Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Areal Flood Warnings in 2012

Areal Flood Warning 42, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

December 21, 2012Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this areal flood warning at Dec 21, 2012, 7:49 AM EST for Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 11 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
Dec 21, 2012, 7:49 AM EST (12:49 UTC)
Expired
Dec 21, 2012, 6:31 PM EST
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Philadelphia County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 62 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:49 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
Dec 21, 8:00 AM ESTCOASTAL FLOODPhiladelphia, PAMAJOR FLOODING OCCURRED AT THE PHILADELPHIA TIDE GAUGE. TIDE HEIGHT REACHED 10.35 FEET ABOVE MEAN LOWER LOW WATER. MAJOR FLOODING BEGINS AT 10.20 FEET.
Dec 21, 8:15 AM ESTFLOODPhiladelphia, PACOLUMBUS BOULEVARD CLOSED AT RACE STREET DUE TO FLOODING.
Dec 21, 8:15 AM ESTCOASTAL FLOODPhiladelphia, PACOLUMBUS BOULEVARD CLOSED AT RACE STREET DUE TO FLOODING.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Brookhaven, NY (KOKX), launched 12:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 214 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, Brookhaven, NY at 12:00Z on 2012-12-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 6 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, Brookhaven, NY at 12:00Z on 2012-12-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 693 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
6 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
471 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
78 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
693 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
1064 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

078 
WGUS41 KPHI 211249
FLWPHI

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
749 AM EST FRI DEC 21 2012

PAC101-211645-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FA.W.0042.121221T1249Z-121221T1645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PHILADELPHIA PA-
749 AM EST FRI DEC 21 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY NJ HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WARNING FOR URBAN AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS IN...
  PHILADELPHIA COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA...

* UNTIL 1145 AM EST

* AT 746 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THAT UP TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN OVERNIGHT. IN RESPONSE, THE 
WISSAHICKON CREEK AND PENNYPACK CREEK HAVE BOTH RISEN ABOVE FLOOD 
STAGE. 

* THE RAIN HAS COME TO END AND BOTH CREEKS WILL BE CRESTING SHORTLY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

DRIVING INTO FLOOD WATERS COULD PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK AND COST YOU
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN VEHICLE REPAIRS. FLOOD WATERS MAY BE DEEPER
THAN YOU THINK. TURN AROUND AND FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

&&

LAT...LON 4003 7500 3996 7513 3989 7513 3987 7521
      3988 7526 3994 7523 3997 7528 4001 7521
      4005 7526 4008 7523 4008 7517 4005 7511
      4013 7502 4012 7497 4008 7496

$$

KRUZDLO
3 follow-up statements
957 
WGUS41 KPHI 211638
FLWPHI

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1138 AM EST FRI DEC 21 2012

PAC101-212045-
/O.EXT.KPHI.FA.W.0042.000000T0000Z-121221T2045Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PHILADELPHIA PA-
1138 AM EST FRI DEC 21 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY NJ HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLOOD WARNING FOR URBAN AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS IN...
  PHILADELPHIA COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA...

* UNTIL 345 PM EST

* AT 1136 AM EST...THE WISSAHICKON AND PENNYPACK CREEKS WERE STILL 
OUT OF THEIR BANKS. AS A RESULT, THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN 
EXTENDED. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

DRIVING INTO FLOOD WATERS COULD PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK AND COST YOU
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN VEHICLE REPAIRS. FLOOD WATERS MAY BE DEEPER
THAN YOU THINK. TURN AROUND AND FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

&&

LAT...LON 4003 7500 3996 7513 3989 7513 3987 7521
      3988 7526 3994 7523 3997 7528 4001 7521
      4005 7526 4008 7523 4008 7517 4005 7511
      4013 7502 4012 7497 4008 7496

$$

KRUZDLO
953 
WGUS41 KPHI 212041
FLWPHI

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
341 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012

PAC101-220045-
/O.EXT.KPHI.FA.W.0042.000000T0000Z-121222T0045Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PHILADELPHIA PA-
341 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY NJ HAS EXTENDED THE

* FLOOD WARNING FOR URBAN AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS IN...
  PHILADELPHIA COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA...

* UNTIL 745 PM EST

* AT 340 PM EST...THE WISSAHICKON CREEK REMAINED OUT OF ITS BANKS. 
THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN EXTENDED. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

DRIVING INTO FLOOD WATERS COULD PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK AND COST YOU
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN VEHICLE REPAIRS. FLOOD WATERS MAY BE DEEPER
THAN YOU THINK. TURN AROUND AND FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

&&

LAT...LON 4003 7500 3996 7513 3989 7513 3987 7521
      3988 7526 3994 7523 3997 7528 4001 7521
      4005 7526 4008 7523 4008 7517 4005 7511
      4013 7502 4012 7497 4008 7496

$$

KRUZDLO
626 
WGUS81 KPHI 212331
FLSPHI

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
631 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012

PAC101-212340-
/O.CAN.KPHI.FA.W.0042.000000T0000Z-121222T0045Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
PHILADELPHIA PA-
631 PM EST FRI DEC 21 2012

...THE FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR URBAN AREAS AND SMALL
STREAMS IN PHILADELPHIA COUNTY...

DRIVING INTO FLOOD WATERS COULD PUT YOUR LIFE AT RISK AND COST YOU
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN VEHICLE REPAIRS. FLOOD WATERS MAY BE DEEPER
THAN YOU THINK. TURN AROUND AND FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

LAT...LON 4003 7500 3996 7513 3989 7513 3987 7521
      3988 7526 3994 7523 3997 7528 4001 7521
      4005 7526 4008 7523 4008 7517 4005 7511
      4013 7502 4012 7497 4008 7496

$$

HEAVENER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 20, 9:00 PM ESTWinter Weather AdvisoryPHICarbon, Monroe2 hr
Dec 20, 9:11 PM ESTWind AdvisoryPHIBucks, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia12 hr
Dec 21, 12:27 AM ESTCoastal Flood WarningPHIDelaware, Philadelphia11 hr
Dec 21, 4:44 AM ESTAreal Flood WarningPHIChester, Montgomery14 hr
Dec 21, 5:17 AM ESTAreal Flood WarningPHIDelaware4 hr
Dec 21, 5:39 AM ESTAreal Flood WarningPHIBucks10 hr
Dec 21, 7:15 AM ESTRiver Flood WarningPHIDelaware4 hr
Dec 21, 7:36 AM ESTAreal Flood WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton15 hr
Dec 21, 9:24 AM ESTAreal Flood WarningPHIDelaware4 hr
Dec 21, 9:36 AM ESTRiver Flood WarningPHIBucks10 hr
Dec 21, 12:08 PM ESTRiver Flood WarningPHIChester, Delaware5 hr
Dec 21, 3:16 PM ESTWind AdvisoryPHIBerks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh and 4 more27 hr

Nearby

Areal Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2012Every areal 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.