5 inches of rain over relatively saturated ground produced widespread small stream flooding across western Pennsylvania on the 26th.
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.
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.
The episode as NWS PBZ wrote it up.
Another 1.0 to 1.5 inches of rain over relatively saturated ground produced widespread small stream flooding across western Pennsylvania on the 26th.
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 Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 26, 10:53 AM EST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 1053 AM EST TUE MAR 26 2002 ISSUED ZONE UPDATE FOR FIRST PERIOD WORDING AND FLOOD WATCH. IN THE WATCH AREA WE ARE RIGHT AROUND THE 3HR FFG. RECD CALL OF SOME SMALL STREAMS RUNNING BANKFULL IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. FFA IS OUT TIL 4 PM TUESDAY. .PBZ... MD...NONE. OH...FLOOD WATCH FOR TUESDAY FOR ZONES OHZ059...OHZ068>069. PA...FLOOD WATCH FOR TUESDAY FOR ZONES PAZ029...PAZ031. WV...FLOOD WATCH FOR TUESDAY FOR ZONES WVZ003>004...WVZ012... WVZ021>022.
WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-261900- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA 1007 AM EST TUE MAR 26 2002 ...WEST VIRGINIA ALL HAZARDS DRILL... THIS IS AN ALL HAZARDS DRILL FOR THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA. AT THIS TIME...SCHOOLS...BUSINESSES...LAW ENFORCEMENT AND STATE AGENCIES SHOULD CONDUCT THEIR EXERCISES. THIS ALL HAZARDS DRILL COULD BE USED TO SIMULATE A FLASH FLOOD...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM...TORNADO...HAZARDOUS MATERIALS EVENT OR ANY OTHER EVENT. FOLLOW YOUR PREPAREDNESS PLANS. IF PROBLEMS ARISE...NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE THE APPROPRIATE CHANGES. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN...NOW IS THE TIME TO DEVELOP ONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Several small streams rose out of their banks, producing minor road flooding south of Waynesburg.
Flooding closed portions of State Highway 217 between Breinizer to just north of Blairsville.
Chartiers Creek rose out of its banks, producing basement flooding. West Pike Street in Canonsburg was also closed due to flooding. Several other reports of minor flooding were received from across the county, including Ellsworth and Carroll Township.
Little Buffalo Creek rose out of its banks in the Marwood area.
Jennings Run Creek rose out of its banks.
Buffalo Creek rose out of its banks in the Boggsville area. Several other small streams also rose out of their banks across the county.
Lowries Run Creek rose out of its banks, flooding Camp Horne and Harmony Roads. Several other small streams also rose out of their banks across the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, March 2002
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: 5286911, 5286912, 5286913, 5286914, 5286915, 5286916, 5286917, 5286918.