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55-407: South Park Township is a township in the southern part of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania , United States, near Pittsburgh . The population was 13,416 at the 2010 census . A large portion of the township consists of a county park of the same name . Composed of portions of St. Clair and Jefferson townships in 1845, South Park was originally called Snowden Township, named after John M. Snowden ,

110-413: A depth of at least 50 m (160 ft); waters of this temperature cause the overlying atmosphere to be unstable enough to sustain convection and thunderstorms. Another factor is rapid cooling with height, which allows the release of the heat of condensation that powers a tropical cyclone. High humidity is needed, especially in the lower-to-mid troposphere ; when there is a great deal of moisture in

165-519: A few industrial complexes. There are many large plans of houses throughout Library also. South Park Middle School is also located here. Library is served by the Library station on the Port Authority of Allegheny County 's light rail network's Silver Line . Piney Fork is in the south-central part of South Park. It is a large residential area with a few small stores and restaurants. Snowden

220-688: A progression of municipal structures based on population growth, it is not uncommon to have a township and borough of the same or similar name, generally adjacent within the same county. The 'town-like' borough might be partially or wholly surrounded by the remaining township from which it had split off. The government of Cold Spring Township ceased to function in 1961, when there were no candidates for office. Pennsylvania townships typically vary in size from 6 to 40 square miles (16–104 km ). There are two classifications of townships, first class and second class. The commonwealth initially incorporates all townships as second class townships. To become

275-491: A prominent businessman, politician and former Pittsburgh mayor, who had died earlier that year. In the 1930s, Allegheny County acquired several large parcels of farm land mostly within Snowden Township and created a regional recreational area named South Park. The huge success of South Park, and the fact the facility occupies roughly one-third of the community's total area, eventually prompted a 1966 referendum in which

330-1201: A tax collector and, in many townships, a panel of three auditors who annually audit all township accounts. The supervisors or commissioners of the township appoint a secretary and a treasurer, and may also appoint a township manager to coordinate township employees and operations. County governments may provide some or all municipal services to residents of townships, regardless of class and size, including trash collection or sewage processing. Some counties, though, leave individual municipalities to provide their own services; in some instances small groups of boroughs or townships may pool their resources to provide water, police, or other functions. The main areas of local services include police and fire protection, maintenance of local roads and streets, water supply, sewage collection and treatment, parking and traffic control, local planning and zoning, parks and recreation, garbage collection, health services, libraries, licensing of businesses and code enforcement. All municipalities in Pennsylvania, however, rely on county and state organized courts for probate, criminal, and civil court services. Under

385-508: A township of the first class and operate under the powers of the First Class Township Code, a township must have a population density of 300 inhabitants per square mile (120/km ) and voters therein must approve the change of classification in a referendum. The classes of townships differ primarily in the form of their administration. Townships of the second class are governed by a board of supervisors, elected at large by

440-522: Is 15129. According to the United States Census Bureau , the township has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.8 km), all land. A negligible area is covered by streams and creeks, most notably Peters Creek . South Park, a 1,999-acre (809 ha) recreational area operated by Allegheny County, is located mostly within the boundaries of South Park Township, although a portion is located in adjacent Bethel Park . The township

495-522: Is a storm that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Pacific Ocean , a typhoon occurs in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, and a tropical cyclone occurs in the south Pacific or Indian Ocean . Friction with land slows down the wind flowing into low-pressure systems and causes wind to flow more inward, or flowing more ageostrophically , toward their centers. Tornadoes are often too small, and of too short duration, to be influenced by

550-430: Is a neighborhood in the southeastern corner of the township. It is a rural area with some homes and farms. Snowden was once a small mining community, but was absorbed into South Park. The South Park School District is coterminous with the township. The school district has a single elementary school for grades K-4, a single middle school for grades 5–8, and a single high school for grades 9–12. The school district's mascot

