Widely scattered thunderstorms developed preceding a cold front across the Poconos, Lehigh Valley and Bucks County. One thunderstorm in Northampton County caused a lightning related death.
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 PHI wrote it up.
Widely scattered thunderstorms developed preceding a cold front across the Poconos, Lehigh Valley and Bucks County. One thunderstorm in Northampton County caused a lightning related death.
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 Aug 5, 2:13 PM EST, 2 hours 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 313 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT CURRENTLY CROSSING OUR AREA FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST WILL STALL TO OUR SOUTH THURSDAY. LOW PRESSURE IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP IN THE FRONTAL ZONE TO OUR SOUTH LATE TONIGHT AND MOVE NORTHEAST UP THE MID ATLANTIC COAST THURSDAY. THE LOW WILL PULL AWAY FROM THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT ALLOWING HIGH PRESSURE TO PUSH IN FOR FRIDAY. A WARM FRONT WILL WORK ITS WAY INTO THE REGION OVER THE WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THURSDAY MORNING/... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE COLD FRONT AS IT CROSSES OUR AREA TONIGHT. DONT EXPECT A WIDESPREAD TSTM OUTBREAK, BUT THERE COULD BE A FEW STRONG STORMS THIS EVENING. THE FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH OF OUR AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE SHOWER/TSTM THREAT WILL LESSEN IN THE NORTH OVERNIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES FARTHER TO THE SOUTH AND EAST. A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE IS THEN EXPECTED TO FORM ON THE FRONT TO OUR SOUTH LATE TONIGHT. MOISTURE FROM THIS LOW COULD BEGIN TO SPREAD INTO SOUTHERN SECTIONS TOWARD DAYBREAK. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 50S NORTH, WHERE PARTIAL CLEARING WILL SET IN, TO AROUND 70 IN OUR SOUTHERN AND COASTAL AREAS, WHERE SKIES WILL REMAIN MOSTLY CLOUDY. && .SHORT TERM /6 AM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM RIDES NORTHEAST UP THE FRONT, ITS ASSOCIATED PRECIPITATION SHIELD WILL CROSS OUR FORECAST AREA. DONT EXPECT MEASURABLE RAIN IN OUR NORTHWEST ZONES. POPS WILL RANGE FROM CATEGORICAL SOUTH TO LIKELY IN SOUTHERN NJ AND CENTRAL DELAWARE TO CHANCE IN THE PHILLY/TRENTON METRO AREA AND TO SLIGHT CHANCE JUST TO THE NORTH AND WEST. COULD BE A CLOUDY DREARY DAY FOR OUR SOUTHERN COASTAL AREAS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE RATHER UNIFORM, WITH READINGS IN THE MID 70S TO AROUND 80. THE PRECIPITATION WILL MOVE OFF TO THE NORTHEAST EARLY THURSDAY NIGHT, ALLOWING HIGH PRESSURE TO MOVE IN. SKIES WILL CLEAR AND TEMPERATURES WILL DROP INTO THE 50S AND 60S. WITH THE HIGH IN CONTROL, FRIDAY WILL BE MOSTLY SUNNY WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 70S TO MID 80S. THE HIGH WILL BEGIN TO EXIT OUR AREA TO THE EAST LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AS A WARM FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTHWEST. CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE AND THERE COULD BE AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR TSTM LATE. LOW TEMPERATURES WILL AGAIN BE IN THE 50S AND 60S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... HIGH PRESSURE SATURDAY WILL START TO SHIFT EASTWARD WITH A RETURN FLOW OFF THE OCEAN. THIS WILL HELP TO KEEP THE TEMPERATURES COOLER THAN NORMAL AS HIGHS WILL HARD PRESSED TO REACH TO FAR INTO THE LOW 80S. THE STALLED BOUNDARY OVER THE CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER WILL START TO MAKE ITS WAY NORTH ON SATURDAY AND IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION AS A WARM FRONT ON MONDAY. THE WARM FRONT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT WHICH WILL SLOWLY CROSS THE REGION ON TUESDAY, FINALLY CLEARING ALL AREAS BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. FOR THE MOST PART, A SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIST THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD, ALTHOUGH A GOOD PORTION SHOULD BE MAINLY DRY. TEMPERATURES LOOK TO START WARMING UP ON SUNDAY AND HANG AROUND FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE COLD FRONT ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAYS TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE A LITTLE BIT COOLER. THE GFS CONTINUES