Pennsylvania, 1998

Heavy Rain in Pennsylvania, February 23, 1998

February 23, 1998 · NWS PHI · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Another northeaster brought heavy rain and strong winds to Southeastern Pennsylvania on the 23rd and 24th. Rain overspread the region during the morning of the 23rd and became heavy during the afternoon and evening.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

Another northeaster brought heavy rain and strong winds to Southeastern Pennsylvania on the 23rd and 24th. Rain overspread the region during the morning of the 23rd and became heavy during the afternoon and evening. While rain lingered well into the 24th, it was not as heavy. While the heavy rain caused the usual urban and poor drainage flooding, no other serious flooding was reported. Storm totals included 1.64 inches in Neshaminy Falls (Bucks County), 1.61 inches in New Hope (Bucks County), 1.60 inches in Crum Creek (Delaware County), 1.58 inches in Glenmoore (Chester County), 1.54 inches in Chadds Ford (Delaware County), 1.44 inches in Valley Forge (Montgomery County), 1.24 inches at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and 1.11 inches at the Philadelphia International Airport. The counterclockwise circulation around the northeaster produced wind gusts as strong as 40 to 45 mph during the afternoon and evening of the 23rd. The peak wind gust at the Philadelphia International Airport was 45 mph. No serious damage or injuries were reported.The northeaster responsible for the wet weather was located near New Orleans the morning of February 22th. It moved northeast and reached Myrtle Beach, South Carolina the morning of February 23rd, was about 150 miles east of Atlantic City at daybreak on the 24th and moved to the Gulf of Maine the morning of the 25th.

The radar

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

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Event by event

5 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Bucks

When
February 23, 1:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Bucks County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.337, -75.107 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Chester

When
February 23, 1:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Chester County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.973, -75.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Delaware

When
February 23, 1:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Delaware County, Countywide
Coordinates
39.917, -75.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Montgomery

When
February 23, 1:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.211, -75.367 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Rain, Philadelphia

When
February 23, 1:00 PM EST to 11:00 PM EST
Where
Philadelphia County, Countywide
Coordinates
40.008, -75.134 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, February 1998

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: 5631763, 5631764, 5631765, 5631766, 5631767.