Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, July 26, 2015

Name: Flash Flood in Pennsylvania, July 26, 2015
Start: 2015-07-26T17:15
End: 2015-07-26T20:15
Location: Pennsylvania

July 26, 2015 · NWS BGM · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $3.0 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 BGM wrote it up.

A stationary front provided the focus for concentrated thunderstorms across the Northern Tier counties in Pennsylvania. Rainfall estimates of 2 to 3 inches fell in a very short period of time, causing localized flash flooding in the area. Estimated damages to roads and other public and private infrastructure was estimated at 3 million dollars.

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 Binghamton, NY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 26, 1:59 PM EST, 3 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 26, 1:59 PM EST, 3 hours 16 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
259 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

.SYNOPSIS...
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON ALONG THE TWIN TIERS AND SOUTHERN
CATSKILLS WILL DROP ACROSS NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA THIS EVENING.
MOST AREAS WILL BE DRY AND WARM ON MONDAY...BUT ISOLATED SHOWERS
AND STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA ONCE
AGAIN.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
WEAK BNDRY CONTS TO DROP SEWRD THIS AFTN HAD HAS TRIGGERRED SCT
TSTMS AHD OVER THE NY/PA BRDR. SPS ANALYZED ML CAPE APRCHG 1500 SO
THERE/S PLENTY OF INSTABILITY BUT THERE/S LTL SHEAR SO SVR THREAT
SHD BE LIMITED. MODELS SHOW THE AXIS OF INSTABILITY AND SFC FNT
CONTG TO SAG SWRD THIS EVE CONFINING THE CONV TO THE XTRM SE
OVRNGT...WEAKENING WITH THE LACK HTG. LTR TNGT...LGT WINDS AND
INCRSD LL MOISTURE WILL RESULT IN PTCHY FOG...ESP ALONG AND SOUTH
OF THE BRDR WHERE THE AFTN SHWRS HIT.

&&

.SHORT TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
REMAINS OF THE SFC BNDRY WASHES OUT OVER NEPA MON AND COULD CONT
TO TRIGGER ISLTD CONV WITH DAYTIME HTG. HAVE INCLUDED CHANCE OR
SLGT CHANCE POPS OVER THE SE FOR THIS PSBLTY. FURTHER TO THE
WEST...BLDG UPR HGTS AND BUBBLE HIGH WILL KEEP THE LID ON ANY
CONV.

HIPRES BLDS IN FOR TUE AND WED AND ALLOW MAINLY SUNNY SKIES AND
CNSRBL WRMG. AFTN TEMPS STILL LOOK CLOSE TO 90F ALTHOUGH GUID HAS
BACKED OFF A CPL DEGREES ON THE FCSTD TEMPS. RDG ALOFT SHD REALLY
ELIMINATE ANY CNCRN FOR ANY CONV STORMS.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
245 PM UPDATE...

AFTER EXPERIENCING HOT WEATHER FOR A FEW DAYS UPPER LEVEL HEIGHTS
GRADUALLY FALL FROM MID WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND ALLOWING FOR A
RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL WEATHER FOR MID SUMMER. BEST SHOT FOR
PRECIPITATION WILL BE THURSDAY WITH GOOD MODEL AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE GFS AND EURO ON A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. 850 TEMPS FALL INTO
THE MID TEENS BY FRIDAY WITH HIGHS NEAR 80 FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WEAK
BOUNDARY MAY BRING US ANOTHER SHOT AT PRECIP SATURDAY BUT THIS FAR
OUT, KEPT IT AT OR BELOW 30% GIVEN SOME UNCERTAINTY.

&&

.AVIATION /19Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
A BOUNDARY CAUSING AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT
MAINLY KAVP THIS AFTERNOON. STORMS WILL FIRE NEAR OR JUST SOUTH OF
KELM AND KBGM. WHILE A STORM IS POSSIBLE THROUGH 19Z, MOST OF THE
CONVECTION WILL REMAIN JUST SOUTH OF THE TERMINALS. AT KAVP BRIEF
IFR VSBYS ARE POSSIBLE BUT CONVECTION TOO SCT. TO INCLUDE IN THE
TAFS. WILL MENTIONED TSRA DURING THE PEAK TIME OF CONVECTION (20Z
TO 23Z) INSTEAD. BEHIND THIS BOUNDARY A BRIEF PERIOD OF MVFR CIGS
POSSIBLE NY TERMINALS BEFORE WE SCATTER OUT.

VALLEY FOG LIKELY AT KELM TONIGHT WITH IFR VSBYS AFTER 06Z. SOME MODEL
GUIDANCE ALSO SUGGESTS FOG AT MOST OF THE TERMINALS OVERNIGHT.
CONTINUED THE PREVIOUS FORECASTERS IDEA OF LIGHT FOG AT KITH AND
KBGM BUT BASED ON ENOUGH UNCERTAINTY, LEFT IT OUT OTHERWISE.

VFR MONDAY.

.OUTLOOK...

TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY...VFR.

THURSDAY...RESTRICTIONS POSSIBLE BY AFTERNOON...IN SCATTERED
SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS.

FRIDAY...VFR.