TO PUSH EXTREMELY WARM AIR ACROSS THE METRO AREA FOR THE EARLY PART OF NEXT WEEK. THE GOOD NEWS IS THE GFS HAS ACTUALLY STARTED TO BACK OFF THOSE HIGH NUMBERS (DOWN TO MID 90S OVER THE UPPER 90S IT HAD EARLIER THIS WEEK) AND THIS SEEMS TO BE COMING MORE IN LINE WITH THE OTHER MODEL GUIDANCE AVAILABLE. WE FOLLOWED HPC AND BLENDED WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST TO MAINTAIN SOME CONTINUITY. && .AVIATION /19Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG, KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE INVERSION ABOVE THE SURFACE HAS BEEN HOLDING TOUGH INTO EARLY THIS AFTERNOON OVER ALL THE TAF SITES, BUT WE ARE NOT CERTAIN IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO WITH THE SLOWLY ADVANCING FRONT AND WE THEREFORE ARE FORECASTING CB FORMATION THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. AFTER THAT, IT APPEARS THAT THE MAIN LOWERING OF CEILINGS AND CHANCE OF RAIN WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH A WAVE DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW. WE ARE FORECASTING CEILINGS TO BE WELL ABOVE MVFR HEIGHTS UNTIL DAYBREAK APPROACHES, AND THEN WE BEGIN TO BRING IN MVFR CONDITIONS FROM THE SOUTH. THE BEST CHANCES OF AVOIDING MVFR OR IFR CONDITIONS WITH THE WAVE ARE NORTHWEST, AND WE TRY TO REFLECT THAT IN THE TAFS. WE ALSO NOTE, PER THE STABILITY PROGS, THAT AFTER THE FIRST PART OF THE TAFS ONLY THE SOUTHERN SITES APPEAR SUSCEPTIBLE TO ANY CONVECTION, AND THAT LOOKS TO OCCUR MAINLY EARLY TOMORROW. OUTLOOK... HIGH PRESSURE WILL FOLLOW LATER THURSDAY AND DOMINATE OUR WEATHER INTO THE EARLY WEEKEND. DO NOT EXPECT MUCH IN THE WAY OF DIURNALLY-INDUCED CONVECTION UNTIL PERHAPS SATURDAY AS A WARM FRONT PUSHES INTO THE AREA. && .MARINE... A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE WATERS TONIGHT BEFORE STALLING, BUT WE EXPECT CONDITIONS TO BE SUB-ADVISORY THROUGH THURSDAY. ON THURSDAY NIGHT, A WAVE DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO LIFT NORTHEAST TO THE EAST OF THE WATERS, BUT CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY OVER THE SOUTHERN WATERS, MAY REACH THE ADVISORY LEVELS AS THE WAVE PASSES. FOR NOW WE WILL CAP CONDITIONS JUST BELOW AND WAIT FOR SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUNS. AFTER THE WAVE PASSES, SUB-ADVISORY CONDITIONS AGAIN ARE EXPECTED TO BE THE RULE, ALTHOUGH ANOTHER WAVE MAY PASS BY TO THE SOUTH AROUND SUNDAY. REGARDING THE TIDES, DEPARTURES WOULD HAVE TO BE A FOOT OR MORE ABOVE ASTRONOMICAL WITH THIS FULL MOON TO CAUSE MINOR TIDAL FLOODING, AND SUCH DEPARTURES ARE NOT BEING REALIZED NOW AND ARE NOT PRESENTLY ANTICIPATED. && .PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... PA...NONE. NJ...NONE. DE...NONE. MD...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...RPW NEAR TERM...RPW SHORT TERM...RPW LONG TERM...MEOLA AVIATION...DELISI MARINE...DELISI
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 305 AM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055- 060>062-067>071-060715- NEW CASTLE-KENT-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- 305 AM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...NORTHERN DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WIND...HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. ANZ430-431-450>455-060715- 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- 305 AM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS AND DELAWARE BAY WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WIND...HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 134 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 NJZ001-007-008-051830- MORRIS NJ-SUSSEX NJ-WARREN NJ- 134 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY AND WILL AFFECT PARTS OF MORRIS...SUSSEX AND WARREN COUNTIES... AT 132 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 17 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MONTAGUE TO 17 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MOUNT POCONO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR HOPE...OGDENSBURG AROUND 145 PM...LAKE MOHAWK...ANDOVER AROUND 200 PM...GREEN POND...STANHOPE AROUND 215 PM...ROCKAWAY AND VICTORY GARDENS AROUND 230 PM. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. EXPECT LIGHTNING FROM THESE STORMS. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. TFG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 236 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 NJZ007>010-PAZ061-062-069-051930- BUCKS PA-HUNTERDON NJ-LEHIGH PA-MORRIS NJ-NORTHAMPTON PA-SOMERSET NJ- WARREN NJ- 236 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SECTIONS OF BUCKS... HUNTERDON...LEHIGH...MORRIS...NORTHAMPTON...SOMERSET AND WARREN COUNTIES... AT 231 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 17 MILES NORTHWEST OF PATERSON TO 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NEWTON TO 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF ALLENTOWN...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR CLAUSSVILLE...HOPE AROUND 245 PM...COFFEETOWN...STOCKERTOWN AROUND 300 PM...GREEN POND...TATAMY AROUND 315 PM...OXFORD AND HARMONY AROUND 330 PM. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THIS LINE IN SUSSEX, WARREN AND MORRIS COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM. IT MAY BECOME NECESSARY TO EXTEND THE WARNING. OTHER STORMS IN THIS LINE WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS.WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. EXPECT LIGHTNING FROM THESE STORMS. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. TFG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 403 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 NJZ007>010-052130- HUNTERDON NJ-MORRIS NJ-SOMERSET NJ-WARREN NJ- 403 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 ...A COUPLE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT HUNTERDON... MORRIS...SOMERSET AND WARREN COUNTIES... AT 402 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 19 MILES NORTHWEST OF SOMERVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR LONG VALLEY...GLEN GARDNER AROUND 415 PM...CALIFON...HIGH BRIDGE AROUND 430 PM... ANNANDALE...CLINTON AROUND 445 PM...LEBANON...PEAPACK AND GLADSTONE AROUND 500 PM...WHITE HOUSE STATION AND FAR HILLS AROUND 515 PM. A COUPLE OF OTHER STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER CENTRAL WARREN COUNTY. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. TFG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 433 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 NJZ012>014-052200- EASTERN MONMOUTH NJ-MIDDLESEX NJ-WESTERN MONMOUTH NJ- 433 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT MIDDLESEX AND MONMOUTH COUNTIES... AT 432 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER PERTH AMBOY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR SOUTH AMBOY...MADISON PARK AROUND 445 PM...CLIFFWOOD BEACH...LAURENCE HARBOR AROUND 500 PM...KEYPORT... KEANSBURG AROUND 515 PM...MIDDLETOWN...NORTH MIDDLETOWN AROUND 530 PM...LEONARDO AND LINCROFT AROUND 545 PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. EXPECT LIGHTNING FROM THIS STORM. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. TFG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ 517 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 NJZ007-009-PAZ062-069-052215- BUCKS PA-HUNTERDON NJ-NORTHAMPTON PA-WARREN NJ- 517 PM EDT WED AUG 5 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT BUCKS...HUNTERDON...NORTHAMPTON AND WARREN COUNTIES... AT 516 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF EASTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR BATH...NAZARETH AROUND 530 PM...TATAMY...STOCKERTOWN AROUND 545 PM... PALMER HEIGHTS...WILSON AROUND 600 PM...OLD ORCHARD AND GLENDON AROUND 615 PM. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL FALL FROM THIS STORM...AND WILL CAUSE WATER TO POND ON ROADS AND QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL STREAMS. PLEASE BE WARY IF COMMUTING ON FLOOD PRONE ROADWAYS. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. EXPECT LIGHTNING FROM THIS STORM. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. TFG
The Philadelphia radar (KDIX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:48 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A 53-year-old man collapsed and died while doing yard work in his backyard in Bethlehem Township. He was holding an electric trimmer when he was struck by lightning. Medical crews responded, administered CPR, then transported him to Lehigh Valley Hospital Muhlenberg Campus where he was pronounced dead.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Northampton | 2009-08-05 | 53 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Pennsylvania, August 2009
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: 177543.