Updated at 3:30 p.m. with flood watch
The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) wants to remind citizens to monitor local forecasts this week for possible flooding due to snowmelt and rain.
Right now, widespread river flooding is not forecast. However, several waterways will move into the action or minor flood stage with the chance for one or two to move into moderate flooding, said a PEMA press release.
“At this point we’re not expecting major flooding in Pennsylvania, but we all need to be vigilant because flooding can occur with little or no notice,” PEMA Director Richard D. Flinn Jr. said in the release. “I also encourage people to have a plan in place for getting out of their neighborhood and maintaining contact with family members in case flooding occurs when they’re not together.”
According to the National Weather Service, a combination of heavy showers and accelerating snowmelt could produce scattered minor to moderate small stream flooding on Wednesday, Feb. 3. The forecast includes “a good chance” of one inch of rain occurring in six hours.
That precipitation, along with the rapidly melting snow, could cause flooding Wednesday into Wednesday night of the Schuylkill River, Brandywine Creek, Chester Creek, and Christina River, among others. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for the area at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 1.
Flinn said it is important for the public to understand the difference between a flood watch and a flood warning because each represents a different level of action to be taken.
A flood or flash flood watch means that flooding may occur. Residents should stay alert and watch rivers and streams, and be prepared to move to high ground quickly. A flood or flash flood warning means actual flooding is occurring, and residents should act at once and move to high ground.
To help ensure safety for motorists and emergency responders alike, state law mandates that motorists who drive around or through signs or traffic control devices closing a road or highway due to hazardous conditions will have two points added to their driving records and be fined up to $250. Penalties are higher if emergency responders are called to rescue motorists who disregard warning signs.
For information about the state's ReadyPA campaign, including free downloadable emergency home and car kit checklists and emergency plan templates, visit www.ReadyPA.org. The free ReadyPA app is also available for both Apple and Android devices.
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