Central Atlantic Storm Investigators - Severe Thunderstorms / Tornados of May 31, 1998

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Central Atlantic Storm Investigators

Severe Thunderstorms / Tornadoes of May 31, 1998 in NY and PA

A large number of Severe Thunderstorms and Tornadoes tore through PA and NY on May 31, 1998.

Storm History : Weather Text and Graphics

Radar / Lightning / SPC / Satellite / Text

CASI Member Reports

Lightning Pictures from PA!

Other Reports
Tornado Passes By KALB (Albany Airport)

Weather Graphics:

Early estimations by SPC pegged PA/NY in a Slight Risk on the Day 2 Graphic
Next Update this changed to a Moderate Risk for the Day 2 Graphic, as shown here by the COD Composite SPC Graphic.
24 Hours Before the event, at 1:41pm Saturday, NWS CTP was warning of the danger with this Special Weather Statement
SPC Shows HIGH RISK For PA/NY! This is very rare on the East Coast. The area they indicated turned out to be very close to where the action occurred though not so far South. CASI HQ was in the High Risk but eventually only received a couple small storms. See also Day 1 Text.
TWC echos HIGH RISK FOR PA/NY. Theirs is more NY-centric which actually ended up being about right.
Earthwatch, in their typical conservative fashion, shows a Moderate Risk for the area.
SPC's Risk from 5/31 was drawn more southerly than the previous one, as shown by the COD Composite SPC Chart.
At 10:30 AM, the SPC issued a PWO Message. These are only issued for days with significant severe weather events likely.
By Sunday Afternoon, All PA/NY NWS Offices are on alert and issuing statements about the ensuing severe weather. Read all PA-affected offices statements here.
At 11am, Dewpoint Chart shows >70 in Eastern PA
At Noon, Dewpoints are already in the 70's in much of PA.
ALBany Sounding shows impressive Showalter, TT, K Index at 12z.
PITtsburgh Sounding not as impressive, as would be expected per the Risk Area.
850mb Chart shows a Low-Level Jet poised to the west of the Risk Area at 12z.
12:23pm - Radar and Storm Info Table shows the action already happening in NW PA and heading East. 66dbZ and hail with the large storm.
Very high VIL (68) from the same shot confirms probably Hail in the large storm in NW PA.
3PM - SPC Issued a Mesoscale Discussion for the area.
Radar Summary from 5:15pm shows TVS in mid-NY.
CASI Weather Station Capture shows Lots-O-Lightning being detected at 6:30pm. Also gives a summary of the day up to that point at HQ.
At 2245Z (6:45pm) the number of Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm Watches blanketing the Northeast is unprecedented.
Radar Summary from 6:45pm is covered with Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm Watches, MESO and HAIL detections.
Satellite at 6:45pm shows the action, some of which is near HQ.
Radar Summary from 7pm shows that the NE is the only action in the nation.
PA Lightning detection shots from Jesse Ferrell's Live Storm Investigation - 2000-2100, 2020-2120 (PA/NY), and 2100-2200.
1-Hour Lightning (unknown time, probably 10pm) for the US shows the action in the NE.

CASI Member Reports:

Other Reports:

Philadelphia PA #1 Alan Teitleman
Philadelphia PA #2 Alan Teitleman

Tornado Passes by KALB (Albany Airport)

At 4:46pm on May 31, an event that is rare for any place, especially for the Northeast, occurred: A Tornado passed by the KALB Airport and was close enough that it had to be reported on the Weather Observations. The scariest ob: "Tornado Northeast; Movement Unknown." Here are the raw METARs from that fateful evening:

KALB 312040Z 32048G71KT 310V020 1 1/2SM TSRA SQ FEW020 OVC045 23/21 A2952 RMK AO2 PK WND 32071/2040 TSB17RAB17 PRESRR OCNL LTGCG OHD TS OHD MOV E P0006 0= KALB 312046Z 27012G71KT 250V320 1/2SM +FC TSRA SQ FEW001 SCT021 OVC033 20/17 A2958 RMK FUNNEL CLOUD B45 AO2 PK WND 32071/2040 TSB17RAB17 PRESRR FRQ LTGCG OHD TS OHD MOV E P0040= KALB 312056Z 23014G60KT 1SM +FC TSRA SQ SCT001 OVC022 17/17 A2962 RMK FUNNEL CLOUD B45 AO2 PK WND 32071/2040 WSHFT 2035 TSB17RAB17 PRESRR SLP028 TORNADO NE MOV UNKNWN FRQ LTGCG OHD TS OHD MOV E P0088 60088 T01720172= KALB 312058Z 22019G60KT 1SM TSRA SQ BR SCT001 OVC025 18/17 A2963 RMK FUNNEL CLOUD E57 AO2 WSHFT 2042 PRESRR P0000= KALB 312106Z 21011G24KT 5SM TSRA BR FEW001 SCT022 OVC030 19/17 A2954 RMK FUNNEL CLOUD E2057 AO2 WSHFT 2042 PRESRR $= KALB 312122Z 18012KT 10SM BKN039 19/16 A2950 RMK FUNNEL CLOUD E2057 AO2 WSHFT 2042 TSE16RAE22 PRESRR TS IN THE VICINITY OCNL LTGCG IN VICINITY $=

Decoded for the layperson, the above observations of note are:

Albany Airport, 4:40PM - Wind Northwest at 55mph, gusting to 82mph. Thunderstorm with Rain. Squalls. Pressure Rising Rapidly. Occasional Lightning Cloud to Ground Overhead, Thunderstorm Overhead Moving East.
Albany Airport, 4:46PM - Wind Northwest at 14mph, gusting to 82mph. Funnel Cloud. Thunderstorm with rain. Squalls. Remarks: Funnel Cloud began at :45. Pressure Rising Rapidly. Frequent Lightning Cloud to Ground Overhead, Thunderstorm Overhead Moving East.
Albany Airport, 4:56PM - Wind Northwest at 16mph, gusting to 69mph. Funnel Cloud. Thunderstorm with Rain. Squalls. Remarks: Pressure Rising Rapidly. Tornado to the Northeast, Movement Unknown. Frequent Lightning Cloud to Ground Overhead, Thunderstorm Overhead Moving Northeast.
Albany Airport, 4:58PM - Wind Northwest at 22mph, gusting to 69mph. Thunderstorm with Rain. Squalls. Remarks: Funnel Cloud ended at :57. Wind Shift at 4:42PM. Pressure Rising Rapidly.

Click HERE for a file of the above obs, in Raw, Decoded, and Plain Language format.