Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 76, NWS State College, PA

September 28, 20117 counties in Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Sep 28, 2011, 3:38 PM EDT for 7 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 6 hr. 2 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: Sep 28, 2011, 3:38 PM EDT (19:38 UTC)
Expired: Sep 28, 2011, 9:30 PM EDT
In force: 6 hr
Issued by: NWS State College, PA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Columbia County, PA, Lycoming County, PA, Montour County, PA, Northumberland County, PA, Schuylkill County, PA, Snyder County, PA, Union County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 134 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:41 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Sep 28, 4:20 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Lewisburg, PA	ROAD FLOODING COUNTYWIDE
Sep 28, 8:30 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Bloomsburg, PA	MANY LOCATIONS AROUND THE COUNTY HAVE ROADS WASHING OUT

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

The nearest sounding before it

Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD (KAPG), launched 12:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 177 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 822 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 526 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 65 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

818 
WGUS51 KCTP 281938
FFWCTP
PAC037-081-093-097-107-109-119-282230-
/O.NEW.KCTP.FF.W.0076.110928T1938Z-110928T2230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
338 PM EDT WED SEP 28 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  COLUMBIA COUNTY...
  MONTOUR COUNTY...
  NORTH CENTRAL SCHUYLKILL COUNTY...
  NORTHEASTERN SNYDER COUNTY...
  EASTERN UNION COUNTY...
  NORTHERN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY...
  SOUTHEASTERN LYCOMING COUNTY...

* UNTIL 630 PM EDT...

* AT 329 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER COLUMBIA...
  EASTERN UNION...EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL SCHUYLKILL...MONTOUR... 
  NORTHEASTERN SNYDER...NORTHERN NORTHUMBERLAND AND SOUTHEASTERN    
  LYCOMING COUNTIES. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL IS LIKELY THROUGH THE
  LATE AFTERNOON HOURS...AS NEW STORMS MOVE NORTHWARD. SOME SPOTS
  WILL LIKELY SEE BETWEEN 2 AND 3 INCHES OF RAIN. MANY LOCATIONS IN  
  THE WARNED AREA HAVE ALREADY HAVE SEEN OVER 2 INCHES OF RAIN ON
  TUESDAY .

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO DANVILLE...
  MILTON...NORTHUMBERLAND...BERWICK...BLOOMSBURG...LEWISBURG AND
  MIFFLINBURG.

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!

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR
IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED BRIDGES...
DIPS...OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. TURN AROUND...DON'T DROWN! NEVER TRY
TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE
RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 4085 7706 4115 7716 4117 7660 4129 7631
      4121 7632 4114 7627 4114 7622 4103 7622
      4096 7621 4091 7605 4091 7599 4090 7598

$$

FORECASTER: MARTIN

2 follow-up statements

029 
WGUS51 KCTP 282227
FFWCTP
PAC037-081-093-097-107-109-119-290130-
/O.EXT.KCTP.FF.W.0076.000000T0000Z-110929T0130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
627 PM EDT WED SEP 28 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  COLUMBIA COUNTY...
  MONTOUR COUNTY...
  NORTH CENTRAL SCHUYLKILL COUNTY...
  NORTHEASTERN SNYDER COUNTY...
  EASTERN UNION COUNTY...
  NORTHERN NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY...
  SOUTHEASTERN LYCOMING COUNTY...

* UNTIL 930 PM EDT...

* AT 620 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT FLASH
  FLOODING HAS BEEN OCCURRING FROM EARLIER HEAVY RAIN. WHILE THE
  FLOOD WATERS HAVE BEEN RECEDING VERY RECENTLY...ADDITIONAL HEAVY
  RAIN IS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVER EASTERN COLUMBIA COUNTY.
  ANOTHER CLUSTER OF HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE LATER THIS EVENING IN 
  THE REST OF THE WARNING AREA.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO DANVILLE...
  MILTON...NORTHUMBERLAND...SUNBURY...BERWICK...BLOOMSBURG...
  LEWISBURG AND MIFFLINBURG.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE 
WARNED AREA.

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!

