Additional heavy rain fell Tuesday the 27th through early Wednesday morning the 28th across Luzerne County and the Poconos on top of what fell on Monday as a front moved east across Pennsylvania and combined with low pressure and tropical moisture. This additional rainfall brought three day rainfall totals between 6 and 10 inches in Luzerne County, sending most streams and creeks over their…
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 BGM wrote it up.
Additional heavy rain fell Tuesday the 27th through early Wednesday morning the 28th across Luzerne County and the Poconos on top of what fell on Monday as a front moved east across Pennsylvania and combined with low pressure and tropical moisture. This additional rainfall brought three day rainfall totals between 6 and 10 inches in Luzerne County, sending most streams and creeks over their banks in what would be deemed the worst flash flooding this county has experienced since Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Many people remarked that this storm reminded them of the Agnes Floods of 1972. The flash flooding lasted until Wednesday and affected over 1000 homes of which 33 had major damage. Two businesses were destroyed with over 150 roads damaged by flood waters. Over 100 people had to be rescued. Twenty five bridges were destroyed with over 50 damaged. At least 26 million dollars worth of damage was done to roadways with up to 100 million dollars of damage reported from flooding in the county. Hardest hit areas were Plains, Plymouth, Schickshinny, Dallas, Jackson township, West Wyoming, and Luzerne townships. Toby's Creek was among one of the creeks that experienced the most significant flooding. During the day Wednesday, concerns shifted from the flash flooding on the small streams to the Susquehanna River which was projected to rise close to the top of the levee in the city of Wilkes Barre. This prompted city and county officials to order 200,000 people to evacuate Wilkes Barre. Fortunately the levee held and there were no significant problems in the City Proper. Tragically, three people died from the floods in Luzerne county.
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 Binghamton, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 27, 2:10 AM EST, 5 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 310 AM EDT TUE JUN 27 2006 .SHORT TERM (TODAY - WEDNESDAY)... NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED FROM 24 HOURS AGO. RAINFALL CONTINUES TO STREAM NORTH INTO FA IN AREA OF DEEP SOUTHERLY FLOW...AS TROF REMAINS TO OUR WEST AND BERMUDA HIGH REMAINS EAST. CONVECTION INCREASING AGAIN THIS MORNING ACROSS CHESAPEAKE BAY AREA...SIMILAR TO LAST NIGHT. THIS IS ALL STREAMING NORTH INTO AREAS THAT CANNOT HANDLE ANY MORE RAINFALL AND UPSLOPE FLOW MAY LEAD TO LOCAL ENHANCEMENT TO PCPN THIS MORNING. BACK EDGE OF PCPN BEGINNING TO ENTER SRN ZONES...BUT JUST AS IT APPEARS TO HAVE AN END MORE DEVELOPS. THIS WILL BE THE TREND MOST OF THE DAY AS AIRMASS REMAINS SATD WITH PW VALUES NEARING 2.00 INCHES AND 40KT LLJ CONTINUING. FA WILL ALSO REMAIN IN DIVERGENCE AREA OF UL JET...THUS CATEGORICAL POPS ARE IN ORDER FOR TODAY. RIDGING MAY BE ABLE TO BUILD FAR ENOUGH WEST TO LEAD TO JUST SCTD PCPN ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN ZONES TODAY. DRYING BEING SEEN ON WV HAS PUSHED INTO NJ AND SHUNTING PCPN TWD CENTRAL/WRN AREAS CURRENTLY. HOWEVER...ANY SUN THAT MAKES IT THRU TODAY WILL LIKELY RESULT IN CONVECTION...ESPECIALLY WHERE UPSLOPE WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ACROSS POCONOS AND CATSKILLS. GIVEN THE AIRMASS IN PLACE AND FFG VERY LOW IN THESE AREAS...POSSIBILITY OF FLDG REMAINS TODAY AS STORMS WILL LIKELY BE VERY EFFICIENT RAIN PRODUCERS. HAVE SIDED WITH GFS/CANGEM GUIDANCE AS WRF HAS HAD TENDENCY TO SHUNT PCPN BACK WEST TOO QUICKLY PAST SEVERAL DAYS. GFS AND CANGEM KEEPS HEAVY RAIN AXIS FURTHER EAST AND PREFER THEIR QPF DEPICTION. SCENARIO GOES QUICKLY DOWNHILL TONIGHT. TROPICAL LOW CURRENTLY OFF THE FL/GA COAST WILL GET CAUGHT UP IN MOISTURE PLUME AND RIDE NORTH QUICKLY TONIGHT. GFS SLIGHTLY FASTER WITH SYSTEM AND SPREADS PCPN INTO FA ARND 06Z. WRF IS SLIGHTLY SLOWER AND KEEPS HEAVIEST RAIN OUT OF AREA UNTIL 12Z OR SO. ONCE AGAIN...PREFER GFS SOLN AND WILL INCREASE POPS TO CATEGORICAL FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...CONSIDERING THE DIVERGENCE ALOFT AND STRONG THETA-E CONVERGENCE OVER REGION. AN ADDNL 1 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT...POSSIBLY LOCALIZED HIGHER AMOUNTS DEPENDING ON ANY CONVECTION. HPC HAS ALMOST ENTIRE FCST AREA IN MODERATE RISK FOR XCSV RAIN...WITH HIGH RISK DEPICTED FOR AT LEAST HALF OF THE FA. THAT SAID...WILL CONTINUE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA-WIDE FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT AND