Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2023

Flash Flood Warning 38, NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly

July 9, 2023Berks County, Pennsylvania

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly issued this flash flood warning at Jul 9, 2023, 1:16 PM EDT for Berks County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 6 hr. 19 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 9, 2023, 1:16 PM EDT (17:16 UTC)
Expired: Jul 9, 2023, 7:15 PM EDT
In force: 6 hr
Issued by: NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

County Berks County, PA

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 143 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:17 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Jul 9, 1:56 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Sse Muhlenberg Twp, PA	Live Traffic camera video at PA 12 @ US 222 BUSINESS 5TH ST showing significant flooding. Lanes closed in both directions.
Jul 9, 2:01 PM EDT	FLOOD	Muhlenberg Twp, PA	Report of street flooding in Muhlenberg Township where roads and shopping plaza parking lot is flooded.
Jul 9, 2:54 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 W Temple, PA	Live streaming video of US 222 @ PA 61 EXIT with all lanes under water. Road closed in both directions.
Jul 9, 3:05 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Ene Blandon, PA	Trained spotter has sent in several pictures of tree debris in flooded waters and what appears to be a shed sitting on a roadway in the community park. Water has since receded. Time estimated.
Jul 9, 3:10 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Oley, PA	Spotter sent in video of fast moving water with roads becoming impassible near Oley, PA. Time estimated.
Jul 9, 3:25 PM EDT	FLOOD	1 Ene Blandon, PA	Photo received on Eagle Drive in Blandon underwater with report that street drained then completely refilled in last 15 minutes.
Jul 9, 3:26 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 E Temple, PA	Building collapse and rescue on Mount Laurel Road along Laurel Run. Basement has collapsed and water is surrounding residence, residents of house are trapped and cannot get out.
Jul 9, 3:34 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Spring Twp, PA	Trained spotter reports road closure between Iroquois Ave and Rte 724 in Spring Twp due to flooding.
Jul 9, 3:54 PM EDT	FLOOD	Spring Twp, PA	Street flooding reported by trained spotter with pictures.
Jul 9, 3:54 PM EDT	FLOOD	Spring Twp, PA	Trained spotter reports street flooding at this location with roads closed.
Jul 9, 4:30 PM EDT	FLOOD	1 W Temple, PA	Highway US 222 flooded at the PA route 61 underpass. Underpass looks impassable from pictures. Corrected from previous flash flood type.
Jul 9, 4:30 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 W Temple, PA	Highway US 222 flooded at the PA route 61 underpass. Underpass looks impassable from pictures.
Jul 9, 4:53 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 N Bern Twp, PA	Trained spotter sent video of Fairview Drive in Bern Twp with flood water over-runing the road. Road is now closed.
Jul 9, 4:53 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Sw Bern Twp, PA	Trained spotter reports water rescue of a truck at the intersection of County Rd and Berks County Prison.
Jul 9, 5:00 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Blandon, PA	Trained spotter reported flooding over Allentown Pike in Blandon, PA.
Jul 9, 5:24 PM EDT	FLOOD	Blandon, PA	Vehicle stuck and half-submerged in at least a few feet of water on Dries Road. Road is impassable. Photo via social media.
Jul 9, 5:26 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	1 Sw Maiden Creek, PA	Delayed report... storm chaser reports water overrunning roadway on Dries Rd with one vehicle in the water.
Jul 9, 5:54 PM EDT	FLOOD	Laureldale, PA	Picture sent in of Kutztown Rd in Laureldale completely covered in flood waters. Road is still passable at the time of report.
Jul 9, 7:16 PM EDT	FLASH FLOOD	Fleetwood, PA	Delayed report... storm chaser shows video in Fleetwood Park of road washed away in Fleetwood.

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, 5.3 hours before the alert went out and 209 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 952 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -58 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 686 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 37 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

081 
WGUS51 KPHI 091716
FFWPHI
PAC011-092315-
/O.NEW.KPHI.FF.W.0038.230709T1716Z-230709T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
116 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2023

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly has issued a

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

* Until 715 PM EDT.

* At 116 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain 
  have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are 
  possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected 
  to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...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 may experience flash flooding include...
  Reading, Wyomissing, Birdsboro, Hamburg, Fleetwood, Sinking 
  Spring, Laureldale, Wernersville, Leesport, Shoemakersville, 
  Lyons, and Fairview Hgts.

This includes the following highways...
	Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 28 and 31.
	Interstate 176 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 10 and 11.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 4058 7602 4053 7587 4049 7576 4043 7576
      4036 7579 4026 7582 4034 7613 4042 7609
      4047 7608 4058 7603 4057 7602

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

Hoeflich

3 follow-up statements

505 
WGUS71 KPHI 091749
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
149 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2023

PAC011-092315-
/O.CON.KPHI.FF.W.0038.000000T0000Z-230709T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Berks PA-
149 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2023

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT THIS 
EVENING FOR CENTRAL BERKS COUNTY...

At 149 PM EDT, Department of Highways reported thunderstorms 
producing heavy rain. At 1:44 PM EDT, a PennDOT camera showed 
highway flooding near PA Route 12 and US Route 222. Between 1.5 and 
2.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1.5 
to 2.5 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is 
already occurring.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Law enforcement reported.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
         urban areas, highways, streets, and underpasses.

