Alert archive / New Jersey / Flood Watches in 2014

Flood Watch 2, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

February 20, 20145 counties in Pennsylvania; New Castle County, Delaware; 8 counties in New Jersey

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this flood watch at Feb 20, 2014, 3:09 PM EST for 5 counties in Pennsylvania; New Castle County, Delaware; 8 counties in New Jersey. It took effect at Feb 21, 2014, 10:00 AM EST. It was in force for 6 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 20, 2014, 3:09 PM EST (20:09 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 21, 2014, 10:00 AM EST
Expired
Feb 21, 2014, 3:35 PM EST
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Flood severity
None

Counties New Castle County, DE, Burlington County, NJ, Camden County, NJ, Gloucester County, NJ, Hunterdon County, NJ, Mercer County, NJ, Middlesex County, NJ, Morris County, NJ, Somerset County, NJ, Bucks County, PA, Chester County, PA, Delaware County, PA, Montgomery County, PA, Philadelphia County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 57 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:11 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Phillips Aaf/Abe, MD (KAPG), launched 12:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 119 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 2014-02-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2014-02-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -50 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1880 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
153 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.

296 
WGUS61 KPHI 202009
FFAPHI

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
309 PM EST THU FEB 20 2014

DEZ001-NJZ008>010-012-015-017>019-PAZ070-071-101>106-211100-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FA.A.0002.140221T1500Z-140222T0300Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NEW CASTLE-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-MERCER-GLOUCESTER-
CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-
WESTERN CHESTER-EASTERN CHESTER-WESTERN MONTGOMERY-
EASTERN MONTGOMERY-UPPER BUCKS-LOWER BUCKS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILMINGTON...MORRISTOWN...FLEMINGTON...
SOMERVILLE...NEW BRUNSWICK...TRENTON...GLASSBORO...CAMDEN...
CHERRY HILL...MOORESTOWN...MOUNT HOLLY...MEDIA...PHILADELPHIA...
HONEY BROOK...OXFORD...WEST CHESTER...KENNET SQUARE...
COLLEGEVILLE...POTTSTOWN...NORRISTOWN...LANSDALE...CHALFONT...
PERKASIE...MORRISVILLE...DOYLESTOWN
309 PM EST THU FEB 20 2014

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY
EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN DELAWARE...NEW JERSEY AND 
  SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN 
  NORTHERN DELAWARE...NEW CASTLE. IN NEW JERSEY...CAMDEN... 
  GLOUCESTER...HUNTERDON...MERCER...MIDDLESEX...MORRIS... 
  NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON AND SOMERSET. IN SOUTHEAST 
  PENNSYLVANIA...DELAWARE...EASTERN CHESTER...EASTERN 
  MONTGOMERY...LOWER BUCKS...PHILADELPHIA...UPPER BUCKS... 
  WESTERN CHESTER AND WESTERN MONTGOMERY. 

* FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING

* THE COMBINATION OF WARM TEMPERATURES...RELATIVELY HIGH DEW POINT
  TEMPERATURES...RAIN AND WIND...WILL RESULT IN INCREASED SNOW MELT
  AND RUNOFF ON FRIDAY. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HYDROLOGIC MODELS
  INDICATE THIS RUNOFF MAY CAUSE NUMEROUS STREAMS AND RIVERS IN
  THE WATCH AREA TO APPROACH OR EXCEED FLOOD STAGE. ANOTHER FACTOR
  TO CONSIDER IS RIVER ICE...WHICH MAY BREAK UP AND MOVE WITH
  INCREASED STREAM FLOW...ADDING TO THE FLOOD THREAT IF ICE JAMS
  HAPPEN TO FORM.

* IN ADDITION TO STREAM AND RIVER FLOODING...URBAN AND POOR
  DRAINAGE FLOODING IS EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY WHERE SNOW AND ICE
  CLOG STORM DRAINS. DRIVING MAY BECOME DIFFICULT ON FRIDAY DUE TO
  EXCESSIVE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

BASEMENT FLOODING IS POSSIBLE DUE TO RAIN FALLING ON FROZEN
GROUND. IF YOUR HOME HAS A HISTORY OF BASEMENT FLOODING, MONITOR
YOUR SUMP PUMP FOR PROPER OPERATION, AND IF POSSIBLE, DIRECT
OUTSIDE WATER FLOW AWAY FROM YOUR HOME.

