Wildfire, Northampton
- When
- May 14, 1:00 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
- Where
- Northampton forecast zone
- Reported by
- Newspaper
- Coordinates
- 40.754, -75.307 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Wildfire in Pennsylvania, May 14, 2007
More than a half dozen fire companies and police departments from Northampton, Bucks and Lehigh Counties helped contain a wildfire on the south side of South Mountain in Lower Saucon Township during the afternoon of the 14th. About three acres were burned.
Where it happened
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.
- 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
- 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 PHI wrote it up.
More than a half dozen fire companies and police departments from Northampton, Bucks and Lehigh Counties helped contain a wildfire on the south side of South Mountain in Lower Saucon Township during the afternoon of the 14th. About three acres were burned. Fire trucks forced the closure of the northbound lanes of Pennsylvania Route 378 for more than an hour. The blaze started about 2 p.m. EDT and the fire was contained by 4 p.m. EDT. Firefighters struggled with the steep terrain and a layer of dried leaves that made footing treacherous.
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 May 14, 10:10 AM EST, 2 hours 50 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 14, 10:10 AM EST, 2 hours 50 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 1110 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2007 .SYNOPSIS... PICTURE PERFECT DAY FOR MOTHERS DAY AND ANOTHER ONE ON TAP FOR TODAY. CENTER OF SURFACE SHOULD BE RIGHT OVER THE DELAWARE VALLEY WITH FAR REACHING TENTACLES TO GIVE US SUNSHINE BUT A WARMER DAY THAN SUNDAY. MAX TEMPERATURE HONORS SUNDAY WENT TO WILMINGTON DE WITH A HIGH OF 72. MOUNT POCONO WAS TEN DEGREES LOWER. A SYSTEM GETTING TOGETHER OVER THE UPPER PLAINS STATES WILL BRING THE NEXT CHANCE OF PCPN WHILE LOWERING THE TEMPERATURES MID WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /11 AM THROUGH TODAY/... THE PUBLIC UPDATE AND THE NEW DIGITAL GRIDS ARE OUT. THE FROST ADVISORY WAS CANCELLED EARLIER THIS MORNING AS TEMPERATURES REBOUNDED QUICKLY OFF THEIR LOWS. QUITE A FEW TEMPERATURES, PER THE NJ WEATHER NET BOTTOMED OUT IN THE 30S. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE I CAME ACROSS WAS 30 DEGREES IN WALPACK, NJ. MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUDS WORKING DOWN IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW ARE SLOWLY WORKING THIS WAY. THE 06Z GFS RH PROGS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE MAIN AXIS OF MOISTURE TO STAY WEST OF THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON. BUT BY 00Z, 80% SATURATION AT H7 MOVES INTO OUR WESTERN ZONES. SO FOR CLOUD COVER THIS AFTERNOON, ILL MAINTAIN THE MOSTLY SUNNY FOR SOUTHERN AND EASTERN ZONES, WHILE MENTION AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS TO THE NORTH AND WEST. BASED OFF OF FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND H8 TEMPS, I LOWERED TODAYS HIGHS FOR THIS AFTERNOON BY A DEGREE OR TWO. WITH DRY AIR ALOFT AND GOOD MIXING, I LOWERED DEWPOINTS FOR TODAY. BY LATE MORNING, SOME RH READINGS WERE ALREADY IN THE LOWER 20S. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... REAL STRONG RETURN FLOW KICKS IN AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT RECOVERING FROM +4 TO +12 C BY DAYBREAK AT 80H. STRONG MID LVL WINDS PINCHED BETWEEN THE HIGH OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC AND GRADIENT TO LOW CENTER EASTERN GREAT LAKES. SURFACE HIGH CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE SOUTHEAST AS A STRONG SHORT WAVE DIGS SOUTH FROM THE EASTERN LAKES TUESDAY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES CONTINUES TO RISE BUT THE SURFACE FRONT IS MAKING LITTLE PROGRESS MOVING TO THE EAST AS THE LOWER 50H FLOW NOT AS FAST OVER THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AS ACROSS THE LAKES. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW AN IMPRESSIVE SWATH OF SHOWERS WITH QPF AMOUNTS NEARING 2.00 INCHES ACROSS THE SOUTHERN OHIO VALLEY. FRONT INTO NORTHCENTRAL NEW YORK STATE, BENDING SOUTHWEST THROUGH KENTUCKY AND INTO TEXAS. TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO BE IN THE 80S WITH THE USUAL EXCEPTION OF THE MOUNTAINS AND DOWN BY THE SHORE, BUT STILL WARM. STRONG SW BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS BEGINNING OVERNIGHT TONIGHT BUT LITTLE REFLECTION AT THE SURFACE UNTIL TUESDAY. