Flood in Pennsylvania, September 17 to 18, 2004

Name: Flood in Pennsylvania, September 17 to 18, 2004
Start: 2004-09-17T14:00
End: 2004-09-18T18:30
Location: Pennsylvania

September 17 to 18, 2004 · NWS PBZ · 1 event in 1 county or zone

By 3 PM EDT on 17th, 911 started receiving flood calls. By 353 PM, streams overflowed and flooded Vandergrift.

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $5.0 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 PBZ wrote it up.

By 3 PM EDT on 17th, 911 started receiving flood calls. By 353 PM, streams overflowed and flooded Vandergrift. 417 PM, Greensburg Rd closed by flood in New Kensington. 5 PM, Irwin had 2.5" of rain. 534 PM, roads flooded 1 mile southwest of Apollo. 548 PM, 1 house evacuated near a previously damaged dam in Allegheny Twp; and New Kensington 6" of rain. 606 PM, Freeport Rd flooded 1 mile south of Tarentum; people being evacuated. Roads closed, included Rte 30, 381, 982. Total of 819 homes and businesses, and 75 public structures damaged or destroyed. Ligonier sewage treatment plant damaged. Many basements were flooded by Youghiogheny River when Sutersville rose above flood stage (20 ft) at 1 PM EDT on 18th, crested 20.7 at 430 PM 18th, and fell below flood stage 730 PM 18th. On the Conemaugh River, Seward rose above flood stage (12 ft) at 11 AM 18th, crested 12.1 at 11 AM, and fell below flood stage 1 PM EDT 18th. Total rain: 6.3" in Monesson, 6.1 Delmont, 6 inches New Kensington. (IVAN)

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 Pittsburgh, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 17, 12:39 PM EST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 17, 12:39 PM EST, 1 hour 21 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
139 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

.AVIATION...
IFR TO MVFR DOMINATE FIRST 12 HOURS AS REMNANTS OF IVAN CONT TO
MEANDER SLOWLY NE THRU THE APPLCHS.
&&

.SHORT TERM (TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...
WILL MAINTAIN FLOOD WATCH AS RAIN CONTINUES TO MOVE ACROSS AREA.
BAND OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL FROM ZZV TO PIT AND EXTENDING TO DUJ.  DRY
SLOT IN THE SOUTHEAST BUT HAS SYSTEM TRACKS NORTHEAST.  AND WITH
HEATING SHOULD FILL IN AND ALSO THE HEAVY RAIN BAND SLOWLY SHIFTS
EASTWARD INTO THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF OUR CWA. FFA FOR
ENTIRE AREA LOOKS GOOD ATTM. MANY REPORTS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES IN THE
BAND CURRENTLY. BY MIDNIGHT HEAVIER RAINS SHOULD BE TRACKING
EASTWARD.  WESTERN MOST ZONES WILL LIKELY MIX WITH WITH DRIZZLE.
GUIDANCE HAS NORTHERLY WINDS INCREASING TONIGHT AND SATURDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM (SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)...
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT WITH NEXT
CHC FOR RAIN NOT UNTIL MID WEEK ON RETURN SOUTHWEST FLOW.
&&

.PBZ WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MD...FLOOD WATCH FOR ZONE MDZ001 THROUGH SATURDAY.
OH...FLOOD WATCH FOR ZONES OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069 THROUGH
     SATURDAY.
PA...FLOOD WATCH FOR ZONES PAZ007>009-013>016-020-022-023-
     029>032 THROUGH SATURDAY.
WV...FLOOD WATCH FOR ZONES WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041 THROUGH
     SATURDAY.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 17, 1:32 PM EST, 28 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
232 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

MDZ001-OHZ039>041-048>050-057>059-068-069-PAZ007>009-013>016-020>023-
029>032-WVZ001>004-012-021>023-041-180903-
ALLEGHENY PA-ARMSTRONG PA-BEAVER PA-BELMONT OH-BROOKE WV-BUTLER PA-
CARROLL OH-CLARION PA-COLUMBIANA OH-COSHOCTON OH-FAYETTE PA-
FOREST PA-GARRETT MD-GREENE PA-GUERNSEY OH-HANCOCK WV-HARRISON OH-
INDIANA PA-JEFFERSON PA-JEFFERSON OH-LAWRENCE PA-MARION WV-
MARSHALL WV-MERCER PA-MONONGALIA WV-MONROE OH-MUSKINGUM OH-NOBLE OH-
OHIO WV-PRESTON WV-TUCKER WV-TUSCARAWAS OH-VENANGO PA-WASHINGTON PA-
WESTMORELAND PA-WETZEL WV-
232 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
EAST CENTRAL OHIO...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND
GARRETT COUNTY MARYLAND.

.DAY ONE...TODAY

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR STREAMS AND
CREEKS.

A RIVER FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MONDAY EVENING.

HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL OVER THE AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT FROM THE
REMNANTS OF HURRICANE IVAN. THE POTENTIAL FOR 3 TO 6 INCHES
OF RAIN IN SOME LOCATIONS WILL CAUSE FLOODING.

THE STREAMS AND CREEKS WILL BE THE FIRST TO RISE OVER THEIR BANKS
FOLLOWED BY THE RIVERS.  PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS WILL ALSO
OCCUR WHERE RAINFALL IS ESPECIALLY HEAVY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOR STREAMS AND
CREEKS.

A RIVER FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MONDAY EVENING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY. PLEASE REPORT RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE
INCH AND EVERY HALF INCH THEREAFTER. ALSO REPORT ANY FLOODING OR HIGH
WATER LEVELS ON STREAMS AND RIVERS.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 17, 1:33 PM EST, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
233 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0100 AM     FLOOD            DUNCAN FALLS            39.87N 81.92W
09/17/2004                   MUSKINGUM          OH   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            ROADS CLOSED.

&&

TRR

Local storm report, Sep 17, 1:38 PM EST, 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
238 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0236 PM     FLOOD            NEW CASTLE              41.00N 80.35W
09/17/2004                   LAWRENCE           PA   COUNTY EOC

            NUMEROUS ROADS FLOODED AND CLOSED IN PULASKI AND SHENANGO
            TOWNSHIPS.

&&

TRR

Local storm report, Sep 17, 1:42 PM EST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
242 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0235 PM     FLOOD            BENWOOD                 40.01N 80.73W
09/17/2004                   MARSHALL           WV   SKYWARN SPOTTER

            FLOODING ON BOGGS RUN.

&&

TRR

Local storm report, Sep 17, 1:46 PM EST, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
246 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0245 PM     FLOOD            SARVER                  40.73N 79.73W
09/17/2004                   BUTLER             PA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ROAD FLOODING.

&&

TRR

Local storm report, Sep 17, 1:54 PM EST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
254 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1200 PM     FLOOD            DUNCAN FALLS            39.87N 81.92W
09/17/2004                   MUSKINGUM          OH   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            MANY ROADS FLOODED.

&&

TRR

Local storm report, Sep 17, 1:55 PM EST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PITTSBURGH PA
255 PM EDT FRI SEP 17 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0215 PM     FLOOD            MINGO JUNCTION          40.32N 80.61W
09/17/2004                   JEFFERSON          OH   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MUD SLIDES ON ROUTE 7 FROM HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING.

&&

TRR

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Westmoreland

When: September 17, 2:00 PM EST to September 18, 6:30 PM EST
Where: Westmoreland forecast zone
Property damage: $5.0 million
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history Warnings in Pennsylvania, September 2004

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: 5422641.