Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 18, NWS State College, PA

August 26, 20124 counties in Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 26, 2012, 4:21 PM EDT for 4 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report 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 26, 2012, 4:21 PM EDT (20:21 UTC)
Expired
Aug 26, 2012, 7:15 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Adams County, PA, Cumberland County, PA, Franklin County, PA, Perry County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 101 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:23 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 26, 5:00 PM EDTFLASH FLOODShippensburg, PAROADS CLOSED IN AND AROUND SHIPPENSBURG

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 12:00Z, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 131 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 12:00Z on 2012-08-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 926 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 12:00Z on 2012-08-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 111 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
926 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-13 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
504 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
111 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
135 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

597 
WGUS51 KCTP 262021
FFWCTP
PAC001-041-055-099-262315-
/O.NEW.KCTP.FF.W.0018.120826T2021Z-120826T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
421 PM EDT SUN AUG 26 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN ADAMS COUNTY...
  WESTERN CUMBERLAND COUNTY...
  NORTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY...
  SOUTHWESTERN PERRY COUNTY...

* UNTIL 715 PM EDT...

* AT 415 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A THUNDERSTORM NEAR SHIPPENSBURG...MOVING
  NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH. PARTS OF SOUTHWEST CUMBERLAND COUNTY HAVE 
  SEEN WELL OVER 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE PAST HOUR...AND AN
  ADDITIONAL ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN ARE LIKELY THROUGH 530 PM. 
  FLASH FLOODING IS IMMINENT.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  SHIPPENSBURG... NEWBURG...WALNUT BOTTOM...CASHTOWN AND WALNUT
  BOTTOM.

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!

&&

LAT...LON 4020 7762 4028 7756 4027 7748 4026 7742
      4024 7736 4017 7731 4003 7728 3985 7725
      3978 7747

$$

FORECASTER: DEVOIR
3 follow-up statements
785 
WGUS71 KCTP 262028
FFSCTP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
428 PM EDT SUN AUG 26 2012

PAC001-041-055-099-262315-
/O.CON.KCTP.FF.W.0018.000000T0000Z-120826T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ADAMS PA-CUMBERLAND PA-FRANKLIN PA-PERRY PA-
428 PM EDT SUN AUG 26 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN PERRY...NORTHEASTERN FRANKLIN...WESTERN CUMBERLAND AND
NORTHWESTERN ADAMS COUNTIES...

AT 427 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A THUNDERSTORM NEAR SHIPPENSBURG...MOVING   
NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH. PARTS OF SOUTHWEST CUMBERLAND COUNTY HAVE   
SEEN WELL OVER 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE PAST HOUR...AND AN   
ADDITIONAL ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN ARE LIKELY THROUGH 530 PM.   
FLASH FLOODING IS IMMINENT.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
SHIPPENSBURG...NEWBURG...WALNUT BOTTOM AND CASHTOWN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...URBAN AREAS...HIGHWAYS...STREETS AND UNDERPASSES
AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE
YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME
KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS. CAMPERS AND HIKERS SHOULD AVOID STREAMS OR
CREEKS.

&&

LAT...LON 4020 7762 4028 7756 4027 7748 4026 7742
      4024 7736 4017 7731 4003 7728 3985 7725
      3978 7747

$$

FORECASTER: DEVOIR
876 
WGUS71 KCTP 262143
FFSCTP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
543 PM EDT SUN AUG 26 2012

PAC001-041-055-099-262315-
/O.CON.KCTP.FF.W.0018.000000T0000Z-120826T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ADAMS PA-CUMBERLAND PA-FRANKLIN PA-PERRY PA-
543 PM EDT SUN AUG 26 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN PERRY...NORTHEASTERN FRANKLIN...WESTERN CUMBERLAND AND
NORTHWESTERN ADAMS COUNTIES...

AT 541 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATES A BREAK IN THE RAINFALL OVER 
THE WARNING AREA. HOWEVER...ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IN NORTHERN MARYLAND 
IS EXPECTED TO TRACK INTO THE WARNING AREA AFTER 630 PM. 

FLASH FLOODING HAS ALREADY OCCURRED IN AND AROUND SHIPPENSBURG WITH 
LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTING ROADS CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
SHIPPENSBURG...NEWBURG AND WALNUT BOTTOM.

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.

&&

LAT...LON 4020 7762 4028 7756 4027 7748 4026 7742
      4024 7736 4017 7731 4003 7728 3985 7725
      3978 7747

$$

FORECASTER: DEVOIR
248 
WGUS71 KCTP 262221
FFSCTP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
621 PM EDT SUN AUG 26 2012

PAC001-041-055-099-262230-
/O.CAN.KCTP.FF.W.0018.000000T0000Z-120826T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ADAMS PA-CUMBERLAND PA-FRANKLIN PA-PERRY PA-
621 PM EDT SUN AUG 26 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR SOUTHWESTERN
PERRY...NORTHEASTERN FRANKLIN...WESTERN CUMBERLAND AND NORTHWESTERN
ADAMS COUNTIES...

RAINFALL IS DIMINISHING AND THE WATERS FROM THE EARLIER HEAVY RAINS 
ARE BEGINNING TO RECEDE. WHILE MINOR FLOODING WILL CONTINUE...FLOOD 
WATERS SHOULD NO LONGER POSE AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR 
PROPERTY. THEREFORE...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 4020 7762 4028 7756 4027 7748 4026 7742
      4024 7736 4017 7731 4003 7728 3985 7725
      3978 7747

$$

FORECASTER: DEVOIR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 26, 2:01 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPFranklin, Fulton29 min
Aug 26, 2:30 PM EDTTornado WarningCTPFranklin, Huntingdon17 min
Aug 26, 2:51 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPFranklin24 min
Aug 26, 3:19 PM EDTFlash Flood WatchCTPAdams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Fulton, Lancaster and 3 more4 hr
Aug 26, 3:36 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPAdams, Cumberland, Franklin3 hr
Aug 26, 3:46 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningCTPYork3 hr
Aug 26, 4:03 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPCumberland, Perry57 min
Aug 26, 4:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPCumberland, Juniata, Perry67 min
Aug 26, 4:47 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPDauphin, Lebanon43 min
Aug 26, 5:22 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPCentre, Clinton38 min
Aug 26, 5:29 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPNorthumberland, Snyder, Union31 min
Aug 26, 5:42 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPClinton, Lycoming33 min
Aug 26, 6:17 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPLycoming73 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2012Every flash flood warning in 2012

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.