[MTHOLLYSVRWX] Flash Flood Watch : PHI@ 2/22/2003 4:34:59 PM

[PHI Skywarn]

WGUS61 KPHI 222142
FFAPHI
DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055-
060>062-067>071-230500-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
440 PM EST SAT FEB 22 2003

...FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES THROUGH TONIGHT...

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM MOVING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY 
OVERNIGHT WILL CONTINUE TO BRING WIDESPREAD RAIN TO THE REGION.  AS 
A RESULT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS CONTINUING THE FLOOD 
WATCH THROUGH TONIGHT. 

THE FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA...CARBON...MONROE...NORTHAMPTON...LEHIGH... 
BERKS...CHESTER...MONTGOMERY...BUCKS...PHILADELPHIA AND DELAWARE.

IN NEW JERSEY...SUSSEX...WARREN...MORRIS...HUNTERDON...SOMERSET... 
MIDDLESEX...MERCER...MONMOUTH...OCEAN...BURLINGTON...CAMDEN... 
GLOUCESTER...SALEM...CUMBERLAND...ATLANTIC AND CAPE MAY.

IN DELAWARE...NEW CASTLE...KENT AND SUSSEX.

IN NORTHEASTERN MARYLAND...CECIL...KENT...QUEEN ANNE'S...TALBOT AND 
CAROLINE.

RADAR ESTIMATES AND SURFACE REPORTS INDICATE THAT GENERALLY ONE TO 
TWO INCHES OF RAIN HAS ALREADY FALLEN OVER THE AREA SINCE LATE 
FRIDAY. THE RAIN IS EXPECTED TO SLACKEN OFF SOMEWHAT SATURDAY 
EVENING...HOWEVER ADDITIONAL HEAVIER SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS MAY 
MOVE THROUGH OVERNIGHT. ALSO...ANOTHER ONE TO TWO INCHES OF LIQUID 
MAY BE ADDED BY MELTING SNOW. 

AS OF LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON...FLOOD WARNINGS WERE IN EFFECT FOR 
MOST OF THE COUNTIES AROUND THE PHILADELPHIA METRO AREA...AND 
SEVERAL STREAMS WERE EXPECTED TO RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE SATURDAY 
EVENING.  CHECK FLOOD WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER 
SERVICE FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION.

A FLOOD THREAT EXISTS ALONG ALL STREAMS AND CREEKS IN THE AREA. 
URBAN FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS...ESPECIALLY 
WHERE DRAINS ARE BLOCKED BY SNOW.  IF HEAVY RAIN COINCIDES WITH HIGH 
TIDE ALONG THE COAST...POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING COULD ALSO OCCUR IN 
THOSE AREAS.

PEOPLE ALONG CREEKS AND STREAMS SHOULD MONITOR WATER LEVELS 
FREQUENTLY IF HEAVY RAIN OCCURS. CHECK PREPAREDNESS REQUIREMENTS. BE 
READY TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS 
ISSUED. HAVE ALTERNATIVE ESCAPE ROUTES PLANNED IN CASE WATER COVERS 
OR IS FLOWING ACROSS YOUR PRIMARY ESCAPE ROUTE.

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS...CREEKS AND OTHER
DRAINAGE AREAS IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. THE NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE WILL CLOSELY MONITOR THIS SITUATION AND WILL 
CONTINUE TO ISSUE WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES AS NEEDED DURING THE 
UPCOMING EVENT.

IF YOU ARE NEAR A COMPUTER...YOU CAN ACCESS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 
INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS... 
WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/ER/PHI (ALL IN LOWER CASE).

$$

AMC


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