National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

• Home
• Site Map
• News
• Organization
• Search for: NWS All NOAA 

000
NOUS41 KCTP 151020
PNSCTP
PAZ004>006-010>012-017>019-024>028-033>037-041-042-045-046-
049>053-056>059-063>066-160400-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
620 AM EDT Mon Apr 15 2024

...PENNSYLVANIA SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...

This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Pennsylvania.

Now is the time to prepare for the upcoming severe weather
season. We will be covering various topics about severe weather
safety and preparedness throughout the week.

Our topic for today is Severe Thunderstorms.

We will cover what classifies a thunderstorm as severe, and what
the differences are between a Severe Thunderstorm Watch and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning. We will also give you information on
what to do when a watch or warning is issued for your area.

What is a severe thunderstorm?

A thunderstorm is considered severe if it produces wind gusts of
58 miles per hour or higher, and/or hail one inch in diameter or
larger. Those hailstones are about the size of a quarter. Severe
thunderstorms are often accompanied by torrential downpours and
frequent lightning. They can also produce tornadoes. Damage
from the strong wind gusts of a severe thunderstorm can be just
as bad as the damage made by a tornado.

What is a Severe Thunderstorm Watch?

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued in order to alert you that
thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail may develop near
your location. A watch by itself does not mean that severe weather
is actually occurring yet, but it does mean that the ingredients
for severe weather are present and severe thunderstorms may
develop. A severe thunderstorm watch usually covers an area as
large as a state and is in effect for several hours, expiring only
when the severe thunderstorms are expected to end.

What should you do when a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued?

Go about your normal activities, but watch the sky around you for
developing storms. Periodically check NOAA Weather Radio or other
media outlets for forecast updates and possible warnings. Know
which county you live in, and which ones border your community.
Think of a safe place to be and plan a route that you can use to
get that safe place quickly.

What is a Severe Thunderstorm Warning?

A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a severe thunderstorm is
occurring and is going to move through your location soon. It is
your signal that you will need to take quick action to protect
your life and property. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are issued by
the National Weather Service when meteorologists detect a severe
thunderstorm using Doppler radar or when damage has been reported
by trained Skywarn weather spotters or law enforcement.

Typically, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning will be issued for an
area as big as a county or two, and for a period of up to one
hour. In the text of the warning statement, we try to make a
specific list of towns that are likely to be in the path of the
storm. Pay close attention and see if communities or landmarks
near you are mentioned in the warning.

What should you do when a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued
for your location?

If you are outdoors, get inside your home or another sturdy
building. Boaters should head to shore immediately.

When indoors, go to an interior room on the lowest level. Stay
away from windows and exterior doors. Do not use electrical
appliances and avoid using the telephone, as lightning can travel
through electrical and telephone lines. Also avoid taking a
shower, sitting in a bath, or doing the dishes during a
thunderstorm, as lightning can travel through plumbing.

If you are driving on a highway, safely exit the highway before
entering a thunderstorm, as thunderstorms can produce very low
visibility in heavy rain. Heavy rain can also flood roads quickly,
so never try to drive through an area where water covers the
road, even if you think it is shallow. Water may sweep your
vehicle away if you attempt to drive through it.

For additional thunderstorm and severe weather safety information
check out our web page at:

www.weather.gov/ctp/severeweatherawarenessweek

Our weather safety topics for the rest of the week will be,
Tuesday, Outlooks, Watches, and Warnings.
Wednesday, Flash Flooding.
Thursday, Tornadoes.
Friday, Ways to become involved - SKYWARN spotters, Weather Ready
Nation, StormReady, and HAM radio.

$$