Flooding in Pennsylvania, July 19 to 20, 1996

Name: Flooding in Pennsylvania, July 19 to 20, 1996
Start: 1996-07-19T15:00
End: 1996-07-20T02:00
Location: Pennsylvania

July 19 to 20, 1996 · NWS PBZ · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

In response to very heavy rains across parts of the Allegheny River Basin, the Allegheny River went above flood stage between Lock 9 and Lock 3. 5 feet above the 19 foot flood stage at Lock 9.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $35,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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 PBZ wrote it up.

In response to very heavy rains across parts of the Allegheny River Basin, the Allegheny River went above flood stage between Lock 9 and Lock 3. The river crested 3.5 feet above the 19 foot flood stage at Lock 9. A bit upstream in East Brady, a few boats broke loose from their moorings and some docks were damaged. Further downstream to Lock 3, the river crested much lower, less than 2 feet above flood stage at all points.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Clarion

When: July 19, 3:00 PM EST to 10:00 PM EST
Where: Clarion forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Coordinates: 41.192, -79.421 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Armstrong

When: July 19, 3:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where: Armstrong forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 40.812, -79.464 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Westmoreland

When: July 19, 3:00 PM EST to July 20, 1:00 AM EST
Where: Westmoreland forecast zone

Flood, Allegheny

When: July 19, 3:00 PM EST to July 20, 2:00 AM EST
Where: Allegheny forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.469, -79.981 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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, July 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: 5574750, 5574751, 5574752, 5574753.