AND WIND DAMAGE FROM TWO STORMS IN
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE VERTICAL INTEGRATED LIQUID, VIL WENT OFF
OUR CHARTS.
LOOKING AT THE 12Z SOUNDING INFORMATION, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE
EASTERN SHORT WAVE AS DEPICTED BY THE GFS IS EITHER NOT THERE OR
WEAKER THAN IT IS FORECASTING. AC HAS DEVELOPED AROUND THE DC AREA
AND THIS MAY BE A REFLECTION OF IT. THE MORE EMPHATIC AND OBVIOUS
SHORT WAVES ARE CURRENTLY IN THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEY. THE
12Z SOUNDINGS HAVE A CONVECTIVE TEMP OF 88F. BASED ON THE LATTER
SHORT WAVES BEING MORE OF THE BIG DOG AND THE HIGHER CONVECTIVE
TEMP WE SLID THE ONSET OF HIGHER PCPN CHANCES BACK ABOUT 2-3HRS
FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WOULD GIVE US MORE TIME TO COOK THE AIR
MASS.
SPEAKING OF SOUTHERN SEVERE POTENTIAL, NOT MUCH CHANGE TO THE
PREVIOUS THINKING. THE SOUTHERN SHORT WAVES GENERATED
THUNDERSTORMS MAY CLOUD US OVER. THERE ARE STILL AC CLOUDS TO OUR
CW. BUT THE DAY IS LONG AND THE LLJ IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY. THE
HIGHEST DEW POINTS OF THE SUMMER WILL MAKE THE LCL RELATIVELY LOW
AND COUPLED WITH DECENT SHEAR (AROUND 30 KNOTS, PLUS FORECAST
SHARP INDEX EXCEEDING 300) WOULD INCLUDE A TORNADO THREAT IN THE
MIX ALONG WITH DAMAGING WIND POTENTIAL.
TEMPS ARE ALREADY IN THE MID 80S IN LOWER DELMARVA AND WE HAVE
BOOSTED MAX TEMPS ABOUT 1-2F (MORE IN DELMARVA) ACROSS OUR CWA.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/...
SHOWERS AND TSTMS SHOULD CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE
WEAKENING AND SLOWLY DISSIPATING LATE AT NIGHT AS ANY SHORT WAVES
ALOFT LIFT TO THE NE. ON THURSDAY, SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS
SHOULD DEVELOP MAINLY DURING THE AFTN AND EVENING BEFORE
DISSIPATING LATER THURSDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER, THEY DONT LOOK LIKE THE
WILL BE AS WIDESPREAD AS TODAY. SINCE WE DONT GET THE FRONT FROM
THE WEST MAKING IT INTO THE AREA, OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD STAY WARM
TONIGHT AND THURSDAY NIGHT WITH READINGS IN THE UPPER 60S TO MID
70S. HIGHS ON THURSDAY SHOULD BE MOSTLY IN THE 80S.
&&
.LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
5-WAVE MODEL GUIDANCE SHOWS A LONGWAVE TROUGH STILL ENTRENCHED OVER
THE REGION WITH THE BERMUDA HIGH COMPLACENTLY SITTING OFFSHORE
THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. AS RECENT PAST FORECASTS HAVE
POINTED OUT WITH THE STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE AREA CHANCE
POPS WILL OCCUR JUST ABOUT EVERY DAY. THERE WAS NOT A DRASTIC
CHANGE TO THE FORECAST DURING THE EXTENDED OTHER THAN MINOR TWEAKS
IN DAYTIME HIGHS AND CLOUD COVER.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG,
KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.
THE SOON TO BE ISSUED TAFS WILL BE KEYING ON THE NEXT SHORT WAVE
TO PRODUCED AN ORGANIZED AREA OF CONVECTION MAINLY DURING THE
EVENING HOURS. IFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE. PRIOR TO THAT DURING
THE AFTERNOON THE FIRST SHORT WAVE IS EXITING OUR NORTHERN
TERMINALS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RELATIVE LULL. CONVECTIVE
TEMPS ARE CLOSE TO BEING REACHED AND WIDELY SCATTERED CONVECTION
COULD OCCUR.
