Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, April 16, 1996

Name: Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, April 16, 1996
Start: 1996-04-16T10:00
End: 1996-04-16T20:00
Location: Pennsylvania

April 16, 1996 · NWS PHI · 1 event in 1 county or zone

5 to 2 inches caused the flooding of the Brandywine Creek along the Chester County border. Several other small streams in the western part of the county also exceeded their banks.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
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Winter weather
Heat and drought
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Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.

Heavy rain...which averaged 1.5 to 2 inches caused the flooding of the Brandywine Creek along the Chester County border. Several other small streams in the western part of the county also exceeded their banks. Heavy rain fell mainly between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. EDT on the 16th. The Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford reached its flood stage of 9 feet at 11 a.m. EDT, crested at 9.8 feet at 4 p.m. EDT on the 16th and was back within bankfull at 8 p.m. EDT that evening. No serious damage or injuries were reported.Storm totals included 2.23 inches in Glenmoore and 1.55 inches in Chadds Ford. Weak low pressure systems moving north along the frontal boundary enhanced the heavy rain across Eastern Pennsylvania.

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 84 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:01 UTC.

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Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Delaware

When: April 16, 10:00 AM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Delaware County, Western
Coordinates: 39.917, -75.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Pennsylvania, April 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5561124.