Recent Rain

Some pretty nasty pics coming out of Sinnemahoning, Bennezette, driftwood area.
 

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Wow. Not gonna lie, I’m surprised about the degree of flooding from what largely amounted to 3-4” of rain (radar estimate reported) along the northern tier for most areas. Yes, that’s a lot of rain, but, given the Summer low flows, I would have expected bank-full flows on the small stuff, but the bigger rivers I thought could have handled that.

I have a theory that radar underreports rainfall totals from super moisture rich systems, like tropical cyclones. At several points in the last 24 hours I was surprised by how “hard” it was raining, yet only showing as a dark green or light yellow on the radar. I’m thinking because the atmosphere is so moisture rich in these systems there is less evaporative loss as the drops fall through the atmosphere. Just a wild guess.

pcray?
 
Wow. Not gonna lie, I’m surprised about the degree of flooding from what largely amounted to 3-4” of rain (radar estimate reported) along the northern tier for most areas. Yes, that’s a lot of rain, but, given the Summer low flows, I would have expected bank-full flows on the small stuff, but the bigger rivers I thought could have handled that.

I have a theory that radar underreports rainfall totals from super moisture rich systems, like tropical cyclones. At several points in the last 24 hours I was surprised by how “hard” it was raining, yet only showing as a dark green or light yellow on the radar. I’m thinking because the atmosphere is so moisture rich in these systems there is less evaporative loss as the drops fall through the atmosphere. Just a wild guess.

pcray?
I'm pretty sure those severely flooded areas got 7-8 inches in a few hours
 
Wow. Not gonna lie, I’m surprised about the degree of flooding from what largely amounted to 3-4” of rain (radar estimate reported) along the northern tier for most areas. Yes, that’s a lot of rain, but, given the Summer low flows, I would have expected bank-full flows on the small stuff, but the bigger rivers I thought could have handled that.

I have a theory that radar underreports rainfall totals from super moisture rich systems, like tropical cyclones. At several points in the last 24 hours I was surprised by how “hard” it was raining, yet only showing as a dark green or light yellow on the radar. I’m thinking because the atmosphere is so moisture rich in these systems there is less evaporative loss as the drops fall through the atmosphere. Just a wild guess.

pcray?
Dear Swattie,

I think it is more about the terrain and much less about the amount of rain. If an inch of rain falls in the Cumberland Valley along I-81 it is one thing. If an inch of rain falls across 5 different ravines that drain into two larger streams that drain into a larger stream the water moves much faster. When places in those ridges get 4 to 7 inches of rain like Brad from Potter mentioned that gets compounded exponentially.

I spent 11 years in Broome County NY and the Catskills. A thunderstorm in one area could wipe out a bridge or flood a town while 5 miles away it just muddied the cricks. F=MA works for water too, unfortunately.

Regards,

Tim Murphy
 
I am not seeing the kinds of
Numbers you are from my source. Could there be a hole in the radar for some of these mountain locations. Don’t think I saw any area that hit 6
 
I'm pretty sure those severely flooded areas got 7-8 inches in a few hours

I don’t doubt that, from the flooding observed, but check out the radar estimate maps. Westfield showing 3.91 inches, FWIW.

The flooding looks like 7-8 inches. But that’s not what the maps are showing. Anyone actually have a gauge out up along the northern tier?
 
I think much of northern tioga co and bradford co has been quite wet this spring and summer. I know some farmers who were having issues with wet fields trying to cut hay. If they got some of the storms in the past week, which they did, the ground was likely pretty saturated. A wide spread 4in in a few hours on saturated soils will make a mess.

I am seeing reports of driftwood and benezette areas havomg significant flood damage too. This week for work i was in that area a day and bennet branch had a very healthy flow for summer.

Pine was also above average and I was in the Trout Run area on Wednesday and all those streams were well above summer low flow.

The power of water cannot be underestimated...
 
I don’t doubt that, from the flooding observed, but check out the radar estimate maps. Westfield showing 3.91 inches, FWIW.

The flooding looks like 7-8 inches. But that’s not what the maps are showing. Anyone actually have a gauge out up along the northern tier?
Did you try nws rainfall monitor? I'm pretty sure they use observed totals but might have quite a.few locations missing until later.
 
I am not seeing the kinds of
Numbers you are from my source. Could there be a hole in the radar for some of these mountain locations. Don’t think I saw any area that hit 6
National Weather Service Map showed 12.25 just south of Williamsport
 
The Carsontown bridge along Little pine was partially damaged and will be closed for quite a while. The road surface at on end washed away.
454715454_10162165669963694_3153966892724431600_n.jpg
 
Some of those higher numbers of rain seem to match the pictures and observations from First Fork over to Williamsport areas.

Reported rainfall totals always seem a little wonky to me. The TV often relies on home analog weather reports, which never seem correct. Radar is a national product and set of results. Even that can be difficult measure due to the fact water is a mass with radar trying to read into it, distance to observations, curvature of the earth and other factors. I'm not sure satellites doing live measurements of a rainfall.

Anyway weather observations of all types are improving and they got a lot of up there in north central PA.

Keep the pictures coming
 
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I don’t doubt that, from the flooding observed, but check out the radar estimate maps. Westfield showing 3.91 inches, FWIW.

The flooding looks like 7-8 inches. But that’s not what the maps are showing. Anyone actually have a gauge out up along the northern tier?
over 7" in rain gauge. We had over 3" last Sat. Plus during the week an inch here & there.
 
My local guy reported 6" - 6.5" of rain directly up the Susky. From Harrisburg north to Sunbury and 20-25 miles either side of the river took a real soaking. 6.26" right across the river from me which caused a closure of 11/15 between Duncannon and Marysville. Thinking it might have been a landslide.

On the east side of the river, 147 is closed from Clark's Ferry to Halifax and will be for some time. Report of a road section being washed away. Powells valley Rd and several others closed with damage.

Nothing much here but damage all around including a confirmed F1 tornado
 
over 7" in rain gauge. We had over 3" last Sat. Plus during the week an inch here & there.
Incredible amount of rain up there, hope folks are able to clean up and recover. Many will ask what can be done, but when we get 7in of rain in these crazy storms the fact of the matter is its going to flood. The best thing we can do is stay out of harms way.
 
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