Tornadoes · United States · Pennsylvania · 2017

EF0 tornado, Shartlesville, Pennsylvania, June 19, 2017

This EF0 tornado ran 2.1 miles across Berks County on June 19, 2017, touching down at 2:36 PM EDT and reaching 50 yards wide. It killed nobody.

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.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    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.

  4. 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.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. 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.

  7. 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
EF0
Date
June 19, 2017
Touchdown
2:36 PM EDT (18:36 UTC)
Lifted
2:38 PM EDT (18:38 UTC)
On the ground
2 minutes
Path length
2.1 miles (3.4 km)
Path width
50 yards (46 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Berks County
Touchdown point
40.510, -76.130
Lift-off point
40.540, -76.110
Record number
1706191236-01

What the Weather Service recorded

A complex of thunderstorms came through the region during the evening producing high winds and heavy rain. Wind damage occurred in several locations from the thunderstorms.

A storm survey found a damage path of trees that were located on|private property behind Mountain Springs Campground on the |southern slope of Blue Mountain. The most concentrated damage |consisted of several large hardwood trees that were uprooted and |snapped at a private residence off of nearby Mountain Road. The |direction of the felled trees exhibited a rotational pattern |consistent with tornadic damage. ||Geo-located damage photos from a trained storm spotter was used to|help estimate the beginning location of the tornado since the|NWS storm surveyor were unable to access the property. The|trained spotter observed tree damage just north of Interstate 78|adjacent near Campsite Road, Northkill Road and Forge Dam Road.||Additional video evidence of the tornado that was posted |on the Mount Holly, NJ Facebook page help confirm the tornado and |the general storm motion.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down.

The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch, issued at 15:15 UTC and running to 20:11 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
15:15 UTC20:11 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchPHI
16:00 UTC22:22 UTCFlash Flood WatchPHI
17:29 UTC21:30 UTCFlood AdvisoryPHI
18:08 UTC19:00 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHI
18:49 UTC19:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHI
19:08 UTC19:38 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHI
19:35 UTC22:30 UTCFlood AdvisoryPHI

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Enhanced Risk, with a 0.02 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 16:27 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

The 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.

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), 12:00Z

6.6 hours before the tornado, 207 km from the path. June 19, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2017-06-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 448 joules per kilogram, CIN -97, lifted condensation level 1049 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 2017-06-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 73 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 24 knots.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
448 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-97 J/kg
Surface CAPE
662 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1049 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
73 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
82 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2
0-3 km lapse rate
5.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), 00:00Z

5.4 hours after it, 207 km from the path. June 20, 2017.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Washington/Dulle, VA at 00:00Z on 2017-06-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 66 joules per kilogram, CIN -41, lifted condensation level 874 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Washington/Dulle, VA at 00:00Z on 2017-06-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -48 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 48 knots.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
66 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-41 J/kg
Surface CAPE
309 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
874 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-48 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
126 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
5.6 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Reading/Spaatz Field (RDG), 21 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
16:40 UTC170° 11 kt1008.5
16:45 UTC190° 12 kt1008.5
16:50 UTC180° 11 kt1008.1
16:54 UTC8673180° 15 kt231008.1
16:55 UTC180° 16 kt211008.1
17:00 UTC170° 16 kt1008.1
17:03 UTC8473180° 11 kt231007.8VCTS
17:05 UTC190° 11 kt1007.8
17:10 UTC8374180° 11 kt1007.8-TSRA
17:15 UTC170° 11 kt1007.5-RA
17:20 UTC210° 13 kt1008.1-RA
17:25 UTC240° 9 kt1008.1
17:30 UTC260° 4 kt1007.8
17:35 UTC180° 13 kt1007.5
17:37 UTC8674190° 15 kt211007.5VCTS
17:40 UTC170° 15 kt1007.5
17:45 UTC180° 14 kt1007.5
17:51 UTC87.873.4190° 16 kt281007.5
17:54 UTC8873190° 19 kt291007.5
18:45 UTC8573230° 18 kt271008.5VCTS
18:52 UTC75.269.8250° 25 kt361009.5-TSRA
18:54 UTC7269270° 23 kt361009.5-TSRA BR
18:56 UTC7169260° 29 kt481009.1+TSRA FG
19:06 UTC7069250° 11 kt221009.1-TSRA BR
19:08 UTC7069250° 8 kt1009.1-TSRA BR
19:15 UTC7069230° 6 kt1009.1+TSRA BR
19:40 UTC7169190° 6 kt1008.8VCTS -RA
19:54 UTC7170230° 5 kt1009.1
20:25 UTC7169200° 5 kt1009.8VCTS -RA