605-535: Is characterized by the development of lower air pressure over the warmest part of the various continents. The large-scale thermal lows over continents help create pressure gradients which drive monsoon circulations. In the southern hemisphere, the monsoon trough associated with the Australian monsoon reaches its most southerly latitude in February, oriented along a west-northwest/east-southeast axis. Many of

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660-753: Is greatest in May, due to frequent thunderstorms and more organized low pressure systems which track up the eastern coast of the United States. On average, 4.04 inches (103 mm) of precipitation falls during this month. The driest month of the year is October, when 2.35 inches (60 mm). Annual precipitation is around 37.9 inches (963 mm), while annual snowfall is 40.3 inches (102 cm). South Park has been hit with extreme weather. The Blizzard of 1993 dumped 23 inches (58 cm) of snow in under 24 hours. A blizzard in February 2010 dumped nearly two feet of snow in less than 24 hours, and nearly 4 feet in

715-416: Is initially accelerated from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. This is due to density (or temperature and moisture) differences between two air masses . Since stronger high-pressure systems contain cooler or drier air, the air mass is denser and flows towards areas that are warm or moist, which are in the vicinity of low-pressure areas in advance of their associated cold fronts . The stronger

770-650: Is on the Allegheny Plateau , near where the Allegheny River from the northeast and Monongahela River from the southeast join to form the Ohio River in Pittsburgh. South Park township's topography is quite hilly. The hilltops are somewhat "carved" out by the streams in the area. South Park Township has five borders, including Baldwin to the north, Pleasant Hills and Jefferson Hills to

825-704: Is residential with a few businesses, gas stations, and eateries along Brownsville Road. Located on the Eastern Edge of South Park Township, the Bruceton neighborhood runs along Lick Run Creek. Notable institutions include the National Energy Technology Laboratory and the US Bureau of Mines On the northern side, the area is known as Curry. Curry is a mix of residential homes and a small commercial area, and Curry extends from

880-457: Is the Eagles. South Park has a rich history in athletics. It has one of the most successful soccer programs anywhere. The South Park Eagles Boys' soccer team has won state championships both in 2005 and 2006. The Lady Eagles have won the state championship in 2007. The High School has also produced two state championships in football in the years 1997 and 2005. Along with these state championships,

935-572: The Hadley cell circulation. Monsoon troughing in the western Pacific reaches its zenith in latitude during the late summer when the wintertime surface ridge in the opposite hemisphere is the strongest. It can reach as far as the 40th parallel in East Asia during August and 20th parallel in Australia during February. Its poleward progression is accelerated by the onset of the summer monsoon which

990-753: The Southern Hemisphere shows that between the 30th and 70th parallels there are an average of 37 cyclones in existence during any 6-hour period. A separate study in the Northern Hemisphere suggests that approximately 234 significant extratropical cyclones form each winter. In Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom and in the Netherlands, recurring extratropical low-pressure weather systems are typically known as depressions. These tend to bring wet weather throughout

1045-570: The Pennsylvania constitution, each governmental entity has the right to choose its own form of self-government, and a limited ability to delegate powers and oversight to such entities as authorities, commissions and school boards. Any township, regardless of its class, may adopt a home rule charter, at which point it is no longer governed by the Pennsylvania Township Codes. While a home rule charter can incorporate unusual features, standard municipal functions are generally part of

1100-466: The air temperature drops below the dew point as it rises, the cloudy skies typical of low-pressure areas act to dampen diurnal temperature extremes . Since clouds reflect sunlight , incoming shortwave solar radiation decreases, which causes lower temperatures during the day. At night the absorptive effect of clouds on outgoing longwave radiation , such as heat energy from the surface, allows for warmer night-time minimums in all seasons. The stronger

1155-651: The area of low pressure, the stronger the winds experienced in its vicinity. Globally, low-pressure systems are most frequently located over the Tibetan Plateau and in the lee of the Rocky Mountains . In Europe (particularly in the British Isles and Netherlands ), recurring low-pressure weather systems are typically known as "low levels". Cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of cyclonic circulations, or low-pressure areas, within

