Heavy Rain, Carbon
- When
- March 2, 8:30 PM EST to March 3, 2:30 AM EST
- Where
- Carbon County, Countywide
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 40.918, -75.709 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain in Pennsylvania, March 2 to 3, 2002
A low pressure system that developed along the Gulf Coast States on the second moved northeast through Pennsylvania during the early morning of the 3rd and brought a significant precipitation event for the eastern part of the state. In most locations, it was the wettest single precipitation event since September of 2001.
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
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.
A low pressure system that developed along the Gulf Coast States on the second moved northeast through Pennsylvania during the early morning of the 3rd and brought a significant precipitation event for the eastern part of the state. In most locations, it was the wettest single precipitation event since September of 2001. Storm totals averaged between 0.75 inches and 2.00 inches. The heaviest rain fell across Carbon, Monroe, Delaware, southeastern Berks and northwestern Chester Counties. Some poor drainage flooding occurred, but streams were running so low prior to the rain that they did not flood. Rain spread from south to north across the region around 6 p.m. EST on the 2nd. The heaviest rain fell between 830 p.m. on the 2nd and 230 a.m. EST on the 3rd. The rain ended by daybreak on the 3rd. Specific storm totals included 2.13 inches in Blakeslee (Monroe County), 1.62 inches in Chadds Ford (Delaware County), 1.54 inches in Springfield Township (Delaware County), 1.52 inches in Mount Pocono (Monroe County) and Meckesville (Carbon County), 1.38 inches in West Chester (Chester County), 1.24 inches in Glenmoore (Chester County) and 1.23 inches in Morgantown (Berks County).
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 2, 2:35 PM EST, 5 hours 55 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 2, 2:35 PM EST, 5 hours 55 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 235 PM EST SAT MAR 2 2002 PRECIP WILL CONT ITS TRECK NORTH AND SHOULD COVER ENTIRE FA BEFORE MIDNIGHT. HEAVIEST AMOUNTS SHOULD BE OVER S AND E ZONES WITH QPF AROUND 1 FURTHER N SLIGHTLY LESSER AMOUNTS. NOT A DROUGHT ENDER PRECIP WILL TURN SHOWERY DURING DAY SUN ENDING WITH FROPA LATE IN DAY. FLURRIES OVER NW ZONES SUN NIGHT AND FAR NW MONDAY. TEMPS TOOK A BLEND OF MAV/FWC GUIDANCE. MARINE...WILL CONT GALES ALL AREAS DUE TO THE RAPIDLY INCR GRADIENT. .PHI... DE...NONE. MD...NONE. NJ...NONE. PA...NONE. MARINE...GALE WARNING COAST AND DEL BAY. ZEV
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
5 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Rain, Monroe
- When
- March 2, 8:30 PM EST to March 3, 2:30 AM EST
- Where
- Monroe County, Countywide
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 41.058, -75.339 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Berks
- When
- March 2, 8:30 PM EST to March 3, 1:30 AM EST
- Where
- Berks County, Morgantown
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 40.416, -75.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Chester
- When
- March 2, 8:30 PM EST to March 3, 1:30 AM EST
- Where
- Chester County, Atglen
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 39.973, -75.748 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Delaware
- When
- March 2, 8:30 PM EST to March 3, 1:30 AM EST
- Where
- Delaware County, Countywide
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 39.917, -75.399 (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
- Winter Storm and Extreme Cold in Texas, March 2 to 3, 2002
- Heavy Snow in Michigan, March 2 to 3, 2002
- Winter Storm in Missouri, March 2, 2002
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, March 2, 2002
- Heavy Snow in Oklahoma, March 2, 2002
- Winter Storm in Michigan, March 2 to 4, 2002
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, March 2 to 3, 2002
- Winter Storm in Missouri, March 2, 2002
- Winter Storm in Illinois, March 2 to 3, 2002
- Winter Storm in Arkansas, March 2, 2002
- High Wind in Florida, March 2, 2002
- Heavy Snow in West Virginia, March 2, 2002
More
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, March 2002
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: 5286207, 5286208, 5286209, 5286210, 5286317.