Pennsylvania, 1996

Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, November 8 to 9, 1996

November 8 to 9, 1996 · NWS PHI · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Showers and thunderstorms with very heavy rain caused some of the smaller streams within Berks County to flood. The flooding was exacerbated by fallen leaves that clogged catch basins.

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.

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  • Wind
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  • Winter weather
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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.

Showers and thunderstorms with very heavy rain caused some of the smaller streams within Berks County to flood. The flooding was exacerbated by fallen leaves that clogged catch basins. Storm totals included 3.67 inches in Hamburg, 2.74 inches in Reading, 2.67 inches in Lincoln Park and 1.95 inches in Hopewell Furnace.

The radar

The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 139 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:01 UTC.

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Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Berks

When
November 8, 7:00 PM EST to November 9, 2:00 AM EST
Where
Berks County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.416, -75.926 (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

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, November 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: 5576073.