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR
IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS WATER COVERED BRIDGES...
DIPS...OR LOW WATER CROSSINGS. TURN AROUND...DON'T DROWN! NEVER TRY
TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON FOOT. TO ESCAPE
RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 4085 7706 4115 7716 4117 7660 4129 7631
      4121 7632 4114 7627 4114 7622 4103 7622
      4096 7621 4091 7605 4091 7599 4090 7598

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO

809 
WGUS71 KCTP 290015
FFSCTP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
815 PM EDT WED SEP 28 2011

PAC037-081-093-097-107-109-119-290130-
/O.CON.KCTP.FF.W.0076.000000T0000Z-110929T0130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
COLUMBIA PA-MONTOUR PA-SCHUYLKILL PA-SNYDER PA-UNION PA-
NORTHUMBERLAND PA-LYCOMING PA-
815 PM EDT WED SEP 28 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN LYCOMING...NORTHERN NORTHUMBERLAND...EASTERN UNION...
NORTHEASTERN SNYDER...NORTH CENTRAL SCHUYLKILL...MONTOUR AND COLUMBIA
COUNTIES...

AT 805 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES CONTINUE TO INDICATE 
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN MOVING INTO THE WARNING AREA 
FROM THE SOUTH. EARLIER HEAVY RAIN PRODUCED FLOODING...SO THIS 
ADDITIONAL RAIN IS EXPECTED TO RENEW FLOODING MANY OF SAME THOSE 
LOCATIONS AND CAUSE NEW FLOODING PROBLEMS. 

LOCATIONS WHICH WILL RECEIVE THIS NEXT BATCH OF HEAVY RAIN INCLUDE 
BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO DANVILLE...CATAWISSA...AND BLOOMSBURG. THE 
HEAVIEST OF THE RAIN WILL STAY MAINLY TO THE EAST OF LEWISBURG AND 
MILTON...BUT THOSE LOCATIONS MAY STILL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL RAIN.  

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF MORE THAN ONE INCH ARE POSSIBLE IN 
THE WARNED AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...HIGHWAYS AND UNDERPASSES. ADDITIONALLY...COUNTRY
ROADS AND FARMLANDS ALONG THE BANKS OF CREEKS...STREAMS AND OTHER LOW
LYING AREAS ARE SUBJECT TO FLOODING.

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 4085 7706 4115 7716 4117 7660 4129 7631
      4121 7632 4114 7627 4114 7622 4103 7622
      4096 7621 4091 7605 4091 7599 4090 7598

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Sep 27, 10:06 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan and 2 more	3 hr
Sep 28, 12:25 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Huntingdon	3 hr
Sep 28, 12:58 AM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Snyder and 3 more	3 hr
Sep 28, 1:11 AM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Clearfield, Elk, McKean	3 hr
Sep 28, 1:15 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Elk	45 min
Sep 28, 1:16 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill	21 hr
Sep 28, 1:35 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Clearfield	40 min
Sep 28, 2:00 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	McKean	60 min
Sep 28, 3:17 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Potter	28 min
Sep 28, 3:41 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Dauphin, Lebanon	24 hr
Sep 28, 6:10 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Dauphin	22 hr
Sep 28, 12:18 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Schuylkill	3 hr
Sep 28, 12:47 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Adams, Cumberland, York	3 hr
Sep 28, 1:36 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Dauphin	54 min
Sep 28, 2:06 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Perry, York	3 hr
Sep 28, 2:21 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CTP	Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry	114 min
Sep 28, 2:27 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Dauphin	63 min
Sep 28, 2:47 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, McKean, Potter	3 hr
Sep 28, 2:55 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CTP	Columbia, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Northumberland, Schuylkill and 1 more	3 hr
Sep 28, 3:10 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Lebanon	50 min
Sep 28, 3:55 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Lycoming	65 min
Sep 28, 4:06 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CTP	Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Sullivan, Tioga	3 hr
Sep 28, 4:06 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Columbia	54 min
Sep 28, 4:12 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	CTP	Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Perry, York	3 hr
Sep 28, 4:38 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Bedford, Blair, Fulton, Huntingdon	3 hr
Sep 28, 4:40 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Dauphin	35 min
Sep 28, 5:27 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Carbon	63 min
Sep 28, 5:51 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	CTP	Fulton	54 min
Sep 28, 6:57 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Clinton, Potter	2 hr
Sep 28, 7:14 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	CTP	Cumberland, York	9 hr
Sep 28, 7:27 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Fulton	2 hr
Sep 28, 7:57 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	CTP	Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon	3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2011 Every 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.