Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2020

Flash Flood Warning 21, NWS Pittsburgh, PA

August 22, 2020Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 22, 2020, 8:25 PM EDT for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 68 min. 1 report 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 22, 2020, 8:25 PM EDT (00:25 UTC)
Expired
Aug 22, 2020, 9:33 PM EDT
In force
68 min
Issued by
NWS Pittsburgh, PA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Allegheny County, PA

The radar

The Pittsburgh radar (KPBZ), 23 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:28 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 22, 8:30 PM EDTFLASH FLOODWhitehall, PAA CREEK IS OVERFLOWING ONTO THE ROAD SOUTHERN ALLEGHENY COUNTY.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 9 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 2020-08-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 151 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, Pittsburgh, PA at 00:00Z on 2020-08-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -15 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
151 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2087 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
6 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

834 
WGUS51 KPBZ 230025
FFWPBZ
PAC003-230200-
/O.NEW.KPBZ.FF.W.0021.200823T0025Z-200823T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
825 PM EDT Sat Aug 22 2020

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Central Allegheny County in southwestern Pennsylvania...

* Until 1000 PM EDT.

* At 825 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 2 inches of 
  rain have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin 
  shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Doppler radar.

  IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
           highways, streets and underpasses as well as other
           drainage and low lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Pittsburgh, Mount Lebanon, Bethel Park, Ross Township, McKeesport, 
  Shaler Township, West Mifflin, North Side Pittsburgh, Baldwin, 
  Scott Township, Wilkinsburg, Whitehall, South Park Township, 
  Munhall, Jefferson Hills, Brentwood, Swissvale, Dormont, O'hara 
  Township and Castle Shannon.

Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are possible in the 
warned area.

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 4043 8006 4029 8002 4028 7985 4054 7992
      4047 8007

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$
2 follow-up statements
039 
WGUS71 KPBZ 230039
FFSPBZ

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
839 PM EDT Sat Aug 22 2020

PAC003-230200-
/O.CON.KPBZ.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-200823T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Allegheny PA-
839 PM EDT Sat Aug 22 2020

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS 
EVENING FOR CENTRAL ALLEGHENY COUNTY...

At 839 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy 
rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have 
fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Doppler radar.

IMPACT...Flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
         highways, streets and underpasses as well as other
         drainage and low lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Pittsburgh, Mount Lebanon, Bethel Park, Ross Township, McKeesport, 
  Shaler Township, West Mifflin, North Side Pittsburgh, Baldwin, 
  Scott Township, Wilkinsburg, Whitehall, South Park Township, 
  Munhall, Jefferson Hills, Brentwood, Swissvale, Dormont, O'hara 
  Township and Castle Shannon.

Additional rainfall amounts up to 0.5 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.

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

&&

LAT...LON 4043 8006 4029 8002 4028 7985 4054 7992
      4047 8007

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$
477 
WGUS71 KPBZ 230133
FFSPBZ

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Pittsburgh PA
933 PM EDT Sat Aug 22 2020

PAC003-230143-
/O.CAN.KPBZ.FF.W.0021.000000T0000Z-200823T0200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Allegheny PA-
933 PM EDT Sat Aug 22 2020

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR CENTRAL ALLEGHENY COUNTY...

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

LAT...LON 4043 8006 4029 8002 4028 7985 4054 7992
      4047 8007

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Pittsburgh, PA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 22, 8:03 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPBZAllegheny22 min
Aug 22, 8:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPBZAllegheny35 min
Aug 22, 8:39 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementPBZAllegheny36 min
Aug 22, 9:19 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPBZAllegheny56 min
Aug 22, 11:33 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPBZBeaver117 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2020Every flash flood warning in 2020

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.