Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2018

Flash Flood Warning 35, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 17, 2018Berks County, Chester County, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this flash flood warning at Jul 17, 2018, 2:27 PM EDT for Berks County, Chester County, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 4 hr. 2 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
Jul 17, 2018, 2:27 PM EDT (18:27 UTC)
Expired
Jul 17, 2018, 6:30 PM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Berks County, PA, Chester County, PA, Montgomery County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 116 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:26 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
Jul 17, 2:30 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 N Pottstown, PAMULTIPLE WATER RESCUES REPORTED WITH SEVERAL INTERSECTIONS CLOSED IN POTTSTOWN.
Jul 17, 2:41 PM EDTFLOOD1 Sse Pottstown, PAFLOODED UNDERPASS UNDER SOUTH KEIM ROAD AND RAILROAD TRACKS REPORTED.

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, 6.5 hours before the alert went out and 203 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 2018-07-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 644 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 2018-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 39 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
644 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-93 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
959 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
11 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
39 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
74 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

698 
WGUS51 KPHI 171827
FFWPHI
PAC011-029-091-172230-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FF.W.0035.180717T1827Z-180717T2230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
227 PM EDT TUE JUL 17 2018

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southeastern Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania...
  Northwestern Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania...
  North central Chester County in southeastern Pennsylvania...

* Until 630 PM EDT.

* At 224 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Up to one inch of rain has 
  already fallen. Specifically, Pottstown Airport reported almost 
  one inch of rain in about 20 minutes. Flash flooding is expected 
  to begin shortly in the areas of heaviest rain.

* Some locations that could experience flooding include...
  Pottstown, Birdsboro, East Greenville, Elverson, Bally,
  Bechtelsville, Green Lane, New Morgan, Gilbertsville, Cedarville,
  Stowe, Boyertown, Pennsburg, Red Hill, Pottsgrove, South Pottstown,
  Amity Gardens, Sanatoga, Kenilworth and Halfway House.

Additional rainfall amounts of one to two inches are possible in the 
warned area.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Flash Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or occurring.
If you are in the warned area move to higher ground immediately.
Residents living along streams and creeks should take immediate
precautions to protect life and property.

&&

LAT...LON 4044 7553 4035 7538 4010 7581 4014 7586
      4013 7587 4014 7587 4019 7593

$$

Kruzdlo
2 follow-up statements
033 
WGUS71 KPHI 171859
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
259 PM EDT TUE JUL 17 2018

PAC011-029-091-172230-
/O.CON.KPHI.FF.W.0035.000000T0000Z-180717T2230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Berks PA-Montgomery PA-Chester PA-
259 PM EDT TUE JUL 17 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BERKS...NORTHWESTERN MONTGOMERY AND NORTH CENTRAL
CHESTER COUNTIES...

At 256 PM EDT, the public reported multiple water rescues in the 
Pottstown area. Doppler radar rainfall estimates are now up to three 
inches.  

Some locations that could experience flooding include... Pottstown, 
Birdsboro, East Greenville, Elverson, Bally, Bechtelsville, Green 
Lane, New Morgan, Gilbertsville, Cedarville, Stowe, Boyertown, 
Pennsburg, Red Hill, Pottsgrove, South Pottstown, Amity Gardens, 
Sanatoga, Kenilworth and Halfway House.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around...don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 4044 7553 4035 7538 4010 7581 4014 7586
      4013 7587 4014 7587 4019 7593

$$

Kruzdlo
781 
WGUS71 KPHI 172223
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
623 PM EDT TUE JUL 17 2018

PAC011-029-091-172233-
/O.EXP.KPHI.FF.W.0035.000000T0000Z-180717T2230Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Berks PA-Montgomery PA-Chester PA-
623 PM EDT TUE JUL 17 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN BERKS...NORTHWESTERN
MONTGOMERY AND NORTH CENTRAL CHESTER COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 630 PM
EDT...

The heavy rain has ended. Flood waters have receded. Flooding is no
longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to heed any
remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 4044 7553 4035 7538 4010 7581 4014 7586
      4013 7587 4014 7587 4019 7593

$$

MPS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 17, 3:36 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchPHIBucks, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia15 hr
Jul 17, 1:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIChester, Montgomery41 min
Jul 17, 2:05 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBerks, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton3 hr
Jul 17, 2:21 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIChester39 min
Jul 17, 2:50 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia3 hr
Jul 17, 3:09 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIPhiladelphia36 min
Jul 17, 3:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIDelaware, Montgomery25 min
Jul 17, 4:03 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBucks2 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2018Every flash flood warning in 2018

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.