Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2018

Flash Flood Warning 73, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

August 13, 20186 counties in Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this flash flood warning at Aug 13, 2018, 8:43 AM EDT for 6 counties in Pennsylvania. It was in force for 4 hr. 7 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
Aug 13, 2018, 8:43 AM EDT (12:43 UTC)
Expired
Aug 13, 2018, 12:45 PM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Bucks County, PA, Delaware County, PA, Lehigh County, PA, Montgomery County, PA, Northampton County, PA, Philadelphia County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:44 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
Aug 13, 8:45 AM EDTFLASH FLOODUpper Darby, PA*** 1 INJ *** NUMEROUS WATER RESCUES IN UPPER DARBY. A POLICE OFFICER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES FROM BEING SWEPT AWAY BY FLOODWATERS.
Aug 13, 9:00 AM EDTFLOODRoxborough, PAA HOME BASEMENT FLOODED WITH ABOUT 1 FOOT OF WATER. TIME ESTIMATED.
Aug 13, 9:30 AM EDTFLASH FLOODKensington, PAMULTIPLE HOMES FLOODED IN KENSINGTON.
Aug 13, 9:43 AM EDTFLASH FLOODEast Norriton, PAWATER RESCUE REPORTED AT NORTH WALES ROAD AND MARCIA LANE.
Aug 13, 9:43 AM EDTFLASH FLOODExecutive Estates Park, PAWATER RESCUE AT GULPH ROAD AND ARDEN ROAD.
Aug 13, 11:22 AM EDTFLASH FLOOD1 Nnw Ancient Oaks, PALITTLE LEHIGH CREEK IS OUT OF ITS BANKS MAKING SPRING CREEEK ROAD IMPASSABLE. A BRIDGE NEAR THE HEADWATERS IS ALSO IMPASSABLE AND SUBMERGED IN FLOOD WATERS. 4.3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN IN THE LAST 3 HOURS.
Aug 13, 11:22 AM EDTHEAVY RAIN 4.31 Nnw Ancient Oaks, PARAINFALL IN THE LAST 3 HOURS.

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, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 211 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 2018-08-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 307 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 2018-08-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 68 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
307 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
450 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
68 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
107 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

562 
WGUS51 KPHI 131243
FFWPHI
PAC017-045-077-091-095-101-131645-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FF.W.0073.180813T1243Z-180813T1645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
843 AM EDT MON AUG 13 2018

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Montgomery County in southeastern Pennsylvania...
  Lehigh County in eastern Pennsylvania...
  Bucks County in southeastern Pennsylvania...
  Philadelphia County in southeastern Pennsylvania...
  Northeastern Delaware County in southeastern Pennsylvania...
  Southwestern Northampton County in eastern Pennsylvania...

* Until 1245 PM EDT.

* At 840 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Over two inches of rain have 
  already fallen just west of Philadelphia. These thunderstorms will 
  continue to drift northward toward area that were previously hard 
  hit with heavy rain and flash flooding this past Saturday. Flash 
  flooding is expected to begin shortly in the areas of heaviest 
  rain.

* Some locations that could experience flooding include...
  Philadelphia, Allentown, Camden, Easton, Bethlehem, Bensalem,
  Norristown, Lansdale, West Norriton, East Norriton, Yeadon, Emmaus,
  Northampton, Quakertown, Perkasie, Doylestown, Wilson,
  Conshohocken, Palmyra and Hatboro.

Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 are possible in the warned 
area.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as
well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

Stay away or be swept away. River banks and culverts can become
unstable and unsafe.

&&

LAT...LON 4078 7567 4079 7561 4067 7523 4062 7519
      4057 7519 4057 7515 4042 7506 4030 7491
      4010 7489 4007 7492 3996 7513 3988 7515
      3987 7521 3985 7527 4045 7553 4068 7589

$$

Klein
2 follow-up statements
219 
WGUS71 KPHI 131353
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
953 AM EDT MON AUG 13 2018

PAC017-045-077-091-095-101-131645-
/O.CON.KPHI.FF.W.0073.000000T0000Z-180813T1645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Montgomery PA-Lehigh PA-Bucks PA-Philadelphia PA-Delaware PA-
Northampton PA-
953 AM EDT MON AUG 13 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 PM EDT FOR
MONTGOMERY...LEHIGH...BUCKS...PHILADELPHIA...NORTHEASTERN DELAWARE
AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES...

