Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2012

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

May 26, 2012Carbon County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this flash flood warning at May 26, 2012, 3:54 PM EDT for Carbon County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 4 hr. 5 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
May 26, 2012, 3:54 PM EDT (19:54 UTC)
Expired
May 26, 2012, 7:48 PM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Carbon County, PA

The radar

The Binghamton radar (KBGM), 150 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:56 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
May 26, 3:55 PM EDTFLASH FLOODLansford, PAEXTENSIVE FLOODING REPORTED FROM COUNTY 911 CENTER. MANY ROADS CLOSED AND BASEMENTS FLOODED.
May 26, 3:55 PM EDTFLASH FLOODNesquehoning, PA
May 26, 3:55 PM EDTFLASH FLOODSummit Hill, PAEXTENSIVE FLOODING REPORTED FROM COUNTY 911 CENTER. MANY ROADS CLOSED AND BASEMENTS FLOODED.
May 26, 4:15 PM EDTFLASH FLOODMcadoo, PA31 HOMES AFFECTED BY FLOODING. RAILROAD CROSSING WASHED OUT. ONE WATER RESCUE.
May 26, 5:30 PM EDTFLASH FLOODLansford, PARAINFALL ESTIMATED AMOUNTS OF 5.00 TO 6.00 INCH IN LANSFORD AND SUMMIT HILL AREAS

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, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 246 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 2012-05-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 144 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 2012-05-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 42 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
144 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-138 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
659 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
10 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
42 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
105 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.

303 
WGUS51 KPHI 261954
FFWPHI
PAC025-270000-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FF.W.0005.120526T1954Z-120527T0000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
354 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY NJ HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN CARBON COUNTY...

* UNTIL 800 PM EDT...

* AT 348 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTHWESTERN CARBON
  COUNTY.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO JIM
  THORPE...LEHIGHTON...NESQUEHONING...PALMERTON...WEATHERLY AND NEW
  MAHONING.

TWO TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE AREA OVER THE LAST 
HOUR. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AN INCH OR MORE ARE POSSIBLE IN 
THE WARNED AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

PLEASE REPORT FLOODING...HAIL OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...1-877-633-6772.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT TAKES ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 4081 7558 4078 7565 4078 7570 4077 7570
      4074 7577 4084 7594 4090 7600 4091 7600
      4095 7588 4098 7586 4099 7582

$$

ROBERTSON
2 follow-up statements
945 
WGUS71 KPHI 262100
FFSPHI

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
500 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012

PAC025-270000-
/O.CON.KPHI.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120527T0000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CARBON PA-
500 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN CARBON COUNTY...

AT 452 PM EDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED WIDESPREAD 
FLOODING AND ROAD CLOSURES IN LANSFORD...SUMMIT HILL...AND 
NESQUEHONING...ADDITIONAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHWESTERN 
CARBON COUNTY.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
LANSFORD...SUMMIT HILL...NESQUEHONING...LEHIGHTON... 
PALMERTON...WEATHERLY AND NEW MAHONING.

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.

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS
FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES. IT TAKES ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
SWIFTLY FLOWING WATER TO CARRY VEHICLES AWAY.

PLEASE REPORT FLOODING BY CALLING YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 
OFFICIALS OR BY CALLING THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOLL FREE 
AT...1-877-633-6772.

&&

LAT...LON 4081 7558 4078 7565 4078 7570 4077 7570
      4074 7577 4084 7594 4090 7600 4091 7600
      4095 7588 4098 7586 4099 7582

$$

ROBERTSON
071 
WGUS71 KPHI 262348
FFSPHI

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
748 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012

PAC025-262358-
/O.CAN.KPHI.FF.W.0005.000000T0000Z-120527T0000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
CARBON PA-
748 PM EDT SAT MAY 26 2012

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR SOUTHWESTERN CARBON
COUNTY...

THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS ENDED FOR THIS EVENING...ALTHOUGH SOME LIGHT 
RAIN MAY CONTINUE THIS EVENING. SOME SMALLER CREEKS AND STREAMS MAY 
CONTINUE TO RISE...BUT SHOULD BEGIN RECEDING OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF 
HOURS.

MORE HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY WHICH COULD CAUSE 
ADDITIONAL FLOODING.

LAT...LON 4081 7558 4078 7565 4078 7570 4077 7570
      4074 7577 4084 7594 4090 7600 4091 7600
      4095 7588 4098 7586 4099 7582

$$

ROBERTSON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 26, 2:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton58 min
May 26, 2:18 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIMonroe, Northampton5 hr
May 26, 2:23 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHICarbon3 hr
May 26, 2:36 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton5 hr
May 26, 2:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton48 min
May 26, 2:46 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHICarbon44 min
May 26, 3:15 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHICarbon2 hr
May 26, 3:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIMonroe, Northampton4 hr
May 26, 3:39 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIMonroe51 min
May 26, 3:40 PM EDTExcessive Heat WatchPHIDelaware, Philadelphia23 hr
May 26, 3:45 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHICarbon3 hr
May 26, 3:48 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIMonroe3 hr
May 26, 3:51 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHICarbon39 min
May 26, 4:31 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHICarbon, Monroe, Northampton3 hr
May 26, 4:37 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHICarbon, Monroe38 min
May 26, 4:54 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHINorthampton51 min
May 26, 5:26 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIBucks49 min
May 26, 5:33 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIMonroe114 min
May 26, 5:36 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHILehigh, Northampton114 min
May 26, 6:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIBerks43 min
May 26, 6:10 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBerks, Bucks, Montgomery111 min
May 26, 6:26 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIBerks49 min
May 26, 7:18 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBucks60 min
May 26, 7:20 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBerks, Chester59 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.