Flash Flood — Lycoming, Pennsylvania

2016-10-21 · near Bodines, Lycoming, Pennsylvania

Event narrative

Heavy rainfall brought flash flooding to parts of Lycoming County during the early morning hours of Friday, October 21st. The Loyalsock and Lycoming Creek watersheds were most heavily impacted. The flooding destroyed or seriously damaged multiple State and local roads and bridges. Over twenty primary residence homes were either destroyed or sustained major damage. Many camps and seasonal homes were also damaged or destroyed along Pleasant Stream, Wallis Run and Slacks Run.

An 8 'inch liquid petroleum line was also damaged along the Loyalsock Creek and posed a significant environmental impact.

Multiple state and municipal roads and bridges were impacted. For several days after the rain McIntyre, Gamble and Cascade Townships had locally isolated areas with long delays or limited access. Many of these roads have undergone at least temporary repairs.

Wallis Run Road, Field Station Road, Upper Bodines Roads are temporarily closed with detours. At least three state bridges were destroyed and awaiting repair.

A historic municipal stone arch bridge over Pleasant Stream in McIntyre and Lewis Townships was destroyed. This impacts accessibility into the community of Marsh Hill. Another municipal bridge over Potash Hollow Run was destroyed. There were 20 other municipality owned bridges damaged.

A large earth slide near the junction of Wallis Run Road and Buttermut Grove Road caused a road closure.

There were agricultural impact. Totals from the Lycoming County Soil Conservation Service District Office show Corn Grain loss was 70 acres at a $35-40,000 total loss. Grain loss for beans was 15 acres at a $6,000 total loss. Christmas Tree farms suffered a loss of land and inventory estimated at $400,000. The Lycoming Consolidated Sportsman's fish hatchery suffered $18-20,000 in losses.

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 → (41.4500, -76.9800)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 660387. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.