Flood Potential

The NWS has a flood watch in effect for the Delaware River and tribs. Not a warning, a watch. There's a few inches of water tied up in the snow pack in the upper Delaware and Lehigh watersheds and if we get a few inches the river could come up near flood stage. We'll know much more tomorrow morning.

Check the PA/NJ Hydrology link and also the DRBC flood page.

RIVERS AND STREAMS THROUGHOUT THE REGION WILL EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT RISES IF THIS EVENT UNFOLDS AS FORECAST. MANY SMALLER STREAMS MAY RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE FRIDAY...AND THE MAIN STEM RIVERS...SUCH AS THE LEHIGH AND DELAWARE RIVERS...WILL EXPERIENCE MAJOR RISES AS WELL. AN AGGRAVATING FACTOR FOR ANY FLOODING POTENTIAL ALONG THE LEHIGH AND DELAWARE RIVERS IS THE EXISTING SNOW PACK IN THE UPPER PORTIONS OF BOTH WATERSHEDS. ANYWHERE BETWEEN 2 AND 5 INCHES OF WATER IS STORED IN THAT SNOW PACK...AND

IF IT MELTS FAST ENOUGH AND IN ENOUGH QUANTITY...FLOODING COULD ENSUE ALONG BOTH RIVERS. RESIDENTS ALONG ALL RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE UNFOLDING WEATHER SITUATION AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD THE NEED ARISE. THE MAJORITY OF THE RIVERS IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW JERSEY ARE ICE FREE AT THIS TIME. EVEN THOUGH SOME ICE EXISTS IN THE NEW YORK PORTION OF THE DELAWARE RIVER...THE THREAT OF ICE JAM FLOODING IS MINIMAL AT BEST.