Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 33, NWS State College, PA

August 7, 2011Dauphin County, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 7, 2011, 12:57 AM EDT for Dauphin County, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 7 hr. 4 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 7, 2011, 12:57 AM EDT (04:57 UTC)
Expired
Aug 7, 2011, 8:00 AM EDT
In force
7 hr
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Dauphin County, PA, Lebanon County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 146 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:59 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 7, 1:47 AM EDTFLASH FLOODLinglestown, PAWIDESPREAD ROAD CLOSURES AND WATER RESCUES.
Aug 7, 2:20 AM EDTFLASH FLOODFontana, PAROUTE 322 FLOODED IN FONTANA.
Aug 7, 2:20 AM EDTFLASH FLOODQuentin, PAINTERSECTION OF ROUTES 72 AND 419 FLOODED...ALONG WITH A LOCAL RESTAURANT.
Aug 7, 8:00 AM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 Se Campbelltown, PAEXTENSIVE FLOODING IN HOMES AND ON ROADWAYS IN WESTERN LEBANON COUNTY.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 00:00Z, 5.0 hours before the alert went out and 165 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Washington/Dulle, VA at 00:00Z on 2011-08-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1834 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Washington/Dulle, VA at 00:00Z on 2011-08-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 109 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1834 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
508 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
109 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
182 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.1
Supercell composite
6.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

485 
WGUS51 KCTP 070457
FFWCTP
PAC043-075-070800-
/O.NEW.KCTP.FF.W.0033.110807T0457Z-110807T0800Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
1257 AM EDT SUN AUG 7 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN DAUPHIN COUNTY...
  LEBANON COUNTY...

* UNTIL 400 AM EDT...

* AT 1254 AM EDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED FLASH
  FLOODING FROM THUNDERSTORMS OVER LEBANON AND SOUTHERN DAUPHIN
  COUNTIES. SPOTTER REPORTS INDICATE THAT 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS
  FALLEN OVER THE WARNED AREA. AN ADDITIONAL INCH OF RAIN IS EXPECTED
  BEFORE THUNDERSTORMS DIMINISH AROUND 230 AM. 

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ANNVILLE...
  CORNWALL...LEBANON...MYERSTOWN...PALMYRA...COLONIAL PARK...
  HERSHEY...HUMMELSTOWN...LINGLESTOWN AND MIDDLETOWN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR IN AN
AUTOMOBILE. TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN!

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

&&

LAT...LON 4032 7615 4025 7630 4024 7643 4019 7660
      4015 7668 4016 7669 4013 7672 4042 7692
      4050 7644

$$

FORECASTER: JUNG
2 follow-up statements
184 
WGUS71 KCTP 070545
FFSCTP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
145 AM EDT SUN AUG 7 2011

PAC043-075-070800-
/O.CON.KCTP.FF.W.0033.000000T0000Z-110807T0800Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DAUPHIN PA-LEBANON PA-
145 AM EDT SUN AUG 7 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 AM EDT FOR
LEBANON AND SOUTHERN DAUPHIN COUNTIES...

AT 142 AM EDT...DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATES THAT RAIN AND 
THUNDERSTORMS ARE DIMINISHING OVER DAUPHIN COUNTY. VERY HEAVY RAIN 
CONTINUES TO FALL OVER LEBANON COUNTY...BUT IS ALSO SHOWING SIGNS OF 
MOVING EAST.

EVEN THOUGH HEAVIER RAIN IS SLOWLY DIMINISHING...RUNOFF WILL 
CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...CAUSING STREAMS AND CREEKS TO 
CONTINUE TO RISE RAPIDLY. ADDITIONAL FLOODING IS LIKELY...EVEN 
THROUGH THE RAIN MAY BE DECREASING IN INTENSITY AND COVERAGE.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ANNVILLE...
CORNWALL...LEBANON...MYERSTOWN...PALMYRA...COLONIAL PARK...HERSHEY...
HUMMELSTOWN...LINGLESTOWN AND MIDDLETOWN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 4032 7615 4025 7630 4024 7643 4019 7660
      4015 7668 4016 7669 4013 7672 4042 7692
      4050 7644

$$

FORECASTER: JUNG
151 
WGUS51 KCTP 070759
FFWCTP
PAC043-075-071200-
/O.EXT.KCTP.FF.W.0033.000000T0000Z-110807T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
359 AM EDT SUN AUG 7 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN DAUPHIN COUNTY...
  LEBANON COUNTY...

* UNTIL 800 AM EDT...

* AT 354 AM EDT...FLASH FLOODING WAS STILL OCCURRING FROM EARLIER 
  THUNDERSTORMS WHICH MOVED OVER LEBANON AND SOUTHERN DAUPHIN
  COUNTIES.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ANNVILLE...
  CORNWALL...LEBANON...MYERSTOWN...PALMYRA...COLONIAL PARK...
  HERSHEY...HUMMELSTOWN...LINGLESTOWN AND MIDDLETOWN.

WHILE THE RAIN HAS ENDED...SOME STREAMS AND CREEKS CONTINUE TO RISE. 
FLOODING OF ROADS AND SOME HOMES CONTINUE IN PORTIONS OF THE WARNING 
AREA. SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS WILL BEGIN TO RECEDE BY MORNING. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR IN AN
AUTOMOBILE. TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN!

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

&&

LAT...LON 4032 7615 4025 7630 4024 7643 4019 7660
      4015 7668 4016 7669 4013 7672 4042 7692
      4050 7644

$$

FORECASTER: JUNG

The office that day

Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 7, 12:17 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPDauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill3 hr
Aug 7, 3:10 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPSchuylkill3 hr
Aug 7, 3:14 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPCambria61 min
Aug 7, 3:19 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPCambria3 hr
Aug 7, 8:45 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPWarren30 min
Aug 7, 1:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPFulton29 min
Aug 7, 1:42 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPFranklin48 min
Aug 7, 2:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPAdams46 min
Aug 7, 4:53 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPNorthumberland, Schuylkill37 min
Aug 7, 5:51 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPSullivan54 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2011Every flash flood warning in 2011

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.