Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 21, NWS State College, PA

September 18, 20127 counties in Pennsylvania

NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Sep 18, 2012, 2:00 PM EDT for 7 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 5 hr. 3 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 18, 2012, 2:00 PM EDT (18:00 UTC)
Expired
Sep 18, 2012, 7:15 PM EDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS State College, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Adams County, PA, Cumberland County, PA, Dauphin County, PA, Lancaster County, PA, Lebanon County, PA, Schuylkill County, PA, York County, PA

The radar

The State College radar (KCCX), 140 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:01 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
Sep 18, 4:00 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD2 Sw York, PAFLOODING ON CODORUS CREEK. INDIAN ROCK DAM ROAD CLOSED.
Sep 18, 4:00 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD4 E New Ringgold, PAFLOODING AND ROAD CLOSURES IN WEST PENN TOWNSHIP ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF ROUTE 895 AND DORSET ROAD.
Sep 18, 4:00 PM EDTFLASH FLOODDover, PACONEWAGO CREEK FLOODING. 15-20 MOBILE HOMES EVACUATED AT ROUTE 74 AND PINE ROAD.

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, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 104 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, Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD at 12:00Z on 2012-09-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 330 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, Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD at 12:00Z on 2012-09-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 265 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
330 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
519 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
265 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
275 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
2.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

369 
WGUS51 KCTP 181800
FFWCTP
PAC001-041-043-071-075-107-133-182145-
/O.NEW.KCTP.FF.W.0021.120918T1800Z-120918T2145Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
200 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN ADAMS COUNTY...
  EASTERN CUMBERLAND COUNTY...
  SOUTHERN DAUPHIN COUNTY...
  NORTHWESTERN LANCASTER COUNTY...
  LEBANON COUNTY...
  SCHUYLKILL COUNTY...
  YORK COUNTY...

* UNTIL 545 PM EDT...

* AT 148 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES 
  AND RAIN GAGE REPORTS INDICATED HEAVY RAINFALL OF OVER 2 INCHES IN 
  THE PAST 3 HOURS ACROSS THE REGION. ADDITIONAL VERY HEAVY RAIN 
  FROM TRAINING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS    
  WILL LIKELY LEAD TO OF FLASH FLOODING THROUGHOUT URBAN AREAS AND
  ALONG SMALLER STREAMS.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO   
  DALLASTOWN...HANOVER...RED LION...YORK...AKRON...COLUMBIA... 
  ELIZABETHTOWN...  EPHRATA...LANCASTER...LITITZ...MANHEIM... 
  MILLERSVILLE...MOUNT JOY...CAMP HILL...MECHANICSBURG...  
  NEW CUMBERLAND...ANNVILLE...LEBANON...MYERSTOWN...  
  PALMYRA...HARRISBURG...HERSHEY...LINGLESTOWN...MIDDLETOWN... 
  STEELTON...FRACKVILLE...  MAHANOY CITY...MINERSVILLE... 
  POTTSVILLE...SCHUYLKILL HAVEN...SHENANDOAH...AND TAMAQUA.

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE LIKELY BETWEEN 2 
AND 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3972 7722 4009 7720 4025 7707 4029 7696
      4049 7670 4094 7615 4091 7599 4073 7576
      4064 7598 4057 7601 4049 7643 4028 7609
      3972 7659

$$

FORECASTER: LAMBERT/JUNG
4 follow-up statements
258 
WGUS71 KCTP 181926
FFSCTP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
326 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

PAC001-041-043-071-075-107-133-182145-
/O.CON.KCTP.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-120918T2145Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ADAMS PA-CUMBERLAND PA-DAUPHIN PA-LANCASTER PA-LEBANON PA-
SCHUYLKILL PA-YORK PA-
326 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM EDT FOR
YORK...SCHUYLKILL...LEBANON...NORTHWESTERN LANCASTER...SOUTHERN
DAUPHIN...EASTERN CUMBERLAND AND EASTERN ADAMS COUNTIES...

AT 324 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES AND RAIN GAGE REPORTS 
CONTINUE TO INDICATE HEAVY RAIN FALLING ACROSS THE WARNED 
AREA...WITH WIDESPREAD FLOODING OF ROADS ACROSS WESTERN YORK COUNTY. 

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO DALLASTOWN...
HANOVER...PARKVILLE...RED LION...SPRY...WEIGELSTOWN...YORK...AKRON...
COLUMBIA...EAST PETERSBURG...ELIZABETHTOWN...EPHRATA...LITITZ...
MANHEIM...MILLERSVILLE...MOUNT JOY...CAMP HILL...ENOLA...LEMOYNE...
LOWER ALLEN...MECHANICSBURG...NEW CUMBERLAND...ANNVILLE...CORNWALL...
LEBANON...MYERSTOWN...PALMYRA...COLONIAL PARK...HARRISBURG...
HERSHEY...HUMMELSTOWN...LINGLESTOWN...MIDDLETOWN...PROGRESS...
STEELTON...FRACKVILLE...MAHANOY CITY...MINERSVILLE...POTTSVILLE...
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN...SHENANDOAH...ST. CLAIR AND TAMAQUA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3972 7722 4009 7720 4025 7707 4029 7696
      4049 7670 4094 7615 4091 7599 4073 7576
      4064 7598 4057 7601 4049 7643 4028 7609
      3972 7659

$$

FORECASTER: CR
395 
WGUS71 KCTP 182130
FFSCTP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
530 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

PAC041-182134-
/O.CAN.KCTP.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-120918T2145Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CUMBERLAND PA-
530 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR EASTERN CUMBERLAND
COUNTY...