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1210-705: The atmosphere, conditions are more favorable for disturbances to develop. Low amounts of wind shear are needed, as high shear is disruptive to the storm's circulation. Lastly, a formative tropical cyclone needs a pre-existing system of disturbed weather, although without a circulation no cyclonic development will take place. Mesocyclones form as warm core cyclones over land, and can lead to tornado formation. Waterspouts can also form from mesocyclones, but more often develop from environments of high instability and low vertical wind shear . In deserts , lack of ground and plant moisture that would normally provide evaporative cooling can lead to intense, rapid solar heating of

1265-407: The atmosphere. Cyclogenesis is the opposite of cyclolysis , and has an anticyclonic (high-pressure system) equivalent which deals with the formation of high-pressure areas — anticyclogenesis . Cyclogenesis is an umbrella term for several different processes, all of which result in the development of some sort of cyclone . Meteorologists use the term "cyclone" where circular pressure systems flow in

1320-661: The commonwealth. As with other incorporated municipalities in Pennsylvania, townships exist within counties and are subordinate to or dependent upon the county level of government. Townships in Pennsylvania were created in the 17th century during the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania prior to the American Revolution . Much of the province was then occupied by Native Americans , but the colonial administration in Philadelphia brought new counties and new settlements regularly. The first communities defined by

1375-405: The difference between temperatures aloft and sea surface temperatures is the greatest. However, each particular basin has its own seasonal patterns. On a worldwide scale, May is the least active month while September is the most active month. Nearly one-third of the world's tropical cyclones form within the western Pacific Ocean, making it the most active tropical cyclone basin on Earth . Wind

1430-484: The direction of the Earth's rotation, which normally coincides with areas of low pressure. The largest low-pressure systems are cold-core polar cyclones and extratropical cyclones which lie on the synoptic scale . Warm-core cyclones such as tropical cyclones, mesocyclones , and polar lows lie within the smaller mesoscale . Subtropical cyclones are of intermediate size. Cyclogenesis can occur at various scales, from

1485-484: The east, Union Township (in Washington County) to the south, and Bethel Park to the west. South Park falls in the humid continental zone ( Köppen Dfa / Dfb ). It features four distinct seasons, with precipitation somewhat evenly spread throughout the year. Summers are hot and humid (with occasional heat waves ), while winters are cold and snowy. Fall and spring are mild to warm. The warmest month of

1540-432: The electorate of the whole township for overlapping six-year terms. The number of supervisors can be increased to five by referendum. Townships of the first class, by contrast, have a board of commissioners. Between five and fifteen commissioners sit on this panel; they can be elected either at large or by wards within the township; and they serve for overlapping terms of four years in office. Other elected officials include

1595-450: The following week. In September 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan brought gusty winds and dropped nearly 6 inches (150 mm) of rain in 12 hours. South Park can be broken down into the six different neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are grouped primarily by the small towns throughout the township and the time era which the plans of homes were built. Broughton borders Curry and extends further down Brownsville Road. Most of Broughton

1650-591: The force of gravity packing the air close to the ground. Thermal lows form due to localized heating caused by greater solar incidence over deserts and other land masses. Since localized areas of warm air are less dense than their surroundings, this warmer air rises, which lowers atmospheric pressure near that portion of the Earth 's surface. Large-scale thermal lows over continents help drive monsoon circulations. Low-pressure areas can also form due to organized thunderstorm activity over warm water. When this occurs over

1705-447: The high school has had many WPIAL championships as well. The census of 2010 concluded there were 13,416 people, 5,346 households, and 4,331 families living in the township. The population density was 1,563.6 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 86.5% White , 10.2% African American , 0.1% Native American , 1.4% Asian , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 0.2% from other races , and 1.6% from two or more races. 1.7% of

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1760-545: The land cools off quickly, but the ocean keeps the heat longer due to its higher specific heat. The hot air over the ocean rises, creating a low-pressure area and a breeze from land to ocean while a large area of drying high pressure is formed over the land, increased by wintertime cooling. Monsoons resemble sea and land breezes , terms usually referring to the localized, diurnal (daily) cycle of circulation near coastlines everywhere, but they are much larger in scale - also stronger and seasonal. Large polar cyclones help determine

