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Pennsylvania Flood Stories

2,274 first-hand accounts of flood events in Pennsylvania, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.

Flash Flood1 death

Bucks, PA · Oct 8, 2005

The combination of a very slow moving cold front and copious moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Tammy produced persistent and very heavy rain across Bucks County from the early morning into the afternoon of the 8th.

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Flash Flood1 death

Adams, PA · Jun 27, 2006

Heavy rain associated with a stalled frontal boundary, interacting with the remnants of a weak tropical system, caused flash flooding throughout central and eastern Pennsylvania from June 27 through June 28.

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Flood1 death

Lancaster, PA · Jun 20, 2003

Heavy rain started minor flooding across Lancaster county during the early afternoon of Friday June 21st. By mid evening, significant flooding began.

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Flood1 death

Montgomery, PA · Sep 2, 2006

The combination of the remnants of Tropical Storm Ernnesto and a large high pressure system over eastern Canada produced heavy rain and winds over Montgomery County. The heavy rain also claimed the life of one man.

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Flash Flood1 death

Blair, PA · Jan 19, 1996

Two people died in Blair County. One was a drowning directly related to the flooding, and the second a heart attack. A 17 year male was walking home from a store near Geeseytown when he was trapped by rising water on the Frankstown branch of the Juniata River.

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Flood1 death

Philadelphia, PA · May 2, 2002

A 13-year-old boy drowned while swimming in the Tookany Creek in Philadelphia. Four boys were swimming in the creek when a thunderstorm occurred. The heavy rain caused a rapid and significant, but within bankfull rise of the creek.

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Flash Flood1 death

Cumberland, PA · Jan 19, 1996

One flood related death occurred in Cumberland County. A 32 year old male drove aroud a barricade near Middlesex. He abandoned his car in the water and was on foot when he fell through ice on the north side of a flooded roadway around 330 am in the morning of January 21st,…

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Flash Flood$100K damage

Lackawanna, PA · Sep 9, 2023

A stationary frontal system over northeastern Pennsylvania combined with a weak upper level disturbance to focus heavy rain producing thunderstorms over the area.

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Flash Flood$10.0M damage

Allegheny, PA · Jun 20, 2018

Heavy rain with little, if any, lightning moved along a stationary front in a tropical environment. Moisture was plentiful, with precipitable water values of over 2 inches.

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Flash Flood$10.0M damage

Lackawanna, PA · Sep 9, 2023

A stationary frontal system over northeastern Pennsylvania combined with a weak upper level disturbance to focus heavy rain producing thunderstorms over the area.

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Flash Flood$10K damage

Somerset, PA · May 13, 2025

A deep stream of moisture was pulled northwestward from the Atlantic Ocean into the mountains of south-central Pennsylvania around an upper level low centered over the Ohio Valley during the afternoon and evening hours of May 13. 2025.

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Flash Flood$5.0M damage

Luzerne, PA · Sep 9, 2023

A stationary frontal system over northeastern Pennsylvania combined with a weak upper level disturbance to focus heavy rain producing thunderstorms over the area.

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Flash Flood$950K damage

Allegheny, PA · Apr 11, 2024

A strong mid-level trough and an associated frontal zone crossed through the|Mid-South and took aim on the OH Valley. Strong forcing associated the energy aloft coupled with a gradually destabilizing boundary layer out ahead it set the stage for areas of locally heavy showers…

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Flash Flood$150K damage

Erie, PA · Jun 18, 2025

A slow-moving cold front was draped west to east across the southern Great Lakes during the day of June 18th, 2025, with low pressure near Chicago drifting east toward southern Ontario.

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Flash Flood$60.0M damage

Philadelphia, PA · Sep 1, 2021

Post Tropical Cyclone Ida brought heavy rain to eastern Pennsylvania on September 1. Rainfall totals were as high as 5 to 10 inches. The heavy rain caused significant flash flooding, mainly in the southeastern part of the state. It resulted in widespread property damage.

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Flash Flood$250K damage

Wayne, PA · Aug 9, 2024

A deep plume of tropical moisture had spread over Northeast Pennsylvania ahead of the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. Prolonged torrential rains blanketed the region during the night and early morning hours before becoming enhanced by the approaching tropical remnants.

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Flood$250K damage

Wyoming, PA · Aug 9, 2024

A deep plume of tropical moisture had spread over Northeast Pennsylvania ahead of the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. Prolonged torrential rains blanketed the region during the night and early morning hours before becoming enhanced by the approaching tropical remnants.

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Flash Flood$500K damage

Lackawanna, PA · Sep 9, 2023

A stationary frontal system over northeastern Pennsylvania combined with a weak upper level disturbance to focus heavy rain producing thunderstorms over the area.

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Flood$5.0M damage

Erie, PA · Mar 1, 2020

New record high monthly mean water levels were set on Lakes Michigan-Huron, St. Clair, and Erie in March 2020. All three lakes surpassed their previous records set in 1986.

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Flash Flood$40.0M damage

Philadelphia, PA · Sep 1, 2021

Post Tropical Cyclone Ida brought heavy rain to eastern Pennsylvania on September 1. Rainfall totals were as high as 5 to 10 inches. The heavy rain caused significant flash flooding, mainly in the southeastern part of the state. It resulted in widespread property damage.

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Lakeshore Flood$8.0M damage

Northern Erie, PA · Oct 31, 2019

A strong area of low pressure system moved up the Ohio Valley and into Ontario on October 31, 2019. Strong southwest sustained winds up to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph occurred with this system as it deepened across Ohio in the evening hours.

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Flash Flood$1.0M damage

Lawrence, PA · Jul 9, 2023

Rain during the morning of July 9th helped to saturate the ground, and additional thunderstorms in an anomalously high moisture environment during the early evening hours created flash flooding.

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Flash Flood$150K damage

Susquehanna, PA · Aug 9, 2024

A deep plume of tropical moisture had spread over Northeast Pennsylvania ahead of the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. Prolonged torrential rains blanketed the region during the night and early morning hours before becoming enhanced by the approaching tropical remnants.

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Flood$300K damage

Delaware, PA · Dec 18, 2023

A strengthening coastal low pressure system brought several rounds of rain to the region Sunday night into Monday (December 17-18th). Total rainfall amounts across the forecast area varied from about 1.50 inches up to 7.00 inches.

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