Flash Flooding in Pennsylvania, December 17, 2000

An unseasonably warm air mass and an intense low pressure system and a slow moving cold front pushed a series of showers and thunderstorms with heavy downpours across the region during the first half of the 17th. Widespread heavy rains of between 2.5 and 4.0 inches fell across the entire southern Poconos with Carbon County bearing the brunt of the flooding. In Carbon County, East Penn Township declared a state of emergency because of severe flooding and road damage. Many roads were flooded in the township and one bridge was washed away. The Lizard Creek flooded Pennsylvania State Route 895 within the township. One person was rescued from a stranded vehicle. Every fire department was pumping basements. In Parryville Borough, six feet of water flooded the borough hall basement. The Mahoning Creek flooded West Penn Township. Flooding was also reported in Mahoning Township and Jim Thorpe. A vehicle sank into the liquefied ground in Rush Township. In Monroe County, Pennsylvania State Route 447 was closed north of East Stroudsburg. Several ponds and creeks overflowed onto roadways and into homeowner's basements. As considerably colder air came blasting in that evening, roads became icy and several vehicles slid into embankments and ditches. Storm totals included 3.87 inches in Pocono Summit (Monroe County), 3.67 inches in Jim Thorpe (Carbon County) and 3.14 inches in Stroudsburg (Monroe County).