Central PA Summer 2026 Discussion/Obs Thread

[Voyager]

43 minutes ago, Mount Joy Snowman said:

Hang in there. For many cycles now the HRRR has been advertising a very quick pullout of the smoke this afternoon. Already getting much better down this way. 

Yeah, it got better here too 

Is the rain more widespread that originally forecast? I thought there would be a distinct lull, and even potential clearing between the first round, and what comes later, but looking at radar, clouds and rain still stretch across most of the central part of the state from southwest to northeast.

[canderson]

36 minutes ago, Voyager said:

Yeah, it got better here too 

Is the rain more widespread that originally forecast? I thought there would be a distinct lull, and even potential clearing between the first round, and what comes later, but looking at radar, clouds and rain still stretch across most of the central part of the state from southwest to northeast.

I believe so here yes. But JUST to our S and SE they’re in full sun and baking. 

[Itstrainingtime]

14 minutes ago, canderson said:

I believe so here yes. But JUST to our S and SE they’re in full sun and baking. 

Fortunately, I've only had a few peeks down here. I don't think the sun has been out for more than 2-3 minutes at a time all day, and that has only been since 1pm.

[canderson]

14 minutes ago, Itstrainingtime said:

Fortunately, I've only had a few peeks down here. I don't think the sun has been out for more than 2-3 minutes at a time all day, and that has only been since 1pm.

No sun here - it’s been raining again for 20-30 mins. But the sky is getting brighter. 

[Jns2183]

No sun here - it’s been raining again for 20-30 mins. But the sky is getting brighter. 

it feels like a steam bath and a sun breaks out oh my God

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[Voyager]

Well, I certainly did NOT expect 1.83" of rain from "round one", but that what I got in my backyard. With that said, I wonder if it stabilized the air mass enough that it thwarts our chances here for potential severe later on. It seems as if the focus is on points southeast as of now.

[mahantango#1]

17 minutes ago, Voyager said:

Well, I certainly did NOT expect 1.83" of rain from "round one", but that what I got in my backyard. With that said, I wonder if it stabilized the air mass enough that it thwarts our chances here for potential severe later on. It seems as if the focus is on points southeast as of now.

Man, your cashing in on the rainfall.

[canderson]

22 minutes ago, Voyager said:

Well, I certainly did NOT expect 1.83" of rain from "round one", but that what I got in my backyard. With that said, I wonder if it stabilized the air mass enough that it thwarts our chances here for potential severe later on. It seems as if the focus is on points southeast as of now.

That incredible 

[Voyager]

6 minutes ago, mahantango#1 said:

Man, your cashing in on the rainfall.

1 minute ago, canderson said:

That incredible 

It really is. There was always the possibility of morning showers, but we got a few bursts of heavy rain (with embedded thunder) that started about 8:30am and continued until noon.

[Itstrainingtime]

I've received 0.02" of rain today.

[canderson]

11 minutes ago, Itstrainingtime said:

I've received 0.02" of rain today.

It’s rained most the day and I’m only at .20

[mahantango#1]

That Tamaqua split is affecting the rainfall for your friends including me southwest of your locale.

[Voyager]

4 minutes ago, mahantango#1 said:

That Tamaqua split is affecting the rainfall for your friends including me southwest of your locale.

I don't know what happened. The rain seemed to train over the area.

One concern I have is that I looked at the USGS Tamaqua gauge and it showed a bit less than my backyard. It shows 1.25". 

I wonder how accurate the hepatic rain gauge on the Tempest is. More and more, I've been contemplating going back to a traditional weather station with a tipping bucket and wind cups.

[canderson]

They can cancel the T-Storm watch for the HBG area imo
 

Tuesday has always looked more legit to me. 

[Blizzard of 93]

.66 of rain in Marysville today through 5 pm.

[Blizzard of 93]

Hopefully the showers & storms in western PA move east &  provide beneficial rain later on for those that missed out earlier today.

[anotherman]

Basically nothing at my house today.

[Itstrainingtime]

35 minutes ago, canderson said:

They can cancel the T-Storm watch for the HBG area imo
 

Tuesday has always looked more legit to me. 

I thought the worst was coming after 8pm, no? (I sure hope you're right!)

[Voyager]

So I was checking out AccuWeather's future radar, and it shows the Williamsport complex dropping southeast to about Hazleton and then curving east northeast.

Does the upper air steering currents support this, or is it's depiction likely wrong?

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Itstrainingtime said:

I thought the worst was coming after 8pm, no? (I sure hope you're right!)

Originally late afternoon. But it appears any low-level shear is gone and cape never built more with our socked-in cloud cover and smoke. 
 

It might storm later but I don’t personal see fuel in the HBG metro. 

[Voyager]

1 hour ago, Voyager said:

So I was checking out AccuWeather's future radar, and it shows the Williamsport complex dropping southeast to about Hazleton and then curving east northeast.

Does the upper air steering currents support this, or is it's depiction likely wrong?

The complex that was out by Williamsport seems to have weakend, but there's another line behind it that looks fairly potent. If it can hold together, perhaps we can get a good nocturnal showing out of it.

[pawatch]

.40” of rain so far today. Currently thunder and the radar looks pretty robust heading my way.

edit: looks south now

Voyager the king for today! 

[canderson]

All eyes on Tuesday. 

[Elim72]

How is Tuesdays potential looking this evening?

[Blizzard of 93]

31 minutes ago, Elim72 said:

How is Tuesdays potential looking this evening?

Welcome to the board!

[canderson]

Perhaps I’m an idiot lol

Thar storm working down from state college isn’t weakening  

[TheDreamTraveler]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

Perhaps I’m an idiot lol

Thar storm working down from state college isn’t weakening  

Yeah we just got issued a severe thunderstorm warning lol

[Blizzard of 93]

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning
PAC041-043-067-099-190215-
/O.NEW.KCTP.SV.W.0208.260719T0131Z-260719T0215Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service State College PA
931 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

The National Weather Service in State College PA has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Cumberland County in south central Pennsylvania...
  Southwestern Dauphin County in south central Pennsylvania...
  Western Juniata County in central Pennsylvania...
  Perry County in south central Pennsylvania...

* Until 1015 PM EDT.

* At 931 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
  extending from Mexico to Spruce Hill to East Waterford, moving
  southeast at 35 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
  Harrisburg, Carlisle, Lower Allen, Colonial Park, Progress,
  Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, New Cumberland, Enola, Steelton, Lemoyne,
  and Plainfield.

This includes the following Interstates...
 The Pennsylvania Turnpike from mile markers 205 to 239.
 Interstate 81 from mile markers 31 to 71.
 Interstate 83 from mile markers 40 to 50.
 Interstate 283 near mile marker 2.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Stay inside a well built structure and keep away from windows.

Very heavy rainfall is occurring with these severe thunderstorms, and
may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 4036 7775 4038 7775 4040 7773 4045 7749
      4064 7737 4029 7676 4022 7683 4022 7691
      4020 7693 4019 7691 4019 7693 4016 7691
      4017 7695 4015 7698 4015 7703 4003 7719
      4000 7737
TIME...MOT...LOC 0131Z 313DEG 32KT 4054 7736 4041 7744 4037 7764

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

 

[Blizzard of 93]

Please no more wind damage with this…!

[Voyager]

23 minutes ago, canderson said:

Perhaps I’m an idiot lol

Thar storm working down from state college isn’t weakening  

I was just about to post that it looked like you were going to get hit soon.

We never destabilized after the earlier rains. I thought some of that action might have made it here, but it seems like east of the river, the storms died.