&&

.BGM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...NONE.
NY...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...DGM
NEAR TERM...DGM
SHORT TERM...DGM/TAC
LONG TERM...HEDEN
AVIATION...HEDEN

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 26, 1:30 PM EST, 3 hours 45 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
230 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

NYZ009-015>018-022>025-036-037-044>046-055>057-062-PAZ038>040-043-
044-047-048-072-271830-
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-
230 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK AND
NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 26, 3:55 PM EST, 1 hour 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
455 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

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

0450 PM     HAIL             MAINE                   42.20N  76.07W
07/26/2015  M1.00 INCH       BROOME             NY   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

JML

Special weather statement, Jul 26, 4:04 PM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
504 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

NYZ045-056-262130-
BROOME NY-CHENANGO NY-
504 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN CHENANGO AND
NORTHWESTERN BROOME COUNTIES  ...

* AT 503 PM EDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A STRONG
  THUNDERSTORM OVER CASTLE CREEK...OR NEAR GREATER BINGHAMTON
  AIRPORT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE
  WITH THIS STORM.

* THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  SANITARIA SPRINGS AROUND 515 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.

&&

LAT...LON 4211 7595 4228 7605 4234 7580 4217 7568
TIME...MOT...LOC 2103Z 247DEG 26KT 4223 7592

HEDEN

Local storm report, Jul 26, 4:06 PM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
506 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

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

0500 PM     HAIL             NWS BINGHAMTON          42.21N  75.99W
07/26/2015  M0.88 INCH       BROOME             NY   NWS OFFICE

&&

JML

Special weather statement, Jul 26, 4:06 PM EST, 1 hour 9 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
506 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

NYZ062-262145-
SULLIVAN NY-
506 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN SULLIVAN COUNTY  ...

* AT 506 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
  NEAR LAVA...OR 13 MILES WEST OF MONTICELLO...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH.

* DIME SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

* THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  ELDRED AROUND 510 PM EDT.
  HIGHLAND LAKE AROUND 520 PM EDT.
  BETHEL AROUND 530 PM EDT.
  WHITE LAKE AROUND 540 PM EDT.
  MONTICELLO...SMALLWOOD AND MONGAUP VALLEY AROUND 545 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 4149 7496 4168 7504 4178 7470 4151 7462
TIME...MOT...LOC 2106Z 257DEG 9KT 4161 7493

RRM

Special weather statement, Jul 26, 4:27 PM EST, 48 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
527 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

PAZ038-039-043-262215-
SUSQUEHANNA PA-WYOMING PA-BRADFORD PA-
527 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN SUSQUEHANNA...
SOUTHEASTERN BRADFORD AND NORTHWESTERN WYOMING COUNTIES  ...

* AT 527 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
  OVER MONROETON...OR NEAR TOWANDA...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

* DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
  THIS STORM.

* THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  HERRICK AROUND 540 PM EDT.
  WYALUSING AND CAMPTOWN AROUND 545 PM EDT.
  SUGAR RUN AROUND 550 PM EDT.
  LACEYVILLE AROUND 600 PM EDT.
  LOVELTON AROUND 605 PM EDT.
  FORKSTON AND AUBURN CENTER AROUND 610 PM EDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 4153 7623 4154 7622 4155 7626 4165 7655
      4182 7646 4174 7600 4150 7614
TIME...MOT...LOC 2127Z 292DEG 23KT 4171 7642

HEDEN

Special weather statement, Jul 26, 5:03 PM EST, 12 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON NY
603 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

NYZ062-262300-
SULLIVAN NY-
603 PM EDT SUN JUL 26 2015

...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL AFFECT SULLIVAN COUNTY...

* AT 603 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL
  ACROSS PARTS OF SULLIVAN COUNTY.

* THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL...AND COULD CAUSE LOCALIZED
  FLOODING OF ROADS AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.

* LOCATIONS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE HEAVY RAINFALL INCLUDE...
  MONTICELLO...LIBERTY...FALLSBURG...BETHEL...DAMASCUS...SOUTH
  FALLSBURG...COCHECTON...WURTSBORO...OTISVILLE...WOODRIDGE...
  BLOOMINGBURG...KIAMESHA...HARTWOOD...HAVEN...PHILLIPSPORT...
  HIGHLAND LAKE...LAVA...HARRIS...MAPLEWOOD AND SMALLWOOD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.

&&

LAT...LON 4150 7449 4150 7475 4142 7476 4142 7480
      4144 7481 4143 7483 4144 7489 4147 7491
      4148 7499 4155 7502 4161 7508 4162 7505
      4171 7507 4174 7504 4181 7452 4175 7457
      4165 7440 4159 7436
TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 180DEG 0KT 4169 7482

HEDEN

The radar

The Binghamton radar (KBGM), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:15 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Bradford

When: July 26, 5:15 PM EST to 8:15 PM EST
Where: Bradford County, 3.86 mi WSW of South Branch to 1.58 mi NNW of Riggs
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $3.0 million
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.635, -76.502

Spotters reported torrential rainfall of 2 to 4 inches in less than 90 minutes on this day. This led to widespread flash flooding of rural roads, and in the local towns and villages over a small part of central Bradford county. Water was a few feet deep on some village streets, and rushing flood waters also destroyed culverts on several area roads.

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Pennsylvania in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Pennsylvania, July 2015

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: 596817.