Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2018

Flash Flood Warning 37, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 22, 2018Chester County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this flash flood warning at Jul 22, 2018, 8:43 PM EDT for Chester County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 4 hr. 8 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 22, 2018, 8:43 PM EDT (00:43 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 2018, 12:45 AM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Chester County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 128 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:43 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 22, 8:47 PM EDTFLASH FLOODUpper Oxford Twp, PAWATER RESCUE OF A PERSON IN A VEHICLE IN HIGH WATER.
Jul 22, 9:00 PM EDTHEAVY RAIN 3.53West Grove, PA
Jul 22, 9:10 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 Ene Coatesville, PAOCCUPIED VEHICLE IN HIGH WATER AT FOUNDRY STREET AND 11TH AVENUE IN CALN TOWNSHIP. FIRE DEPARTMENT ON SCENE TO CONDUCT A WATER RESCUE.
Jul 22, 9:18 PM EDTFLASH FLOODWest Grove, PANUMEROUS ROADS ARE CLOSED DUE TO FLASH FLOODING IN WESTERN CHESTER COUNTY. THERE WERE 27 VEHICLE RESCUES SUCCESSFULLY CONDUCTED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.
Jul 22, 9:20 PM EDTFLASH FLOODCaln, PAWATER RESCUE AT LINCOLN HIGHWAY AND NORTH CALN ROAD.
Jul 22, 9:30 PM EDTHEAVY RAIN 3.22Glenmoore, PA
Jul 22, 10:30 PM EDTHEAVY RAIN 2.1Atglen, PA
Jul 22, 10:30 PM EDTHEAVY RAIN 3.36Glenmoore, PA

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 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 168 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 00:00Z on 2018-07-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1533 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 2018-07-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 83 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
1533 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
664 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
83 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
147 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
5.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

371 
WGUS51 KPHI 230043
FFWPHI
PAC029-230445-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FF.W.0037.180723T0043Z-180723T0445Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
843 PM EDT SUN JUL 22 2018

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Western Chester County in southeastern Pennsylvania...

* Until 1245 AM EDT.

* At 841 PM EDT, county officials reported flash flooding across the 
  warned area, especially in West Marlborough Township. Up to two 
  inches of rain have already fallen, which is on top of the 1 to 2 
  inches that fell earlier. Flash flooding is already occurring in 
  areas of heaviest rain.

* Some locations that could experience flooding include...
  Coatesville, Oxford, Parkesburg, West Grove, Honey Brook,
  Homeville, Cochranville, Glenmoore, Ladenberg, Kemblesville, North
  Star, Atglen, South Coatesville, Avondale, Christiana, Modena,
  Thorndale and Toughkenamon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

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 3989 7599 3992 7600 3994 7598 3995 7600
      4004 7593 4011 7594 4014 7587 4013 7574
      3977 7574 3972 7577 3972 7599

$$

Gorse
2 follow-up statements
511 
WGUS71 KPHI 230129
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
929 PM EDT SUN JUL 22 2018

PAC029-230445-
/O.CON.KPHI.FF.W.0037.000000T0000Z-180723T0445Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Chester PA-
929 PM EDT SUN JUL 22 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 AM EDT FOR
WESTERN CHESTER COUNTY...

At 915 PM EDT, fire department officials reported flash flooding and 
a water rescue occurring in Caln Township. Mesonet sites indicate 
between 3 and 4 inches of rain has fallen. While the heaviest rain 
is now moving north of much of the warned area, excessive runoff 
will continue and some additional showers are developing from the 
south.

Some locations that could experience flooding include...
Coatesville, Oxford, Parkesburg, West Grove, Honey Brook, Homeville,
Cochranville, Glenmoore, Ladenberg, Kemblesville, North Star, Atglen,
South Coatesville, Avondale, Christiana, Modena, Thorndale and
Toughkenamon.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.

&&

LAT...LON 3989 7599 3992 7600 3994 7598 3995 7600
      4004 7593 4011 7594 4014 7587 4013 7574
      3977 7574 3972 7577 3972 7599

$$

Gorse
830 
WGUS71 KPHI 230441
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
1241 AM EDT MON JUL 23 2018

PAC029-230450-
/O.EXP.KPHI.FF.W.0037.000000T0000Z-180723T0445Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Chester PA-
1241 AM EDT MON JUL 23 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR WESTERN CHESTER COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
1245 AM EDT...

The heavy rain has ended. Scattered showers will occur the rest of 
the night. Water in running high in the West Branch of Brandywine 
Creek, but the levels are now trending down. Please continue to heed 
any remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 3989 7599 3992 7600 3994 7598 3995 7600
      4004 7593 4011 7594 4014 7587 4013 7574
      3977 7574 3972 7577 3972 7599

$$

PO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 22, 8:18 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningPHIChester117 min
Jul 22, 8:54 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIBerks, Chester4 hr
Jul 22, 9:40 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHILehigh3 hr
Jul 22, 10:21 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIMonroe54 min
Jul 22, 11:18 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHICarbon, Monroe, Northampton3 hr
Jul 23, 12:19 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIChester5 hr
Jul 23, 3:45 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchPHIBerks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh and 4 more68 hr
Jul 23, 7:00 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIChester, Delaware9 hr
Jul 23, 12:58 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPHIChester32 min
Jul 23, 1:01 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIChester34 min

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.