Heavy rain produced widespread urban, small stream and river flooding over much of Central Pennsylvania during the late evening hours of March fourth into the morning of March fifth.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 CTP wrote it up.
Heavy rain produced widespread urban, small stream and river flooding over much of Central Pennsylvania during the late evening hours of March fourth into the morning of March fifth.
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 State College, PA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 4, 4:15 PM EST, 5 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 415 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008 .SYNOPSIS... SIGNIFICANT WET STORM TODAY WITH FREEZING RAIN NORTH AND MOD/HVY RAIN ELSEWHERE. THE RAIN COULD RESULT IN FLOODING AS IT MELTS SNOW AS WELL. RIVER FLOODING WOULD BE MAINLY ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY AS THE RIVERS RISE. SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATION REMAINS LIKELY ACROSS THE NORTHERN TIER TONIGHT. AFTER A BLUSTERY DAY WITH SCATTERED MORNING SNOW SHOWERS WEDNESDAY...ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL GATHER ACROSS THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND HEAD TOWARD THE COMMONWEALTH FRIDAY. THIS COULD BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION OR FREEZING RAIN OVER PA FRIDAY INTO EARLY SAT. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/... WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS POTENT MID-LVL SHORT WAVE/HEIGHT FALL CENTER MOVG NEWD THRU THE TN VLY LATE THIS AFTN WITH -10MB/6HR PRES FALLS OUT AHEAD OF THE ASSOC SFC LOW OVR ERN TN. MDLS/ENS IN AGREEMENT IN TRACKING THE SFC LOW FM ERN KY THRU WV AND INTO PA BY 06Z. REGIONAL RADAR SHOWING A BREAK IN THE PCPN ACROSS MUCH OF THE UPR OH VLY/WRN PA ATTM WITH THE STEADIEST/HEAVIEST RNFL MOVG NEWD THRU THE MID SUSQ VLY. TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE NRN TIER COUNTIES HAVE REMAINED BLW FZG...AND HAVE RECIEVED A FEW REPORTS OF OVER A QUARTER INCH OF ICE ACCETION ON TREES. INCREASING LLVL NLY/NELY AGEO FLOW HAS ACTUALLY ALLOWED TEMPS TO COOL A FEW DEGS ACROSS THE NCENT MTNS LATE THIS AFTN...AND TEMPS ON THE RIGES COULD BE TEETERING NR FZG ACROSS THE CNTRL MTNS. CURRENT ICE STORM WARNING AND FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY STILL LOOK TO BE WELL-PLACED AND WILL CONT STATEMENTS INTO TONIGHT. PDS OF FZRA SHOULD PICK BACK UP AFT 00Z ACROSS THE NRN TIER...WITH POCKETS OF RAIN OR SLEET PSBL IN SOME LOCATIONS. DESPITE THE BREAK IN THE PCPN LATE THIS AFTN...STILL XPCT THIS SYS TO PRODUCE MOD TO HVY RNFL TONIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRL PENN. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY COMBO OF STG LLJ/HI PWS AND RT ENTRANCE REGION UPR LVL JET DYNAMICS. ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE SOME MINOR TIMING DIFFS BTWN THE NAM/GFS...THE HEAVIEST PCPN LOOKS TO FALL BTWN 00-06Z WITH QPF AMTS ON THE ORDER OF 0.75-1.00. ELEVATED INSTABILITY WILL ACCOMPANY THE COLD/OCCLD FNT THRU THE REGION...SO CANNOT RULE OUT SOME ISOLD THUNDER/LOC HVY RNFL ESP ACROSS THE LWR SUSQ VLY WHERE DEWPOINTS WILL BE IN THE 50S. SPC DY1 SLIGHT RISK DOES CLIP FAR SRN LANCASTER/YORK CNTS...SO A FEW STRONGER STORMS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY/... COLD AIR WILL MOVE IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW/OCCLD FNT AS IT EXITS ERN PA EARLY WED. DEFORMATION SHSN ALONG WITH BLUSTERY WINDS WILL TRANSLATE INTO A MUCH COLDER DAY OVERALL WITH TEMPS 5-10 DEGS BLW CLIMO ACROSS WCENT PA. STG CAA AND 6HRLY SFC PRES RISES ON THE ORDER OF 7-9MB WILL HELP MIX DOWN 25-35KT WNDS AT 850MB WHICH COULD RESULT IN POWER OUTAGES ACROSS NRN PA WHERE HEAVY ICE ACCRETION IS EXPECTED. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... A BRIEF WARM UP ON THU...THEN THE NEXT FRONT MOVES IN. MAIN CHANGE FROM YESTERDAY IS THE NEXT STORM MAY BE CLOSER TO THE COAST. MAIN THING GOING FOR A STORM IS THE MEAN TROUGH POSITION AND THE LARGE AREA OF REAL COLD AIR WEST OF HUDSON BAY. DID UP POPS AND SNOW AMTS FOR FRIDAY NIGHT. PRECIPITATION LIKELY TO BE A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW ON FRIDAY...AS LOW LEVELS WILL NOT BE THAT COLD. OTHERWISE...FCST SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAD YESTERDAY. MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS FROM LATE SATURDAY INTO NEXT TUE. && .AVIATION /21Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... LOW CIGS...VISBYS AND LLWS WILL MAKE IT A TERRIBLE DAY TO FLY OVER CENTRAL PA. THE CIGS CONTINUE TO DROP FROM IFR INTO LIFR AND VISBYS ALREADY GENERALLY IFR...WITH ONLY A FEW SPOTS MVFR. THE RAIN /AND FREEZING RAIN AT KBFD/ WILL CONTINUE INTO THE NIGHT. HEAVIEST RAIN WILL MOST LIKELY BE BETWEEN 00Z AND 09Z AS MAIN SFC LOW TRACKS RIGHT OVERHEAD...AND SOME THUNDER IS POSSIBLE. HAVE LEFT THUNDER OUT OF THE TAFS FOR NOW...WAITING TO SEE THE WHITES OF IT/S EYES. THE WINDS SHOULD TURN WESTERLY BEHIND THE SFC LOW PASSAGE AND WILL BE STRONG AT 10-15 KTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THE P-TYPE COULD MIX WITH OR CHANGE TO SOME SNOW SHOWERS OVER THE WESTERN HIGH TERRAIN /KBFD AND KJST/ AFT 09Z...AS IT TAPERS OFF TO SCT SHSN. MOST LOCATIONS WILL BE DRY AFT 12Z. CONDITIONS IMPROVE SOMEWHAT FOR LATER WED AND EARLY THU. BUT...A FAST MOVING WEAK STORM SYSTEM BRINGS A CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS LATER ON THU. A MORE SIGNIFICANT SYSTEM IS POSSIBLE AGAIN FOR FRI INTO SAT. && .HYDROLOGY... HEAVY RAINFALL AND SNOWMELT WILL LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT RISES ON ALL RIVERS AND STREAMS THROUGH TONIGHT ACROSS THE SUSQ BASIN. LATEST GUID FROM THE MARFC SUGGESTS MINOR FLOODING ALONG THE NORTH BRANCH SUSQ AT POINTS LIKE DANVILLE/BLOOMSBURG...JUNIATA HEADWATERS AS WELL AS SOME LWR MAINSTEM TRIBS. ATTM...WEST BRANCH/JUNIATA/MAIN STEM SUSQ RVRS ARE EXPECTED TO CREST AT OR JUST BLW FLOOD STAGE. HOWEVER...RNFL IN EXCESS OF THE WDSPRD 1.5-2.5 ALREADY FCST WILL CAUSE WIDESPREAD...BUT GENERALLY MINOR FLOODING EVEN ON THE MAINSTEM RVRS. FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE ENTIRE REGION THRU WED AFTN. LATEST MDLS SUGGEST THE POTENTIALL FOR VERY HEAVY RNFL BTWN 00-06Z ASSOC WITH /ELEVATED/ TSTORM ACTIVITY. && .CTP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR PAZ004>006-010>012- 017>019-024>027-033-034-037-041-042-045-046-049>053. FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR PAZ010>012- 041-042. FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON FOR PAZ028-035-036- 056>059-063>066. ICE STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR PAZ004>006-037. && SYNOPSIS...DANGELO NEAR TERM...STEINBUGL SHORT TERM...STEINBUGL LONG TERM...MARTIN AVIATION...DANGELO HYDROLOGY...STEINBUGL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 536 AM EST TUE MAR 4 2008 PAZ017>019-024>027-033-034-045-046-049>053-051045- CLEARFIELD-NORTHERN CENTRE-SOUTHERN CENTRE-CAMBRIA-BLAIR-HUNTINGDON- MIFFLIN-SOMERSET-BEDFORD-SOUTHERN CLINTON-SOUTHERN LYCOMING-UNION- SNYDER-MONTOUR-NORTHUMBERLAND-COLUMBIA- 536 AM EST TUE MAR 4 2008 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH EARLY FRIDAY...THEN MOVE QUICKLY NORTHEAST TOWARD THE MID ATLANTIC REGION LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS STORM COULD BRING ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT...OR WINTRY MIX TO THE REGION LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. PLEASE REPORT RAINFALL TOTALS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VIA STANDARD PROCEDURES. PAZ028-035-036-056>059-063>066-051045- JUNIATA-FULTON-FRANKLIN-PERRY-DAUPHIN-SCHUYLKILL-LEBANON-CUMBERLAND- ADAMS-YORK-LANCASTER- 536 AM EST TUE MAR 4 2008 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH EARLY FRIDAY...THEN MOVE QUICKLY NORTHEAST TOWARD THE MID ATLANTIC REGION LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS STORM COULD BRING ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT...OR WINTRY MIX TO THE REGION LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. PLEASE REPORT RAINFALL TOTALS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VIA STANDARD PROCEDURES. PAZ004>006-037-051045- WARREN-MCKEAN-POTTER-TIOGA- 536 AM EST TUE MAR 4 2008 ...ICE STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY... ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. ICE STORM WARNING. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. ICE STORM WARNING. FLOOD WATCH. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH EARLY FRIDAY...THEN MOVE QUICKLY NORTHEAST TOWARD THE MID ATLANTIC REGION LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS STORM COULD BRING ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT...OR WINTRY MIX TO THE REGION LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. PLEASE REPORT ICE OR SNOW ACCUMULATION...ALONG WITH RAINFALL TOTALS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VIA STANDARD PROCEDURES. PAZ010>012-041-042-051045- ELK-CAMERON-NORTHERN CLINTON-NORTHERN LYCOMING-SULLIVAN- 536 AM EST TUE MAR 4 2008 ...