Hurricane Florence path: Higher rainfall expected across the midstate
Hurricane Florence is expected to bring heavy rain to Pennsylvania (Photo: National Hurricane Center)
(Undated) — Pennsylvania could receive heavier rainfall than originally expected.
And the next forecast could predict even higher amounts.
After Hurricane Florence causes expected widespread destruction in the Carolinas, the storm is predicted to push north.
It will weaken in intensity by the time it reaches Pennsylvania, but it’s expected to bring 2 to 4 inches of rain to southcentral Pa. on Tuesday or Wednesday, according to the latest rainfall map from the National Hurricane Center. That’s up from 1 to 2 inches in the previous forecast.
Some pockets of the state may receive 12 inches of rain. It’s unclear if any of those pockets are in the southcentral region.
“It’s still too early to nail down,” said Michael Colbert, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College. “The numbers could climb higher or go lower. Locally, there could be intense downpours and higher amounts.”
With the present forecast, York County and other parts of the region should expect heavy rain Tuesday, he said.
Even if York County receives 2 to 4 inches, that amount can cause problems because the ground is already so wet amid one of the rainiest summers on record.
“There are concerns about more flooding,” Colbert said. “It will be flash flooding if there’s heavy rain in a short period of time. If it falls over a long period of time, rivers will be more of a problem.”
York County has not been able to dry out from a series of flash floods in July or a major flash flood on the evening of Aug. 31, when homes were destroyed, and several roads were washed out or closed.
The county is still cleaning up from that round of flooding and was hit with 5 to 7 inches of rain in the last week.
“We can’t even fix the damage from last week because we’re bracing for next week,” county spokesman Mark Walters said earlier this week. “There are places in York County that cannot handle what this hurricane might bring.”
Those areas include Accomac Road in Hellam Township, Chanceford and Lower Chanceford Townships, and Kreutz Creek Road in Hellam Township.
As a precaution, the county planned to open its emergency command center on Thursday, Walters said.
First responders in York County are also on alert and paying attention to the path of the storm, getting ready to help if the remnants of Florence hit the region.
Safety tips
State and federal agencies offer these tips if you are caught in flash flooding or a storm, or you’re worried about a vacation property:
- Do not drive onto any water-covered road
- Do not drive around any barricade for a closed road
- Do not walk, bike, play in, enter or cross floodwaters
- If flooding traps you in your home, call 911
- Do not touch electrical equipment that is wet
- Stay in touch with the property management company or local government websites where your vacation rental is based
- Have plenty of water, flashlights and batteries, non-perishable food and any necessary medications on hand.
This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The York Daily Record.
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