ALLOW LATER SHIFTS TO ADJUST TIMING. THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING CONTINUES TO INCREASE AS GROUND BECOMES INCREASINGLY SATURATED. AS WE GO INTO TONIGHT...IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH FOR RAIN TO RUN OFF INTO AREA RIVERS AND SITUATION WILL NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED. -PB && .AVIATION (27/06Z TO 28/06Z)... MAIN AREA OF RAIN EARLY THIS MORNING IS LOCATED FROM NORTH CENTRAL PA NORTH ACROSS CENTRAL NY... INCLUDING THE ELM...ITH AND SYR TAF SITES. EXPECT THIS AREA TO WEAKEN AND MOVE NORTH DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS... BUT ADDITIONAL BANDS OF HVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THRU WEDNESDAY MORNING. CIGS AND VSBYS WILL BE LOCALLY IFR IN HEAVIER RAIN BANDS THRU TONIGHT... OTHERWISE EXPECT MAINLY VFR VSBYS AND MVFR TO VFR CIGS WITH SCT SHOWERS. BEST CHC FOR THUNDER WILL BE THIS AFTERNOON. -MSE && .LONG RANGE (WED NIGHT - SUNDAY)... WET CONDS CONT AS THE FCST AREA REMAINS UNDER THE UPPER TROF. TROF AXIS GNRLY CNTRD OVER THE GREAT LAKES AND VARIOUS SHRT WVS WILL ROTATE THRU KEEPING THE AREA UNSTABLE WITH THE RISK OF A SHWR AT ALMOST ANY TIME. MADE ONLY SLGT ADJUSTMENTS TO HPC GUID IN TEMPS AND POPS. -MORFORD && .BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... .NY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044>046- 055>057-062 UNTIL 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY. .PA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PAZ038>040-043-044-047-048-072 UNTIL 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY 341 AM EDT TUE JUN 27 2006 NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044>046-055>057-062-PAZ038>040-043- 044-047-048-072-280745- NORTHERN ONEIDA-YATES-SENECA-SOUTHERN CAYUGA-ONONDAGA-STEUBEN- SCHUYLER-CHEMUNG-TOMPKINS-MADISON-SOUTHERN ONEIDA-CORTLAND- CHENANGO-OTSEGO-TIOGA-BROOME-DELAWARE-SULLIVAN-BRADFORD- SUSQUEHANNA-NORTHERN WAYNE-WYOMING-LACKAWANNA-LUZERNE-PIKE- SOUTHERN WAYNE- 341 AM EDT TUE JUN 27 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK...SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK AND NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN EXTREMELY MOIST AIRMASS REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. WITH THE GROUND ALREADY SATURATED DUE TO RECENT RAINFALL...FLASH FLOODING WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF 1 TO 3 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. ANY RAIN THAT FALLS WILL QUICKLY RUN OFF INTO AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS...CAUSING MANY TO OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS. THUS...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING. PLEASE REFER TO ALBFFABGM WGUS61 FOR THE LATEST DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING. RAINFALL SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE INCH OR GREATER. PB
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
318 AM EDT TUE JUN 27 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1239 AM FLASH FLOOD HAZLETON 40.95N 75.97W
06/27/2006 LUZERNE PA TRAINED SPOTTER
NUMEROUS ROADS FLOODED THROUGHOUT TOWN...INCLUDING ROUTE
93. SOME ROADS BEGINNING TO WASH OUT. BLACK CREEK
OVERFLOWING ITS BANKS...WITH SEVERAL ROADS CLOSED.
&&
PBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
457 AM EDT TUE JUN 27 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0415 AM FLASH FLOOD WYALUSING 41.67N 76.26W
06/27/2006 BRADFORD PA LAW ENFORCEMENT
ROCKSLIDE OCCURRED IN TOWN AS A RESULT OF VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL
0445 AM FLASH FLOOD CORTLAND 42.60N 76.18W
06/27/2006 CORTLAND NY COUNTY OFFICIAL
COUNTY-WIDE STREET FLOODING
0445 AM FLASH FLOOD VESTAL 42.08N 76.05W
06/27/2006 BROOME NY COUNTY OFFICIAL
COUNTY-WIDE STREET FLOODING
0448 AM FLASH FLOOD LITTLE MEADOWS 41.99N 76.13W
06/27/2006 SUSQUEHANNA PA COUNTY OFFICIAL
BRIDGE FLOODED IN TOWN. WATER TOPPED BRIDGE AND IS NOW
ENTERING HOMES.
&&
PBPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
542 AM EDT TUE JUN 27 2006
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 AM FLASH FLOOD CHITTENANGO 43.05N 75.87W
06/27/2006 MADISON NY LAW ENFORCEMENT
WIDESPREAD STREET FLOODING ACROSS NORTHERN PART OF
COUNTY. SEVERAL HOMES EXPERIENCING CRUMBLING FOUNDATIONS
DUE TO HIGH WATER.
&&
PBThe Binghamton radar (KBGM), 114 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:08 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Luzerne | 2006-06-28 | 15 | Male | In Water | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Luzerne | 2006-06-28 | 30 | Male | In Water | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Luzerne | 2006-06-28 | 35 | Male | In Water | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, June 2006
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: 5519039.