CONVECTION SHOULD WANE TONIGHT, BUT THE AIR SHOULD REMAIN HUMID
AND MOST LIKELY IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW CLOUDS AND OR FOG IS LIKELY
TO DEVELOP. CONDITIONS SHOULD BEGIN TO IMPROVE AGAIN AFTER
DAYBREAK THURSDAY WITH GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED DURING
THE REST OF THE DAY.
OUTLOOK...A SERIES OF WEAKENING COLD FRONTS SHOULD BRING ORGANIZED
CONVECTION AND MORE WIDESPREAD IFR OR MVFR CONDITIONS LATER FRIDAY
AND LATER SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. AROUND THOSE PERIODS MORE ISOLATED
OR WIDELY SCATTERED CONVECTION IS POSSIBLE, BUT THE IMPACT SHOULD
NOT BE WIDESPREAD IN EITHER TIME OR AREAL EXTENT.
&&
.MARINE...
WINDS AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN TO INCREASE IN ADVANCE OF THE
APPROACHING FRONT. GUIDANCE FORECASTS FOR THE OFFSHORE BUOYS ARE
MARGINAL IN TERMS OF WIND SPEEDS, WHILE WAVEWATCH GUIDANCE MOVES THE
SEAS FIRMLY INTO ADVISORY TERRITORY BY TONIGHT. GUIDANCE SEEMS TO
HAVE CONDITIONS BACKING DOWN BELOW ADVISORY CRITERIA DURING THE DAY
ON THURSDAY, AND WE WILL TRIM OFF A FEW HOURS FROM THE ADVISORY AND
END IT ON THE OCEAN AT NOON. OVER THE LOWER BAY, THE BEST CHANCE OF
ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL BE NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE BAY /INDICATIONS
FROM BRANDYWINE NOTWITHSTANDING/, AND WE WILL WORD IT THAT WAY IN
THE TEXT PRODUCT. IT REMAINS UP THERE FOR TONIGHT ONLY.
A CAVEAT IS THAT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE OVER THE WATERS TODAY
AND TONIGHT, AND THEY WOULD CREATE LOCALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS MAY RETURN FOR FRIDAY AND FRIDAY
NIGHT.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
AFTER DISCUSSING IT WITH OUR SENIOR SERVICE HYDROLOGIST PLUS LOOKING
AT THE LATEST FORECAST SOUNDING INFORMATION THAT RAISE PCPN WATER
VALUES TO OVER 2 INCHES AND VIEWING PCT OF NORMAL PCPN WATER VALUES
ON SATL IMAGERY THAT ARE NEARING 200 PCT OF NORMAL, WE HAVE DECIDED
TO ISSUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM SOUTHEASTERN PA INTO NORTHERN NJ.
THE LATEST MORNING HYDRO REPORTS SHOWED ADDITIONAL REGIONS THAT
RECEIVED HEAVY RAIN AND 1 HR FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE IS CURRENTLY LESS
THAN 1.5 INCHES ACROSS BASINS IN SOUTHERN BERKS, NORTHERN CHESTER, A
BIG CHUNK OF SOMERSET, EASTERN MORRIS AND NORTHWEST SUSSEX NJ
COUNTIES . THESE SHOULD BE VIEWED AS THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE AREAS
LEADING INTO THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHTS EVENT.
&&
.PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR PAZ060>062-067>071.
NJ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR NJZ001-007>010-012-
015.
DE...NONE.
MD...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EDT
THURSDAY FOR ANZ450>455.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EDT
THURSDAY FOR ANZ431.
