Storm Chase Log
April 9, 2001
Area of storm – Cumberland County PA – Boiling
Springs, Churchtown, Grantham.
Time – 18:30 – 20:30
18:30HRS
Departed from Messiah College on Grantham Rd and then
onto Lisburn Rd. to local convenience store. Noticed
increase in humidity, temperature, and wind speed from
18:00 HRS. Heavy black clouds to the WNW, light
rumbles of thunder.
18:45
Traveling south on Gettysburg Rd in Upper Allen Twp
noticed vivid, frequent CG to the WNW. Turn west onto
Lisburn Rd toward Carlisle. Frequent CG to the
northwest. Turned north on Baise (?) road to the
intersection of Locust Point Road. Stopped along
Locust Point road, about 1 mile south of PA Route 174.
Observed and photographed approaching storm.
Frequent CG’s still occurring about 5-10 miles to the
WNW. Storm coming over North Mountain 15 miles away.
By 19:00 HRS, light rain falling, drastically cooler
air blowing about 15mph. N. MT obscured by rain.
Lowering of cloud base and spreading out in a bow with
the main point of the bow to my twelve o’clock.
1905
I continue to travel NW on Locust Point Rd. and turn
south on 174 toward Churchtown. The storm is bearing
down upon me just to the west. Moderate rain
beginning to fall. Note Monroe Twp. Fire station
manned. Once in the village of Churchtown I turn left
onto a side street and travel about 1 mile ESE. I
stop along the road to take pictures of what appears
to be the beginning of a Microburst. The cloud in a
very centralized point just west of the intersection
of 74 & 174 are falling like air is forcing them down.
I suspect this to be a microburst and watch until the
cloud formation is obscured by heavy rain forcing me
back into the POV. No more than 30 seconds after
getting into the POV extremely high winds hit the
vehicle from the west. I travel south on a Monroe
Twp. Road. Corn stalks hit the car, large branches
are falling from the tree, I must swerve to avoid
limbs on the road way twice.
1915
I pull over in a gravel lot just as the beginning of
the worst hits. Winds are so strong they rock the
car. I pointed the nose in the direction of the wind
to not only see what was heading my way but to
minimize the rocking. Trees swayed violently and the
telephone pools rocked back and forth. The winds were
so strong I could not open my door to get a feel for
the wind, but I would estimate them over 80 MPH. The
winds and rain lasted about 5 mins before the storm
began to pass. Multiple CG and close hits were
obsereved during the storm. An approximate # in the
general area around me (strikes with 1 second or less
between thunderclap) was about 30-40.
1925
I return to the road and travel east on Creek road in
southern Monroe Twp along the Yellow Breeches creek
toward the York county line. Moderate dameage such as
large limbs and corn stalks scatter the roadway.
1930 – 2030
This is a list of damage observed and heard on local
scanner. York-Cumberland-Perry Co’s
· Four phone poles across the road at unknown location
· Numerous trees down
· Snapped wires
· Lightning caused structure fires (about four)
· Flooded roadways (poor drainage)
· Trailers overturned
· Trailer blown off foundation
· 6 roofs blown off totally or partially
An hour following the storm there was beautiful cloud
to cloud lightning as well as isolated CG’s. I
returned to college at 2030 HRS.
=====
"Knowing is not
enough;
We must apply.
Willing is not enough;
We must do."
--Goethe
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