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Central PA and the fringes - Spring


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This will do nicely for the drought. I can see a few good wind reports from the linear development of the thunderstorms, but the lack of good mid level shear will be hard pressed to sustain anything very good for the region. Lots of warnings with minimal severe characteristics most likely the main concern. The rain to me will be the most important.

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Guys keep my family in your thoughts. Brother's house has been flooded out in Houston, and my parents are on a cruise currently but I think the parking lot they left their car at is flooded so might not have a car when they get back to Galveston.

Hope everything turns out okay Canderson. Been a complete mess down there.
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Guys keep my family in your thoughts. Brother's house has been flooded out in Houston, and my parents are on a cruise currently but I think the parking lot they left their car at is flooded so might not have a car when they get back to Galveston. 

 damn, i was wondering how your family was making out down there. hope all turns out well.

 

Quite heavy rain and a little thunder here. 

 it has been pouring almost non-stop it seems since around 1220

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The 30th anniversary of this outbreak coming up soon.

 

iUnBeYb.jpg

 

This year marks the 30th anniversary of May 31st 1985 tornado outbreak that affected parts of Ohio (OH), Pennsylvania (PA) and Western New York (WNY) producing 43 tornadoes.  This event was fueled by a very unstable atmosphere favorable for tornadic activity as storms formed along and ahead of a potent late spring cold front. Tornado activity across WNY was confined to Southern Chautauqua County with multiple reports of large hail and wind damage all across WNY with the frontal passage. A total of two tornadoes were produced as the cold front swept across WNY producing an F3 and F4 and were part of the worst outbreak in this area since 1944.

     The National Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City, Missouri (now the Storm Prediction Center (SPC)) issued Tornado Watch #211 prior to the severe weather outbreak across the region. Later that evening, the first of the two tornadoes (F4) entered Chautauqua County. The tornado passed by to the south of the town of Clymer and then moved northeast before dissipating near Panama, NY. This tornado covered a total of 28 miles with most of the significant damage occurring towards the end of the path. The tornado had winds in excess of 200 mph at times as it traveled across the area. Along its path, this tornado averaged 250 yards wide and briefly expanded to a quarter mile wide as it moved over the rough terrain of Chautauqua County.  The second tornado (F3) formed near Busti, NY and moved northeast before dissipating near the town of Poland.

     Eye witness accounts of the tornado detailed several smaller vortices circling about the main funnel. There were multiple accounts noting an anticyclonic rotation (clockwise). Damage from the tornado was estimated at over 3 million dollars to structures, excluding the damages to vehicles, livestock, a church (which was reduced to rubble), several businesses and personal property. In addition, thousands of trees were destroyed. There were no deaths associated with this tornado outbreak in WNY but there were several injuries.

     Following the tornado several eyewitness reported some interesting accounts and stories:

  • Report of U.S Government Saving Bonds falling from the sky in Olean, NY (Cattaraugus County) with an Ohio address.

  • Papers from Albion, PA falling over Bemus Point on Chautauqua Lake.

  • Tree debris (leaves) falling out of the sky over Jamestown, NY.

              

     The National Weather Service (NWS) in Buffalo, NY used radar, spotter reports and upstream tornado history to issued timely warnings.  During the course of the evening hours, 7 additional warnings were issued across Buffalo’s area of responsibility. Numerous reports of large hail (up to 2 inches), high winds, down trees, and power lines were also reported. It was noted that at least 90% of those that were interviewed during the storm survey heard either the Watch or Warning issued by the NWS.

–One individual in the hard hit village of Busti stated: the warning may have saved her life and her children because they knew it was coming and took shelter in the interior room. Furthermore, she stated that the low injury and zero deaths might largely be due to the advanced warning!

 

http://www.weather.gov/buf/TornadoOutbreak_May311985

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The 30th anniversary of this outbreak coming up soon.

 

iUnBeYb.jpg

 

This year marks the 30th anniversary of May 31st 1985 tornado outbreak that affected parts of Ohio (OH), Pennsylvania (PA) and Western New York (WNY) producing 43 tornadoes.  This event was fueled by a very unstable atmosphere favorable for tornadic activity as storms formed along and ahead of a potent late spring cold front. Tornado activity across WNY was confined to Southern Chautauqua County with multiple reports of large hail and wind damage all across WNY with the frontal passage. A total of two tornadoes were produced as the cold front swept across WNY producing an F3 and F4 and were part of the worst outbreak in this area since 1944.