THE WATERS FROM THE EARLIER HEAVY RAINS OVER CUMBERLAND COUNTY ARE 
RECEDING AND FLOOD WATERS NO LONGER POSE A THREAT TO LIFE OR 
PROPERTY. THEREFORE...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO CAMP HILL...
ENOLA...LEMOYNE...LOWER ALLEN...MECHANICSBURG AND NEW CUMBERLAND.

LAT...LON 4003 7720 4015 7703 4016 7691 4020 7693
      4023 7686 4028 7692 4032 7691 4094 7615
      4091 7599 4073 7576 4064 7598 4057 7601
      4049 7643 4028 7609 3972 7659 3972 7722

$$

PAC001-043-071-075-107-133-182145-
/O.CON.KCTP.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-120918T2145Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ADAMS PA-DAUPHIN PA-LANCASTER PA-LEBANON PA-SCHUYLKILL PA-YORK PA-
530 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM EDT FOR
YORK...SCHUYLKILL...LEBANON...NORTHWESTERN LANCASTER...SOUTHERN
DAUPHIN AND EASTERN ADAMS COUNTIES...

AT 521 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO REPORT 
LOCALIZED FLOODING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...THE WATER 
APPEARS TO BE CRESTING OR EVEN GOING DOWN IN MANY LOCATIONS. SINCE 
FLOODING IS ON-GOING...EXPECT THIS WARNING TO BE EXTENDED SHORTLY.  

SOME LOCATIONS WHERE FLOODING CONTINUES...DOVER TOWNSHIP YORK 
COUNTY...WEST PENN TOWNSHIP IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY...AS WELL AS 
PORTIONS OF DAUPHIN AND ADAMS COUNTIES WHERE SOME ROADS HAVE BEEN 
CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 4003 7720 4015 7703 4016 7691 4020 7693
      4023 7686 4028 7692 4032 7691 4094 7615
      4091 7599 4073 7576 4064 7598 4057 7601
      4049 7643 4028 7609 3972 7659 3972 7722

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO
392 
WGUS51 KCTP 182137
FFWCTP
PAC001-043-071-075-107-133-182315-
/O.EXT.KCTP.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-120918T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
537 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN ADAMS COUNTY...
  SOUTHERN DAUPHIN COUNTY...
  NORTHWESTERN LANCASTER COUNTY...
  LEBANON COUNTY...
  SCHUYLKILL COUNTY...
  YORK COUNTY...

* UNTIL 715 PM EDT...

* AT 530 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS CONTINUED TO REPORT
  LOCALIZED FLOODING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...THE WATER
  APPEARS TO BE CRESTING OR EVEN GOING DOWN IN MANY LOCATIONS. 

* SOME LOCATIONS WHERE FLOODING CONTINUES...DOVER TOWNSHIP YORK
  COUNTY...WEST PENN TOWNSHIP IN SCHUYLKILL COUNTY...AS WELL AS
  PORTIONS OF DAUPHIN AND ADAMS COUNTIES WHERE SOME ROADS HAVE BEEN
  CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER.

ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL SHOULD BE VERY LIGHT AND PATCHY. NO NEW 
AREAS OF FLOODING ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR THIS EVENING. THE WATER 
SHOULD RECEDE THROUGH THE EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 4003 7720 4015 7703 4016 7691 4020 7693
      4023 7686 4028 7692 4032 7691 4094 7615
      4091 7599 4073 7576 4064 7598 4057 7601
      4049 7643 4028 7609 3972 7659 3972 7722

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO
345 
WGUS71 KCTP 182315
FFSCTP

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
715 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

PAC001-043-071-075-107-133-182323-
/O.EXP.KCTP.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-120918T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
ADAMS PA-DAUPHIN PA-LANCASTER PA-LEBANON PA-SCHUYLKILL PA-YORK PA-
715 PM EDT TUE SEP 18 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 715 PM EDT FOR YORK...
SCHUYLKILL...LEBANON...NORTHWESTERN LANCASTER...SOUTHERN DAUPHIN AND
EASTERN ADAMS COUNTIES...

THE WATERS FROM THE EARLIER HEAVY RAINS ARE RECEDING IN MOST 
LOCATIONS. A FEW ROADS ARE STILL CLOSED...BUT NO NEW AREAS HAVE 
BEGUN TO FLOOD FOR AN HOUR OR TWO SINCE THE HEAVY RAIN TAPERED OFF.  
THEREFORE...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

HOWEVER...IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE TO HEED ALL ROAD CLOSURES. 
NEVER DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES OR CROSS WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. AS 
LITTLE AS 12 INCHES OF FLOWING WATER CAN CARRY A CAR AWAY. 

LAT...LON 4003 7720 4015 7703 4016 7691 4020 7693
      4023 7686 4028 7692 4032 7691 4094 7615
      4091 7599 4073 7576 4064 7598 4057 7601
      4049 7643 4028 7609 3972 7659 3972 7722

$$

FORECASTER: DANGELO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 18, 10:10 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPFulton35 min
Sep 18, 10:43 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPFranklin32 min
Sep 18, 11:24 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPAdams36 min
Sep 18, 11:32 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPJuniata, Snyder28 min
Sep 18, 12:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPAdams, York43 min
Sep 18, 12:07 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPColumbia, Montour, Northumberland23 min
Sep 18, 12:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPAdams, Lancaster, York43 min
Sep 18, 12:46 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPColumbia, Montour, Northumberland29 min
Sep 18, 12:52 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryCTPAdams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and 5 more3 hr
Sep 18, 1:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPAdams, York59 min
Sep 18, 1:22 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPDauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Schuylkill53 min
Sep 18, 2:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPAdams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Schuylkill and 1 more62 min
Sep 18, 3:11 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningCTPLancaster, York79 min
Sep 18, 3:18 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementCTPSchuylkill57 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.