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... MILD WEST-TO-SOUTHWEST FLOW OVERNIGHT TUESDAY WITH THE RAIN SHOWERS ADVANCING EAST. SHOWERS CREEP INTO WESTERN ZONES JUST AROUND SUNUP WEDNESDAY AND CROSS THE DELAWARE RIVER WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. A LITTLE LESS QPF ACCOMPANYING THE FRONT WITH STABLE LAPSE RATES DUE TO SLIGHT CAA AT 50H. SHOWERS MOVE OFF THE COAST BY WEDNESDAY EVENING AND A COLD POOL OF -28C AT 50H BEING PULLED DOWN FROM CANADA WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS. THE UPPER TROUGH IS HANGING BACK INTO THURSDAY WITH SOME STRONG CAA 50H ADVECTION. LAPSE RATES SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO KICK OFF A FEW SHOWERS AND EVEN A TSTM LATE THU INTO FRIDAY ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA. TEMPERATURES COOLING OFF FROM THE 80S ON TUESDAY TO THE 60S THURSDAY AND FRIDAY THEN RECOVERING BY THE WEEKEND. THE TROUGH MOVES VERY SLOWLY TO THE EAST AND CONTINUES TO BRING SOME INSTABILITY CLDS AND PSBLY LIGHT SHOWERS ON FRIDAY. STRONG SURFACE HIGH BUILDS IN FROM THE PLAINS STATES. ANOTHER SHORT WAVE WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST SATURDAY EVENING WITH A BACK DOOR FRONT MOVING THROUGH DURING THE DAY SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /07Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... ALL QUIET ON THE AVIATION FRONT THROUGH WEDNESDAY, WITH VFR CONDITIONS AND FEW CLOUDS DURING THIS PERIOD. A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY, BRINGING A CHANCE OF RAIN AND POSSIBLY SOME AVIATION CONCERNS. && .MARINE... THE MARINE AREA WILL ALSO EXPERIENCE QUIET CONDITIONS TODAY WITH LIGHT WINDS AND WAVES 3 FEET OR LESS ON THE OCEAN FRONT. WINDS WILL PICK UP FROM THE SW TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY, AND SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO RESPOND ACCORDINGLY. LATEST WAVEWATCH DATA BRINGS WAVES UP TO 5 FT ACROSS OUR NORTHERN WATERS BY 08Z TUE AND BY 17Z ACROSS OUR SOUTHERN WATERS. WAS CONTEMPLATING A SCA FOR AT LEAST OUR NORTHERN WATERS WITH THIS MORNINGS UPDATE, BUT WITH WARM AIR OVER THE COLDER WATER, I FEEL WAVEWATCH WAS REACTING TOO FAST. PLUS, WINDS ARE GOING TO BE MORE SOUTHWESTERLY RATHER THAN SOUTH. ILL REEVALUATE AFTER THE 12Z DATA IS ANALYZED. THIS AFTERNOONS PACKAGE WILL LIKELY INCLUDE SOME FORM OF A HEADLINE. && .EQUIPMENT... KDIX 88-D IS OUT OF SERVICE. NEW PARTS WILL NOW BE ARRIVING LATER TODAY. && .FIRE WEATHER... AN UPDATED FIRE WEATHER FORECAST WAS ISSUED DUE TO THE LOWER RHS EXPECTED. SOME RECOVERY WILL BE HAD ALONG THE COASTAL PLAIN LATER TODAY AS THE SEABREEZE KICKS IN. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...EBERWINE NEAR TERM...KRUZDLO - UPDATED SHORT TERM...EBERWINE LONG TERM...EBERWINE EQUIPMENT...KRUZDLO - UPDATED AVIATION...LN MARINE...KRUZDLO - UPDATED FIRE WEATHER...KRUZDLO - UPDATED
Hazardous weather outlook, May 14, 9:22 AM EST, 3 hours 38 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 1022 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2007 DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055- 060>062-067>071-151430- NEW CASTLE-KENT DE-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD- QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET- MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER- CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY- ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN- SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON- CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA- 1022 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...NORTHERN DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...EASTERN MARYLAND...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ430-431-450>455-151430- DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE- COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK TO MANASQUAN INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM MANASQUAN INLET TO LITTLE EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE EGG INLET TO GREAT EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM GREAT EGG INLET TO CAPE MAY NJ OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE MAY NJ TO CAPE HENLOPEN DE OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM- 1022 AM EDT MON MAY 14 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. KRUZDLO
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado and Hail in Colorado, May 14, 2007
- Hail and Lightning Strike in Nebraska, May 14, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, May 14, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, May 14, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, May 14, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 14, 2007
- Hail in Iowa, May 14, 2007
- Hail in Minnesota, May 14, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, May 14, 2007
- Damaging Winds in Minnesota, May 14, 2007
- Frost and Freeze in New Jersey, May 14, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, May 14, 2007
More
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, May 2007
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: 34913.