&&
SYNOPSIS...STAUBER
NEAR TERM...GIGI/STAUBER
SHORT TERM...STAUBER
LONG TERM...HEAVENER
AVIATION...GIGI
MARINE...DELISI
HYDROLOGY...GIGIHazardous weather outlook, Jul 29, 1:30 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 NJZ001-007>010-012-015-PAZ061-062-069-301730- SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-MERCER-LEHIGH- NORTHAMPTON-BUCKS- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 634 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. FLASH FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABLILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. NJZ013-014-PAZ054-055-301730- WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-CARBON-MONROE- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 634 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW JERSEY AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABLILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ANZ450-301730- COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK TO MANASQUAN INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 634 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EDT THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. DEZ004-NJZ024>026-301730- DELAWARE BEACHES-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC- COASTAL OCEAN- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN DELAWARE AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY AFFECT THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN, GUSTY WINDS, AND SMALL HAIL WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. FLOODING IS POSSIBLE IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABLILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ANZ451>455-301730- COASTAL WATERS FROM MANASQUAN INLET TO LITTLE EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE EGG INLET TO GREAT EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM GREAT EGG INLET TO CAPE MAY NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE MAY NJ TO CAPE HENLOPEN DE OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EDT THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ANZ430-301730- DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DELAWARE BAY WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY AFFECT THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN, GUSTY WINDS, AND SMALL HAIL WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABLILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. ANZ431-301730- DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EDT THURSDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DELAWARE BAY WATERS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABLILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. DEZ001>003-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ016>023-027-301730- NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-CECIL-KENT MD-QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT- CAROLINE-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN- CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...NORTHERN DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY AFFECT THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN, GUSTY WINDS, AND SMALL HAIL WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. FLOODING IS POSSIBLE IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABLILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. PAZ060-067-068-070-071-301730- BERKS-CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA- 130 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLASH FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THE PROBABLILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jul 29, 1:32 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
132 PM EDT WED JUL 29 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1206 PM HAIL 4 N VALLEY FORGE 40.15N 75.48W
07/29/2009 M1.50 INCH MONTGOMERY PA TRAINED SPOTTER
PING PONG SIZE HAIL REPORT IN UPPER PROVIDENCE TWP
1233 PM HAIL JIM THORPE 40.87N 75.74W
07/29/2009 M1.00 INCH CARBON PA TRAINED SPOTTER
1233 PM TSTM WND DMG JIM THORPE 40.87N 75.74W
07/29/2009 CARBON PA TRAINED SPOTTER
TREES, POWER LINES, AND HIGH TENSION LINES DOWN
&&
KLINEThe air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD (KAPG), 12:00Z
5.6 hours before the tornado, 181 km from the path. July 29, 2009.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1577 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -35 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 1768 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 745 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 23 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 15 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 56 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 86 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.3
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 5.6 K/km
The surface observations
Mt Pocono (MPO), 25 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 131 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 17:35 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2009 tornado in PennsylvaniaEvery tornado in Pennsylvania since 1950Warnings in force in Pennsylvania nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of July 29, 2009
8 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 29 | 1:18 PM EDT | EF0 | Wyoming, PA | 0.1 | 45 | $10,000 | ||
| July 29 | 1:22 PM EDT | EF0 | Wyoming, PA | 0.2 | 65 | $5,000 | ||
| July 29 | 2:48 PM EDT | EF2 | Sussex, NJ | 6.6 | 100 | $800,000 | ||
| July 29 | 2:48 PM EDT | EF0 | Allegany, MD | 5.3 | 100 | |||
| July 29 | 3:05 PM EDT | EF0 | Orange, NY | 0.9 | 30 | $75,000 | ||
| July 29 | 3:29 PM EDT | EF0 | Allegany, MD | 0.8 | 50 | |||
| July 29 | 4:58 PM MDT | EF0 | Baca, CO | 0.2 | 50 | |||
| July 29 | 5:28 PM MDT | EF0 | Elbert, CO | 0.3 | 75 | $75,000 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.