Alert archive / Pennsylvania / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026
Flash Flood Warning 93, NWS State College, PA
NWS State College, PA issued this flash flood warning at Sep 12, 2026, 10:42 PM EDT for Elk County, Pennsylvania. It was in force for 4 hr. 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
- Sep 12, 2026, 10:42 PM EDT (02:42 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 13, 2026, 2:45 AM EDT
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS State College, PA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- None
County Elk County, PA
The radar
The State College radar (KCCX), 92 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 12, 10:47 PM EDT | FLASH FLOOD | 1 Wsw Ridgway, PA | Water is over Grant Road and impassable just off West Main Street. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this flash flood warning; the first came 5 minutes after it went out.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The nearest sounding before it
Pittsburgh, PA (KPIT), launched 00:00Z, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 149 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 567 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 483 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 25 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 104 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 227 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.2
- Supercell composite
- 1.4
The text
As transmitted.
545
WGUS51 KCTP 130242
FFWCTP
PAC047-130645-
/O.NEW.KCTP.FF.W.0093.260913T0242Z-260913T0645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service State College PA
1042 PM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026
The National Weather Service in State College has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Central Elk County in north central Pennsylvania...
* Until 245 AM EDT.
* At 1042 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 2 inches of rain have
fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to 0.5 inches are possible
in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin
shortly.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
drainage and low-lying areas.
* Some locations that could experience flash flooding include...
St. Marys, Ridgway, Johnsonburg, Brandy Camp, Portland Mills and
Kersey.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
&&
LAT...LON 4152 7867 4147 7845 4134 7842 4132 7863
4132 7887 4136 7896 4137 7896 4138 7897
4135 7902 4136 7903 4135 7906 4135 7908
4134 7909 4142 7909 4142 7907 4145 7906
4145 7898 4144 7898 4144 7896 4149 7896
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
$$
Dangelo1 follow-up statement
272
WGUS71 KCTP 130335
FFSCTP
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service State College PA
1135 PM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026
PAC047-130645-
/O.CON.KCTP.FF.W.0093.000000T0000Z-260913T0645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Elk PA-
1135 PM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 245 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR
CENTRAL ELK COUNTY...
At 1135 PM EDT, local law enforcement reported flash flooding in
Ridgway. Up to 2 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall
amounts up to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding
is already occurring.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by heavy rain.
SOURCE...Law enforcement reported.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
drainage and low-lying areas.
Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Ridgway, St. Marys, Johnsonburg, Brandy Camp, Portland Mills and
Kersey.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
&&
LAT...LON 4152 7867 4147 7845 4134 7842 4132 7863
4132 7887 4136 7896 4137 7896 4138 7897
4135 7902 4136 7903 4135 7906 4135 7908
4134 7909 4142 7909 4142 7907 4145 7906
4145 7898 4144 7898 4144 7896 4149 7896
FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
$$
DangeloWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Sep 12, 9:32 PM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- 1) Numerous showers with some embedded thunder are moving thru the area and may bring locally over 2 inches of rain and some areas of flash flooding into early Sunday.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 12, 9:32 PM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service State College PA 932 PM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... * Tweaked near term grids, but no major changes. * Considering dropping FFA for the northern couple counties. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1) Numerous showers with some embedded thunder are moving thru the area and may bring locally over 2 inches of rain and some areas of flash flooding into early Sunday. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1: Numerous showers and some embedded thunder are moving thru the area and may bring locally over 2 inches of rain and some areas of flash flooding into early Sunday. Radar playing out the forecast very nicely. Much of the heavy rain has confined itself to PBZ's area, as expected. Have not seen any 1"+ amounts on any buckets across our CWA, and FFG is higher than that. It is good that we have the flood watch out, but we may be able to start trimming it off as this push of rain goes past. HRRR and RAP had been different on the timing of rain exit from the watch area, but are now both languishing rain over the CWA much of the night - just light rain, though. Thus far, we have had no hydro issues, and the threat seems to be coming to a close. But some training of 0.5-0.75" rainfall is seen over the NW at this time. That will add onto the 0.25-0.5" we had at first late this aftn. But, it still looks fairly tame or even of no consequence. Will allow the watch to continue as is for the time being. But, we may be able to drop it earlier than 08Z (curr exp time). && .AVIATION /01Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/... Peak instability (late this afternoon) with MU CAPE values between 1000-1500 J/KG just to the West of KJST and KDUJ terminals help to fire off numerous discrete/low-topped TSRA and small line segments that trained northeast and expanded into the current large area of light to moderate rain with embedded TSRA and areas of heavy rain. The western airfields will have IFR to low-end MVFR and slowly deteriorating conditions overnight to min values between 07Z-11Z Sunday. LIFR to IFR conditions are expected at most, if not all, airfields in the 04Z-11Z Sunday period, followed by a bump up to MVFR (or MVFR/VFR - at the Central and Eastern PA TAF locations). The best overlap of instability and high PWATs for the overnight hours will be at JST and AOO. This is where the strongest storms with the heaviest rainfall, gusty winds, and visibility impacts are most likely. Given the cloudier conditions that occurred further east during the daylight hours this Saturday (limiting instability growth), showers and thunderstorms are expected to be weaker. Some heavy downpours remain possible for the first half of tonight though given the high PWATs, so included visibility restrictions in Tempo or PROB30 groups elsewhere too. Some clearing around sunrise at BFD, JST, and AOO may lead to some fog development early tomorrow morning. Outlook... Sun...Early MVFR/IFR and moderate rainshowers across the state. Additional SHRA/TSRA in the afternoon. Mon...Primarily VFR conditions, with some potential for afternoon SHRA/TSRA. Tue-Thur...Mainly VFR with a showers possible over NW PA. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch until 4 AM EDT Sunday for PAZ004-005-010-011-017- 024-033. && WHAT HAS CHANGED...Lambert/Dangelo/Martin KEY MESSAGES...Lambert/Dangelo/Martin DISCUSSION...Lambert/Dangelo/Martin AVIATION...Lambert/Lambrech
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 12, 10:37 AM EDT, 12 hours 5 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service State College PA 1037 AM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026 PAZ006-012-018-019-025>028-034>037-041-042-045-046-049>053-056>059- 063>066-131445- Potter-Northern Clinton-Northern Centre-Southern Centre-Blair- Huntingdon-Mifflin-Juniata-Bedford-Fulton-Franklin-Tioga- Northern Lycoming-Sullivan-Southern Clinton-Southern Lycoming-Union- Snyder-Montour-Northumberland-Columbia-Perry-Dauphin-Schuylkill- Lebanon-Cumberland-Adams-York-Lancaster- 1037 AM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. There is an increasing probability for showers and storms late today into early Sunday. The rain could be heavy enough to result in ponding of water on roads and localized flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. There is chance for strong to severe storms Sunday afternoon into the evening hours. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. PAZ004-005-010-011-017-024-033-131445- Warren-McKean-Elk-Cameron-Clearfield-Cambria-Somerset- 1037 AM EDT Sat Sep 12 2026 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central Pennsylvania. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov/StateCollege on the internet for more information about the following hazards. Flood Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. There is chance for strong to severe storms Sunday afternoon into the evening hours. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report significant hazardous weather. Lambert
The office that day
Everything else NWS State College, PA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 13, 6:26 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | Cameron, Potter | 49 min |
| Sep 13, 6:36 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | Elk | 39 min |
| Sep 13, 7:07 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | Clearfield | 38 min |
| Sep 13, 7:14 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | CTP | Clearfield | 46 min |
| Sep 13, 7:59 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | CTP | Centre | 16 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Pennsylvania, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026
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.