     The National Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City, Missouri (now the Storm Prediction Center (SPC)) issued Tornado Watch #211 prior to the severe weather outbreak across the region. Later that evening, the first of the two tornadoes (F4) entered Chautauqua County. The tornado passed by to the south of the town of Clymer and then moved northeast before dissipating near Panama, NY. This tornado covered a total of 28 miles with most of the significant damage occurring towards the end of the path. The tornado had winds in excess of 200 mph at times as it traveled across the area. Along its path, this tornado averaged 250 yards wide and briefly expanded to a quarter mile wide as it moved over the rough terrain of Chautauqua County.  The second tornado (F3) formed near Busti, NY and moved northeast before dissipating near the town of Poland.

     Eye witness accounts of the tornado detailed several smaller vortices circling about the main funnel. There were multiple accounts noting an anticyclonic rotation (clockwise). Damage from the tornado was estimated at over 3 million dollars to structures, excluding the damages to vehicles, livestock, a church (which was reduced to rubble), several businesses and personal property. In addition, thousands of trees were destroyed. There were no deaths associated with this tornado outbreak in WNY but there were several injuries.

     Following the tornado several eyewitness reported some interesting accounts and stories:

  • Report of U.S Government Saving Bonds falling from the sky in Olean, NY (Cattaraugus County) with an Ohio address.

  • Papers from Albion, PA falling over Bemus Point on Chautauqua Lake.

  • Tree debris (leaves) falling out of the sky over Jamestown, NY.

              

     The National Weather Service (NWS) in Buffalo, NY used radar, spotter reports and upstream tornado history to issued timely warnings.  During the course of the evening hours, 7 additional warnings were issued across Buffalo’s area of responsibility. Numerous reports of large hail (up to 2 inches), high winds, down trees, and power lines were also reported. It was noted that at least 90% of those that were interviewed during the storm survey heard either the Watch or Warning issued by the NWS.

–One individual in the hard hit village of Busti stated: the warning may have saved her life and her children because they knew it was coming and took shelter in the interior room. Furthermore, she stated that the low injury and zero deaths might largely be due to the advanced warning!

 

http://www.weather.gov/buf/TornadoOutbreak_May311985

I drove through the damage swath of the long F4 in Central PA yesterday.  It's getting harder to tell where it passed through, but there is a noticeable change from mature forest to a strip of dense, smaller trees right near the Clearfield/Cameron County lines where everything was leveled. It's fortunate that tornado did not form farther south and run through DuBois, Clearfield, or State College.

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Going to be interesting to see where we land in the top 5 warmest Mays.

 

1)66.1 (1944)

2)65.8 (1911/2015 [through 29 May])

3)65.7 (1991)

4)65.0 (2012)

5)64.9 (1975)

 

With current forecasts, top 3 appears to be a lock. Might be able to push to #2 depending on where we land tomorrow. Sunday looks too cool to allow us a push to #1.

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Going to be interesting to see where we land in the top 5 warmest Mays.

 

1)66.2 (2015; through 30 May)

2)66.1 (1944)

3)65.8 (1911)

4)65.7 (1991)

5)65.0 (2012)

OUT - 64.9 (1975)

 

With current forecasts, top 3 appears to be a lock. Might be able to push to #2 depending on where we land tomorrow. Sunday looks too cool to allow us a push to #1.

Updated. We clocked in well-above normal yesterday with a mean temperature that was +14 for the day and thus pushed our monthly mean over the top. As of this morning, the observed low is 70, which is already a +18. The high, however, looks to not be so much above normal thanks to clouds/rain that will lurk all day. We'll see where the low lands and that may decide if we've got #1 or not.

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Every one of these cells has split the metro HBG and Lancaster area. Ha.

Tomorrow we should get a decent soaking rain, I hope.

Even though our rains have been very intermittent, we are really fortunate compared to our neighbors in eastern Pennsylvania. My station is clocking in with almost 4.00" for the month of May in comparison to parts of Berks and Chester with less than 1"

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