1815-403: The land, bringing the moist near-surface air over the oceans with it. Similar rainfall is caused by the moist ocean-air being lifted upwards by mountains , surface heating, convergence at the surface, divergence aloft, or from storm-produced outflows at the surface. However the lifting occurs, the air cools due to expansion in lower pressure, which in turn produces condensation . In winter,

1870-557: The laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , is the lowest level of municipal incorporation of government. All of Pennsylvania's communities outside of incorporated cities , boroughs , and one town have been incorporated into individual townships that serve as the legal entities providing local self-government functions. In general, townships in Pennsylvania encompass larger land areas than other municipalities , and tend to be located in suburban , exurban , or rural parts of

1925-407: The lower layers of air. The hot air is less dense than surrounding cooler air. This, combined with the rising of the hot air, results in a low-pressure area called a thermal low . Monsoon circulations are caused by thermal lows which form over large areas of land and their strength is driven by how land heats more quickly than the surrounding nearby ocean. This generates a steady wind blowing toward

1980-531: The microscale to the synoptic scale. Larger-scale troughs, also called Rossby waves, are synoptic in scale. Shortwave troughs embedded within the flow around larger scale troughs are smaller in scale, or mesoscale in nature. Both Rossby waves and shortwaves embedded within the flow around Rossby waves migrate equatorward of the polar cyclones located in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. All share one important aspect, that of upward vertical motion within

2035-400: The mix regardless of how offices and powers are allocated within the jurisdiction. "Citizen's Guide to Pennsylvania Local Government, 2010" Low pressure system Diverging winds aloft, ahead of these troughs, cause atmospheric lift within the troposphere below as air flows upwards away from the surface, which lowers surface pressures as this upward motion partially counteracts

2090-419: The northeastern corner to the northwestern corner and down Brownsville Road. The former Broughton Elementary School was located here. Library , formally known as Loafer's Hollow, is a large neighborhood of South Park. It has a mix of residential, commerce, and industrial areas. Library is South Park Township's "Downtown". It has many businesses along Route 88. Along Piney Fork Road, there are also many shops and

2145-423: The northern hemisphere (as the wind moves inward and is deflected right from the center of high pressure) and clockwise circulation in the southern hemisphere (as the wind moves inward and is deflected left from the center of high pressure). A tropical cyclone differs from a hurricane or typhoon based only on geographic location. A tropical cyclone is fundamentally different from a mid-latitude cyclone. A hurricane

2200-722: The ocean areas poleward of the main polar front in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They are part of the larger class of mesoscale weather-systems. Polar lows can be difficult to detect using conventional weather reports and are a hazard to high-latitude operations, such as shipping and offshore platforms . They are vigorous systems that have near-surface winds of at least 17 metres per second (38 mph). Tropical cyclones form due to latent heat driven by significant thunderstorm activity, and are warm-core with well-defined circulations. Certain criteria need to be met for their formation. In most situations, water temperatures of at least 26.5 °C (79.7 °F) are needed down to

2255-552: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census of 2000, there were 14,340 people, 5,422 households, and 4,028 families living in the township. The population density was 1,563.6 inhabitants per square mile (603.7/km). There were 5,616 housing units at an average density of 612.4 per square mile (236.4/km). The racial makeup of the township was 92.15% White , 6.21% African American , 0.06% Native American , 0.76% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 0.12% from other races , and 0.66% from two or more races. 0.55% of

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2310-434: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 5,422 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.7% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

2365-414: The pressure difference, or pressure gradient , between a high-pressure system and a low-pressure system, the stronger the wind. Thus, stronger areas of low pressure are associated with stronger winds. The Coriolis force caused by the Earth 's rotation is what gives winds around low-pressure areas (such as in hurricanes , cyclones , and typhoons ) their counter-clockwise (anticlockwise) circulation in

