Flash Flood — Sullivan, Pennsylvania

2016-10-21 · near Hillsgrove, Sullivan, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

During the early morning hours of October 21st a frontal system brought intense rainfall which led to flash flooding in part of Sullivan County. Over eight inches of rain fell across the headwaters of Mill Creek, Elk Creek and the Hoagland Branch.

The storm damage occurred in three townships, Hillsgrove, Elkland and Fox.

The flash floods destroyed three primary residences and 14 seasonal structures.

State Route 87 remains closed until a bridge can be replaced. The bridge goes over Mill Creek at Hillsgrove, one of the major highways used in the County.

Elk Creek Road is closed due to a bridge washout.

Hoagland Branch Road is closed due to inaccessibility over a 2.5 mile stretch of roadway. The road is closed between Elk Creek Road to about three miles north. Several cabins are now isolated. Damages to this road alone are estimated to cost over one million dollars.

The bridge over State Route 4001 (Elk Creek Road) needs to be repaired (early 2017 completion target).

State Route 4010 (Hoppestown Road) is closed with repairs anticipated to be completed by the end of the year.

Emergency management estimated the damage for public assistance is over two million dollars. Damage to state forest and PENNDOT roads and bridges is even greater.

Flood and debris damage at junction of small streams into Hoagland Branch, Elk Creek and Mill Creeks in the western townships of Sullivan County was as follows: Fox Twp $1,383,748; Elkland Twp $234,434.00; Hillsgrove Twp $294,927.87.

Primary Residence damage (3 buildings) $399,100.00.

Seasonal Residence damage (14 structures) $620,000.00.

The Sullivan County Rural Electric Co-op lost numerous poles and lines. Repair costs estimated at $90,000.00.

Wider weather episode

A potent cold front pushed into an unseasonably warm and humid air mass, generating widespread showers and thunderstorms. There was a considerable amount of both low level and deep layer shear, and some of the storms produced damaging winds. A line of convection stalled and trained over Centre, Clinton and Lycoming counties during the late evening hours, producing a swath of 4 to 8 inches of rainfall from just north and west of State College northeastward to near Lock Haven, Jersey Shore and just north of Williamsport. There were numerous road closures due to high water in Patton Township, Centre County and several water rescues were reported along Bald Eagle Creek in Milesburg, Centre County, and across northern Lycoming County and western Sullivan County.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (41.4100, -76.6966)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 660375. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.