Flash Flooding in Pennsylvania, January 18 to 19, 1999

The combination of showers and thunderstorms with heavy rain and the already saturated ground caused flooding along some of the creeks and streams in the Lehigh Valley. Numerous roads were closed. Hardest hit was Northampton County. In Palmer Township flooding was reported along the Lehigh River and the Schoeneck and Bushkill Creeks. Voluntary evacuations were recommended for residents in low-lying areas along the Bushkill Creek. About eight township roads were impassable. The flooding was described as severe in Hanover and East Allen Townships along Pennsylvania State Routes 512 adjacent to the Monocacy Creek. Numerous roads were closed in Forks and Moore Townships. In Easton, flood waters caused the collapse of a basement wall. In Lehigh County, flooding along area streams led to road closures in South Whitehall (including U.S. Routes 309), Whitehall and Salisbury Townships. The Little Lehigh River in Allentown crested at 5.74 feet at 230 a.m. EST on the 19th. Its flood stage is 5 feet. The river was above flood stage from midnight through 6 a.m. EST on the 19th. Storm totals were not excessively large, but this event came just a couple of days after another heavy precipitation event. Snow and ice melt also contributed. The combination caused the flooding. Rainfall totals from the 18th included 1.15 inches in Easton and 1.13 inches in Williams Township.