At 947 AM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
thunderstorms producing heavy rain over the warned area. Three to 
four inches of rain have already fallen in northeastern Delaware and 
southwestern Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania. Numerous road 
closures due to flooding has been reported in Radnor and Upper 
Merion. The band of heavy showers and thunderstorms is drifting 
northward into southwestern portions of Philadelphia, extending 
northward along I-476 into the Lehigh Valley. Flash flooding is 
expected to begin shortly in these same areas that were hit hard 
with flash flooding just this past Saturday.

Some locations that could experience flooding include...
Philadelphia, Allentown, Camden, Easton, Bethlehem, Bensalem,
Norristown, Lansdale, West Norriton, East Norriton, Yeadon, Emmaus,
Northampton, Quakertown, Perkasie, Doylestown, Wilson, Conshohocken,
Palmyra and Hatboro.

Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches are possible in the 
warned area.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small
creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as
well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

Stay away or be swept away. River banks and culverts can become
unstable and unsafe.

&&

LAT...LON 4078 7567 4079 7561 4067 7523 4062 7519
      4057 7519 4057 7515 4042 7506 4030 7491
      4010 7489 4007 7492 3996 7513 3988 7515
      3987 7521 3985 7527 4045 7553 4068 7589

$$

JRK
222 
WGUS71 KPHI 131640
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
1240 PM EDT MON AUG 13 2018

PAC017-045-077-091-095-101-131648-
/O.EXP.KPHI.FF.W.0073.000000T0000Z-180813T1645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Montgomery PA-Lehigh PA-Bucks PA-Philadelphia PA-Delaware PA-
Northampton PA-
1240 PM EDT MON AUG 13 2018

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR MONTGOMERY...LEHIGH...BUCKS...
PHILADELPHIA...NORTHEASTERN DELAWARE AND SOUTHWESTERN NORTHAMPTON
COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 1245 PM EDT...

The heavy rain has ended. Life threatening flash flooding is no 
longer expected. However, areal flooding will continue this 
afternoon. This is now covered by a Flood Warning.

Please continue to heed any remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 4078 7567 4079 7561 4067 7523 4062 7519
      4057 7519 4057 7515 4042 7506 4030 7491
      4010 7489 4007 7492 3996 7513 3988 7515
      3987 7521 3985 7527 4045 7553 4068 7589

$$

JRK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 12, 10:08 PM EDTFlash Flood WatchPHIBerks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh and 4 more24 hr
Aug 13, 4:42 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBerks4 hr
Aug 13, 5:12 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIChester103 min
Aug 13, 6:24 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBerks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery4 hr
Aug 13, 6:50 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIBerks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery6 hr
Aug 13, 8:03 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIDelaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia4 hr
Aug 13, 9:21 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIChester10 hr
Aug 13, 10:40 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHICarbon, Monroe, Northampton42 min
Aug 13, 11:05 AM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIChester, Delaware30 hr
Aug 13, 11:21 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningPHICarbon, Monroe, Northampton4 hr
Aug 13, 12:14 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIBerks, Montgomery23 hr
Aug 13, 12:14 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIMontgomery28 hr
Aug 13, 12:14 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIChester, Montgomery, Philadelphia52 hr
Aug 13, 12:37 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningPHIBerks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lehigh, Montgomery and 1 more18 hr
Aug 13, 3:07 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIMontgomery6 hr
Aug 13, 4:57 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHICarbon, Monroe, Northampton3 hr
Aug 13, 5:09 PM EDTRiver Flood WarningPHIMontgomery, Philadelphia31 hr
Aug 13, 7:27 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningPHICarbon, Northampton7 hr
Aug 13, 7:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPHIChester48 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.