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST WEDNESDAY... ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV/STATECOLLEGE ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY. FLOOD WATCH. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE AREA WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH EARLY FRIDAY...THEN MOVE QUICKLY NORTHEAST TOWARD THE MID ATLANTIC REGION LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS STORM COULD BRING ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT...OR WINTRY MIX TO THE REGION LATE FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. PLEASE REPORT ICE ACCUMULATION...ALONG WITH RAINFALL TOTALS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VIA STANDARD PROCEDURES. LAMBERT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA
640 PM EST TUE MAR 04 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0245 PM ICE STORM KANE 41.66N 78.81W
03/04/2008 MCKEAN PA TRAINED SPOTTER
1/4 INCH OF ICE ON TREES AND POWERLINES.
0630 PM ICE STORM 6 S GENESEE 41.89N 77.90W
03/04/2008 POTTER PA TRAINED SPOTTER
1/2 INCH OF ICE ON TREES AND WIRES. TREE BRANCHES SAGGING
TO GROUND.
&&
CJESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATE COLLEGE PA 915 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008 PAZ033-050245- SOMERSET- 915 PM EST TUE MAR 4 2008 ...SHOWERS WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL AFFECT SOMERSET COUNTY... AT 912 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF OLIVER TO 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF UNIONTOWN TO 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF BAYARD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE SHOWERS. THESE SHOWERS WILL BE NEAR CONFLUENCE AROUND 920 PM...MOUNT DAVIS AROUND 930 PM...SEVEN SPRINGS AROUND 935 PM...SALISBURY AROUND 940 PM AND SOMERSET AROUND 945 PM. FORECASTER: KF
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused flooding and the closure of several roads including Route 22 at Route 657 and Route 29 at Beavertown Road in Walker Township.
Heavy rain caused flooding and a number of road closures throughout Centre County. Roads were closed in the towns of Coburn and Milesburg, along with more roads in Boggs, College, Liberty, Penn and Gregg Townships.
Heavy rain caused flooding of several streams and creeks in Perry County. 18 residents were rescued from a trailer park along Creek Road outside of Shermansdale. Rising flood waters in Carroll, Spring, Centre and Jackson Townships also closed eight other roads and one school.
Heavy rain caused flooding and the closure of several roads throughout Sullivan County.
Heavy rain caused flooding of Bull Run, and the closure of several roads near Lewisburg. Buffalo Creek also overflowed its banks, causing flooded streets and road closures in Mifflinburg.
Heavy rain caused flooding and numerous road closings throughout the county. Fishing Creek, Bald Eagle Creek and several other smaller mountain streams all flooded and caused road closures. Fishing Creek along 477 was high enough to impact several homes.
Spotters indicated that several roads were closed due to flooding, including Route 220 north of Hughesville. Also closed were John Brady Drive in Muncy, Chippewa Road in Muncy Creek Township, and Little Pine Creek Road in Pine Township.
Heavy rain caused flooding and the closure of several roads including East Berlin Road at Shady Dell Road in Jackson Township and Gitts Road at Moulstown Road in Penn Township. A retaining wall gave way along Riverview Road in East Manchester Township.
Heavy rain caused flooding and road closures throughout Lebanon County.
Heavy rain caused flooding in Columbia County, closing over seven state roads.
Heavy rain caused flooding and numerous road closures throughout Adams County including Route 116 and Route 16 in Carroll Valley Borough, Race Horse Road in Conewago Township, Cold Springs Road in Himiltonban Township, Latimore Valley Road and Ridge Road in Latimore Township, Updyke Road, Fish and Game Road, Feeser Road and Kohler Mill Road in Germany Township.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, March 2008
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: 80763, 80764, 80766, 80767, 80768, 80770, 80771, 80772, 80773, 80774, 80777.