Flash Flood — Centre, Pennsylvania

2013-06-27 · near Potters Mills, Centre, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

Torrential rains produced flash flooding in the Centre region from Pine Grove Mills and State College through Bellefonte and Milesburg. The hardest hit area was from Milesburg northeast along Route 150 to the Blanchard/Beech Creek Area near the Centre/Clinton county line. Numerous roads were closed including Route 26 from Porter Road to Benner Pike in College Township, Jacksonville Road (Route 26) in Marion Township, Route 3005 (Fox Hollow Road) from Cricklewood Drive in Patton Township to Park Ave/Porter Road in College Township, Route 455 in Walker Township, Route 550 from Upper Gyp Road to Reynolds Lane in Benner Township and Route 26 at Walnut Ridge Road in Marion Township.

Wider weather episode

A MCV and broader mid-level trough crossed the central Appalachians and triggered strong to severe thunderstorms from the central ridges into the Susquehanna River Valley during the afternoon and evening. Very high boundary layer moisture and humidity contributed to heavy rainfall/flash flooding and precipitation loading within consolidating convection. While the deep layer flow and shear were somewhat modest, ambient vertical vorticity just ahead of the MCV and low LCLs aided in the development of two weak, short-lived (EF1) tornadoes in Centre and Perry Counties. Deep moisture (PWAT) values around two inches along with relatively slow, south-to-north training cells and bands produced significant flash flooding, particularly in DuBois and Beech Creek which sustained extensive flood damages due localized 4-6+ inch rainfall amounts. Both towns were declared a State of Emergency. The Bald Eagle Creek at Beech Creek Station surged nearly 8 feet in 4 hours and crested just below major flood stage. The creek officially crested at 13.75 feet which was the sixth highest crest on record. An 86-year old man was swept away and killed by the rising flood waters in Beech Creek.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (40.7660, -77.6078)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 452998. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.