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 159 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 18:37 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.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
16:00 UTCFLASH FLOOD4 S ElizabethvilleDauphin, PABASEMENT WALL COLLAPSED DUE TO HEAVY RAIN
17:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 W LancasterLancaster, PATREES AND WIRES DOWN IN WARRINGTON TOWNSHIP
17:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ese MiddletownDauphin, PATREES AND WIRES DOWN ON RTE 283 WESTBOUND AT MM 10.2
17:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Ese HummelstownDauphin, PATREES AND WIIRES DOWN AT INTERSECTION OF HILLTOP AND SAND HILL ROADS
17:53 UTCTSTM WND DMGOakmontDauphin, PATREES AND WIRES DOWN
18:05 UTCTSTM WND DMGRingtownSchuylkill, PATREES DOWN
18:10 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 W CleonaLebanon, PATREES DOWN ON CARS
18:10 UTCTSTM WND DMGPort CarbonSchuylkill, PATREES DOWN
18:23 UTCTSTM WND DMGLebanonLebanon, PATREES DOWN
18:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGAnnvilleLebanon, PAMULTIPLE TREES DOWN ALONG ROUTE 422 BETWEEN LEBANON AND PALMYRA
18:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGEphrataLancaster, PATREE DOWN ON A HOUSE IN EPHRATA
18:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGStrausstownBerks, PASEVERAL TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
18:36 UTCTORNADO2 W ShartlesvilleBerks, PAEF-0 TORNADO WITH ESTIMATED 2.1 MILE LONG PATH ALONG SOUTHERN SLOPE OF BLUE MOUNTAIN
18:45 UTCTSTM WND DMGColebrookLebanon, PATREES AND WIRES DOWN ON MINE ROAD AND RTE 241 INTERSECTION
18:45 UTCTSTM WND DMGMount GretnaLebanon, PATREES AND LARGE LIMBS DOWN ON TIMBER AND HILLCREST
18:56 UTCTSTM WND GST 55Reading Regional AirporBerks, PA
19:12 UTCTSTM WND DMGLyon ValleyLehigh, PATREE AND BUILDING DAMAGE AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 100 AND LYON VALLEY ROAD
19:12 UTCTSTM WND DMGToptonBerks, PATREES SNAPPED AND UPROOTED.
19:14 UTCTSTM WND DMGLyon ValleyLehigh, PAWRECKED PATIO FURNITURE AND METAL FLASHING TORN FROM A ROOF ON CARPET ROAD
19:17 UTCTSTM WND DMGClaussvilleLehigh, PATREE AND BUILDING DAMAGE AT INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 100 AND KEARNSVILLE ROAD
19:18 UTCTSTM WND DMGFranklin TwpCarbon, PATREES DOWN AT ROUTE 209 AND CANAL STREET INTERSECTION.
19:18 UTCTSTM WND DMGSchnecksvilleLehigh, PADOWNED TREES AND WIRES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
19:39 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Wnw PerkiomenvilleMontgomery, PATWO FT DIAMETER TREES AND WIRES DOWN ON SNYDER AND HAUCK ROAD

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2017 tornado in PennsylvaniaEvery tornado in Pennsylvania since 1950Warnings in force in Pennsylvania nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of June 19, 2017

5 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
June 1912:20 PM EDTEF0Bradford, PA1.1250$50,000
June 193:49 PM EDTEF0Montgomery, MD0.2100
June 195:52 PM EDTEF0Clarion, PA0.860$15,000
June 195:52 PM EDTEF0Clarion, PA0.860$20,000
June 197:15 PM EDTEF0Sussex, DE0.6200

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.