&&

$$
2 follow-up statements
400 
WGUS61 KPHI 210900
FFAPHI

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
400 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014

DEZ001-NJZ008>010-012-015-017>019-PAZ070-071-101>106-212100-
/O.CON.KPHI.FA.A.0002.140221T1500Z-140222T0300Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NEW CASTLE-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-MERCER-GLOUCESTER-
CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-
WESTERN CHESTER-EASTERN CHESTER-WESTERN MONTGOMERY-
EASTERN MONTGOMERY-UPPER BUCKS-LOWER BUCKS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILMINGTON...MORRISTOWN...FLEMINGTON...
SOMERVILLE...NEW BRUNSWICK...TRENTON...GLASSBORO...CAMDEN...
CHERRY HILL...MOORESTOWN...MOUNT HOLLY...MEDIA...PHILADELPHIA...
HONEY BROOK...OXFORD...WEST CHESTER...KENNET SQUARE...
COLLEGEVILLE...POTTSTOWN...NORRISTOWN...LANSDALE...CHALFONT...
PERKASIE...MORRISVILLE...DOYLESTOWN
400 AM EST FRI FEB 21 2014

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM EST THIS MORNING
THROUGH THIS EVENING...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* NEW CASTLE COUNTY IN DELAWARE. THE NEW JERSEY COUNTIES OF
  GLOUCESTER, CAMDEN, NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON, MERCER, MIDDLESEX,
  SOMERSET, HUNTERDON AND MORRIS. THE PENNSYLVANIA COUNTIES OF
  BUCKS, MONTGOMERY, CHESTER, DELAWARE AND PHILADELPHIA.

* FROM 1000 AM THIS MORNING UNTIL 1000 PM THIS EVENING

* THE COMBINATION OF A DEVELOPING SOUTHERLY WIND AND MILD
  TEMPERATURES TODAY ALONG WITH A BRIEF PERIOD OF MODERATE TO
  HEAVY RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON WILL RESULT IN INCREASED SNOW
  MELT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY IN THE QUARTER
  TO HALF INCH RANGE WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS. HOWEVER, THE
  RAINFALL IN COMBINATION WITH THE MELTING SNOW MAY RESULT IN
  MINOR FLOODING. ALSO, THE MOVEMENT OF MELTING ICE ON AREA RIVERS
  AND STREAMS MAY CAUSE ICE JAMS TO DEVELOP LEADING TO ADDITIONAL
  FLOODING.

* MINOR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ALONG AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS DUE TO
  THE EXPECTED RAINFALL, SNOW MELT AND THE MOVEMENT OF ICE ON THE
  WATERWAYS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ICE JAMS. ALSO, FLOODING OF
  ROADWAYS AND AREAS OF POOR DRAINAGE IS EXPECTED AS MANY STORM
  DRAINS REMAIN BLOCKED BY SNOW AND ICE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING
BASED ON THE CURRENT FORECAST.

MONITOR THE UPDATED FORECASTS THOUGH THE DAY AND BE ALERT FOR
POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. IF YOU LIVE IN AN AREA THAT IS PRONE TO
FLOODING, BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF THE WATER BEGINS TO RISE.

IF YOUR HOME HAS A HISTORY OF BASEMENT FLOODING CHECK YOUR SUMP
PUMP TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS OPERATING PROPERLY. BE SURE TO DIRECT
THE OUTSIDE WATER FLOW AWAY FROM YOUR HOME.

&&

$$

IOVINO
828 
WGUS61 KPHI 212035
FFAPHI

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
335 PM EST FRI FEB 21 2014

DEZ001-NJZ008>010-012-015-017>019-PAZ070-071-101>106-212145-
/O.CAN.KPHI.FA.A.0002.000000T0000Z-140222T0300Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
NEW CASTLE-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-MIDDLESEX-MERCER-GLOUCESTER-
CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-
WESTERN CHESTER-EASTERN CHESTER-WESTERN MONTGOMERY-
EASTERN MONTGOMERY-UPPER BUCKS-LOWER BUCKS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WILMINGTON...MORRISTOWN...FLEMINGTON...
SOMERVILLE...NEW BRUNSWICK...TRENTON...GLASSBORO...CAMDEN...
CHERRY HILL...MOORESTOWN...MOUNT HOLLY...MEDIA...PHILADELPHIA...
HONEY BROOK...OXFORD...WEST CHESTER...KENNET SQUARE...
COLLEGEVILLE...POTTSTOWN...NORRISTOWN...LANSDALE...CHALFONT...
PERKASIE...MORRISVILLE...DOYLESTOWN
335 PM EST FRI FEB 21 2014

...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN DELAWARE...NEW JERSEY
AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA HAS BEEN CANCELLED. 

BETWEEN ONE HALF AND ONE INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER THE AREA
SINCE FRIDAY MORNING. HOWEVER, SNOW MELT WAS LESS THAN EXPECTED DUE
TO COOLER TEMPERATURES, SO RUNOFF WAS ALSO LESS THAN EXPECTED.
WHILE MINOR RISES ARE BEING REPORTED ON AREA STREAMS AND
RIVERS...STREAM FLOODING NO LONGER POSES A MAJOR THREAT. THE FLOOD
WATCH HAS THEREFORE BEEN CANCELLED. 

STREET AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING MAY CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING
HOURS IN RESPONSE TO THE RAIN WHICH MOVED THROUGH TODAY. FLOOD
ADVISORIES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE VULNERABLE AREAS. IT IS
ANTICIPATED THESE ADVISORIES WILL BE CANCELLED LATE THIS AFTERNOON
OR EARLY THIS EVENING.

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 20, 3:40 AM ESTSmall Craft AdvisoryPHI44 hr

Nearby

Flood Watches in New Jersey, 2014Flood Watches in Pennsylvania, 2014Flood Watches in Delaware, 2014Every flood watch in 2014

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.