Some locations that may experience flash flooding include...
  Reading, Wyomissing, Birdsboro, Hamburg, Fleetwood, Sinking 
  Spring, Laureldale, Wernersville, Leesport, Shoemakersville, 
  Lyons, and Fairview Hgts.

This includes the following highways...
	Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 28 and 31.
	Interstate 176 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 10 and 11.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 4058 7602 4053 7587 4049 7576 4043 7576
      4036 7579 4026 7582 4034 7613 4042 7609
      4047 7608 4058 7603 4057 7602

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

Hoeflich

667 
WGUS71 KPHI 091924
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
324 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2023

PAC011-092315-
/O.CON.KPHI.FF.W.0038.000000T0000Z-230709T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Berks PA-
324 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2023

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM EDT THIS 
EVENING FOR CENTRAL BERKS COUNTY...

At 324 PM EDT, trained weather spotters reported thunderstorms 
producing heavy rain. At 3:20 PM EDT, a trained spotter reported 
flash flooding in Oley, PA with fast moving water and roads becoming 
impassable. Between 2.5 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. Additional 
rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. 
Flash flooding is already occurring.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Trained spotters reported.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
         urban areas, highways, streets, and underpasses.

Some locations that may experience flash flooding include...
  Reading, Wyomissing, Birdsboro, Hamburg, Fleetwood, Sinking 
  Spring, Laureldale, Wernersville, Leesport, Shoemakersville, 
  Lyons, and Fairview Hgts.

This includes the following highways...
	Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 28 and 31.
	Interstate 176 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 10 and 11.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 4058 7602 4053 7587 4049 7576 4043 7576
      4036 7579 4026 7582 4034 7613 4042 7609
      4047 7608 4058 7603 4057 7602

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

Hoeflich

350 
WGUS71 KPHI 092308
FFSPHI

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
708 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2023

PAC011-092318-
/O.EXP.KPHI.FF.W.0038.000000T0000Z-230709T2315Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Berks PA-
708 PM EDT Sun Jul 9 2023

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 715 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR 
CENTRAL BERKS COUNTY...

The heavy rain has ended. A Flood Warning remains in effect until 4 
AM EDT.

A Flood Watch remains in effect until 1200 AM EDT for portions of 
east central Pennsylvania...northeast Pennsylvania...and southeast 
Pennsylvania.

LAT...LON 4058 7602 4053 7587 4049 7576 4043 7576
      4036 7579 4026 7582 4034 7613 4042 7609
      4047 7608 4058 7603 4057 7602

$$

Hoeflich

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 9, 11:00 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Carbon	30 min
Jul 9, 11:33 AM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Chester, Delaware, Montgomery	8 hr
Jul 9, 11:47 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Monroe	43 min
Jul 9, 11:49 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Montgomery	41 min
Jul 9, 11:54 AM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PHI	Berks, Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery	33 min
Jul 9, 12:14 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Bucks	46 min
Jul 9, 12:15 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Monroe	30 min
Jul 9, 12:22 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Lebanon	38 min
Jul 9, 12:27 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Berks, Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery	8 hr
Jul 9, 12:37 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PHI	Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton	2 hr
Jul 9, 12:43 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PHI	Berks	33 min
Jul 9, 12:51 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Northampton	24 min
Jul 9, 12:57 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PHI	Carbon, Monroe	6 hr
Jul 9, 1:02 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton	8 hr
Jul 9, 1:17 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks	28 min
Jul 9, 1:32 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PHI	Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton	4 hr
Jul 9, 2:16 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PHI	Berks, Lehigh	30 min
Jul 9, 2:41 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Berks	4 hr
Jul 9, 2:46 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Berks, Lehigh, Northampton	6 hr
Jul 9, 3:01 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks	29 min
Jul 9, 3:03 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Chester	27 min
Jul 9, 3:15 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Berks	30 min
Jul 9, 3:20 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks	25 min
Jul 9, 3:27 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Berks, Chester	33 min
Jul 9, 3:41 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Berks	34 min
Jul 9, 3:51 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning Considerable damage threat	PHI	Berks, Chester, Lehigh, Montgomery	6 hr
Jul 9, 3:59 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Chester	31 min
Jul 9, 4:03 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Montgomery	27 min
Jul 9, 4:19 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Chester	26 min
Jul 9, 4:31 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Chester, Montgomery	4 hr
Jul 9, 5:10 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Delaware	50 min
Jul 9, 5:12 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Bucks, Montgomery	5 hr
Jul 9, 5:15 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Bucks, Delaware, Philadelphia	30 min
Jul 9, 5:31 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia	4 hr
Jul 9, 5:35 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PHI	Philadelphia	25 min
Jul 9, 5:59 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	PHI	Bucks, Montgomery	4 hr
Jul 9, 6:05 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	PHI	Bucks	25 min
Jul 9, 7:04 PM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	PHI	Berks	9 hr
Jul 9, 7:11 PM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PHI	Bucks	3 hr
Jul 9, 7:27 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	PHI	Chester	4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2023 Every flash flood warning in 2023

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.