Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2019

Flash Flood Warning 21, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

June 18, 2019Berks County, Lehigh County, Northampton County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this flash flood warning at Jun 18, 2019, 5:09 PM EDT for Berks County, Lehigh County, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 3 hr. 3 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
Jun 18, 2019, 5:09 PM EDT (21:09 UTC)
Expired
Jun 18, 2019, 7:51 PM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Berks County, PA, Lehigh County, PA, Northampton County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:12 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
Jun 18, 5:15 PM EDTHEAVY RAIN 2.55North Catasauqua, PASTORM TOTAL RAINFALL. CATASAUQUA AND JORDAN CREEKS NEARING TOP OF BANKS.
Jun 18, 5:35 PM EDTFLOOD2 N Emmaus, PAFLOODING HAS CLOSED THE INTERSECTION OF LEHIGH ST. AND 33RD ST. WATER WAS REPORTED TO THE BOTTOM OF SEVERAL CARS.
Jun 18, 7:00 PM EDTHEAVY RAIN 2.27North Catasauqua, PA

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, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 222 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 2019-06-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 78 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 2019-06-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 20 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
78 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-20 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
453 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
20 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
93 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

342 
WGUS51 KPHI 182109
FFWPHI
PAC011-077-095-190115-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FF.W.0021.190618T2109Z-190619T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
509 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2019

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly NJ has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Northeastern Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania...
  Central Lehigh County in eastern Pennsylvania...
  Central Northampton County in eastern Pennsylvania...

* Until 915 PM EDT.

* At 509 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain across the warned
  area. Up to two inches of rain have already fallen. Flash flooding
  is expected to begin shortly in the areas of heaviest rain.

* Some locations that could experience flooding include...
  Allentown, Bethlehem, Emmaus, Northampton, Nazareth, Kutztown,
  Bath, Topton, Steuben, Lyons, Lenhartsville, Coffeetown, Ancient
  Oaks, Schnecksville, Claussville, Catasauqua, Coplay, Macungie,
  North Catasauqua and Alburtis.

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 4079 7529 4067 7526 4062 7542 4055 7540
      4046 7580 4058 7591

$$

SFJ
3 follow-up statements
616 
WGUS71 KPHI 182114
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
514 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2019

PAC011-077-095-190115-
/O.CON.KPHI.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-190619T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-Northampton PA-
514 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2019

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN BERKS...CENTRAL LEHIGH AND CENTRAL NORTHAMPTON
COUNTIES...

At 514 PM EDT, trained weather spotters reported heavy rain in North 
Catasauqua. Up to three inches of rain have already fallen. Flash 
flooding is expected to begin shortly.

Some locations that could experience flooding include...
Allentown, Bethlehem, Emmaus, Northampton, Nazareth, Kutztown, Bath,
Topton, Steuben, Lyons, Lenhartsville, Coffeetown, Ancient Oaks,
Schnecksville, Claussville, Catasauqua, Coplay, Macungie, North
Catasauqua and Alburtis.

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 4079 7529 4067 7526 4062 7542 4055 7540
      4046 7580 4058 7591

$$

SFJ
976 
WGUS71 KPHI 182218
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
618 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2019

PAC011-077-095-190115-
/O.CON.KPHI.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-190619T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-Northampton PA-
618 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2019

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM EDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN BERKS...CENTRAL LEHIGH AND CENTRAL NORTHAMPTON
COUNTIES...

At 617 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain had left the 
warned area. However, it will take time for water to recede. 
Therefore the threat for flash flooding continues.  Up to three 
inches of rain have already fallen.

Some locations that could experience flooding include...
Allentown, Bethlehem, Emmaus, Northampton, Nazareth, Kutztown, Bath,
Topton, Steuben, Lyons, Lenhartsville, Coffeetown, Ancient Oaks,
Schnecksville, Claussville, Catasauqua, Coplay, Macungie, North
Catasauqua and Alburtis.

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 4079 7529 4067 7526 4062 7542 4055 7540
      4046 7580 4058 7591

$$

SFJ
114 
WGUS71 KPHI 182351 RRA
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
751 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2019

PAC011-077-095-190001-
/O.CAN.KPHI.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-190619T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Berks PA-Lehigh PA-Northampton PA-
751 PM EDT Tue Jun 18 2019

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN BERKS...CENTRAL LEHIGH
AND CENTRAL NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

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

LAT...LON 4079 7529 4067 7526 4062 7542 4055 7540
      4046 7580 4058 7591

$$

SFJ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 18, 11:07 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBerks, Bucks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton4 hr
Jun 18, 12:38 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBucks, Lehigh, Montgomery7 hr
Jun 18, 3:26 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIBucks4 hr
Jun 18, 3:41 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBucks, Lehigh, Northampton4 hr
Jun 18, 3:57 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningPHIBucks, Lehigh, Northampton4 hr
Jun 18, 5:00 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPHIBucks67 min
Jun 18, 7:24 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningPHIBucks4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2019Every flash flood warning in 2019

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.