2420-439: The provincial state government tended to be rural, geographically large, and sparsely populated townships. Townships or portions of them tended to become boroughs after population growth or an increase in population density and, eventually, might to reincorporate at the level of city. Initially, each municipal organization begins as a second-class township. When a sufficient population density, currently 300 people per square mile,

2475-583: The steering of systems moving through the mid-latitudes, south of the Arctic and north of the Antarctic . The Arctic oscillation provides an index used to gauge the magnitude of this effect in the Northern Hemisphere. Extratropical cyclones tend to form east of climatological trough positions aloft near the east coast of continents, or west side of oceans. A study of extratropical cyclones in

2530-400: The township was $ 51,001, and the median income for a family was $ 57,290. Males had a median income of $ 41,002 versus $ 27,138 for females. The per capita income for the township was $ 21,538. About 4.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over. Township (Pennsylvania) A township , under

2585-693: The township was renamed. The area in and around South Park Township was settled in the mid-18th century. It is the location of the Oliver Miller Homestead where in 1794, the first shots of the Whiskey Rebellion were fired. A log house was originally built on the site in 1772; it was replaced by a stone structure around 1830, which is open for public tours. South Park is located at 40°17′54″N 80°0′7″W  /  40.29833°N 80.00194°W  / 40.29833; -80.00194 (40.298382, -80.002097). South Park's zip code

2640-672: The tropics in concert with the Intertropical Convergence Zone , it is known as a monsoon trough . Monsoon troughs reach their northerly extent in August and their southerly extent in February. When a convective low acquires a well-hot circulation in the tropics it is termed a tropical cyclone . Tropical cyclones can form during any month of the year globally but can occur in either the northern or southern hemisphere during December. Atmospheric lift will also generally produce cloud cover through adiabatic cooling once

2695-407: The troposphere. Such upward motions decrease the mass of local atmospheric columns of air, which lowers surface pressure. Extratropical cyclones form as waves along weather fronts due to a passing by shortwave aloft or upper-level jet streak before occluding later in their life cycle as cold-core cyclones. Polar lows are small-scale, short-lived atmospheric low-pressure systems that occur over

2750-470: The world's rainforests are associated with these climatological low-pressure systems. Tropical cyclones generally need to form more than 555 km (345 mi) or poleward of the 5th parallel north and 5th parallel south , allowing the Coriolis effect to deflect winds blowing towards the low-pressure center and creating a circulation. Worldwide, tropical cyclone activity peaks in late summer, when

2805-541: The year in South Park, as in most of the northern hemisphere, is July. The average high temperature is 81 °F (27.2 °C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 57 °F (13.9 °C). July is often humid, resulting in a considerable heat index . The coldest month of the year is January, when the average high temperature is 30 °F (−1.1 °C). Overnight low temperatures average 18 °F (−7.8 °C). The highest temperature ever recorded in South Park

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2860-724: The year. Thermal lows also occur during the summer over continental areas across the subtropics - such as the Sonoran Desert , the Mexican Plateau , the Sahara , South America , and Southeast Asia. The lows are most commonly located over the Tibetan Plateau and in the lee of the Rocky Mountains. Elongated areas of low pressure form at the monsoon trough or Intertropical Convergence Zone as part of

2915-530: Was 101 °F (38.3 °C), on July 16, 1988, and the coldest temperature ever recorded was −23 °F (−30.6 °C), on January 19, 1994. Due to its position on the windward side of the Allegheny Mountains , South Park Township receives heavier precipitation than cities located farther to the west, and many days are subject to overcast skies, with 153 days of the year with some precipitation and only 2024 sunshine hours per year. Precipitation

2970-410: Was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.09. In the township the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males. The median income for a household in

3025-514: Was attained, the township had the option of holding a referendum and, if it passed, became a first-class township. The municipality could proceed to the level of borough or city in a similar fashion. Historically, this progression has often included border adjustments or mergers with other boroughs or townships. Many communities remain townships in spite of growth that brings the characteristics of more-urbanized areas that might be associated with "towns." Because Pennsylvania's constitution provides for

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