High Wind Warning - Upgraded!

I guess the weather folks are thinking that it's going to be a bit windier tonite than they originally expected.

DEZ001-MDZ008-NJZ001-007>010-012-015>019-PAZ054-055-060>062-
NEW CASTLE-CECIL-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-
MIDDLESEX-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-
CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-
DE-PHILADELPHIA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF.WILMINGTON.ELKTON.NEWTON.
WA.MORRISTOWN.FLEMINGTON.SOMERVILLE.
NEW BRUNSWICK.TRENTON.PENNSVILLE.GLASSBORO.CAMDEN.
CHERRY HILL.MOORESTOWN.MOUNT HOLLY.JIM THORPE.
STROUDSBURG.READING.ALLENTOWN.BETHLEHEM.EASTON.
WEST CHESTER.NORRISTOWN.DOYLESTOWN.MEDIA
358 PM EST SAT MAR 8 2008

.HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EDT SUNDAY.

THE NATL WEATHER SVC IN MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING.WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM EDT SUNDAY. THE WIND ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

LOW PRESSURE LIFTING OUT OF MD THIS AFTERNOON WILL INTENSIFY AS IT LIFTS INTO ME BY DAYBREAK SUNDAY. VERY STRONG WINDS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW.

OVER THE WARNING AREA.SUSTAINED WINDS OF 35 TO 40 MPH & GUSTS UP TO AROUND 60 MPH ARE ANTICIPATED WHEN WINDS ARE AT THEIR WORST TONIGHT. WINDS OF THIS STRENGTH CAN KNOCK DOWN TREES & POWER LINES AND RESULT IN POWER OUTAGES.ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE SATURATED GROUND DUE TO THE RAINS FROM THIS EXITING SYSTEM.

DRIVING WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO THE WIND.PARTICULARLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. REMEMBER.WINDS ARE TYPICALLY STRONGEST ON BRIDGES & OTHER ELEVATED STRUCTURES. AVOID DRIVING IF YOU CAN.

PLEASE SECURE ANY LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS THAT MAY BE BLOWN ABOUT BY STRONG WINDS.

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.

I was out a little bit ago, it wasn't windy (yet) but I guess it's coming. "Auntie Em, Auntie Em . . . ."

First the Flooding - Now the Wind!

As if the torrential rains weren't enough, along with the potential for flooding, now it seem as though it's goig to get a bit breezy. This, according to our friends at the National Weather Service in Philadelphia are saying:

NJZ001-007-008-PAZ054-055-062-082200-
/O.CON.KPHI.WI.Y.0004.080308T2300Z-080309T1300Z/
SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-CARBON-MONROE-NORTHAMPTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NEWTON...WASHINGTON...MORRISTOWN...
JIM THORPE...STROUDSBURG...BETHLEHEM...EASTON
809 AM EST SAT MAR 8 2008

...WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM EST THIS EVENING TO
9 AM EDT SUNDAY...

A DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA THIS
MORNING WILL RAPIDLY MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON INTO
THE EVENING. THE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO RACE NORTHEAST OVERNIGHT AND
BRING STRONG WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS TO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF
THE SOUTHERN POCONOS...FAR NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY AND NEARBY
LOCALES. RAIN YESTERDAY AND MORE EXPECTED TODAY WILL SATURATE THE
GROUNDS ENOUGH SO THAT THE STRONG WINDS COULD TOPPLE SOME TREES
AND BRING DOWN POWER LINES.

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OF AROUND OR IN EXCESS
OF 30 MPH AND WIND GUSTS OF AROUND OR IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH ARE
EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY
FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

Please make sure that you tie down those loose objects (like my trash cans) or better yet, bring them in. Also watch out for falling limbs, etc.!

Delaware River Flooding Possible

This Special River Statement was issued by the National Weather Service in Philadelphia earlier today. It looks like minor flooding is forecast for the Delaware River in Easton.

HYDROLOGIC STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MT HOLLY NJ
1133 AM EST FRI MAR 07 2008


...SPECIAL RIVER STATEMENT FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER AND LEHIGH RIVERS...

AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ORGANIZING NEAR THE GULF COAST IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TWO DISTINCT PERIODS OF RAIN FOR THE REGION AS IT MOVES NORTHEAST. THE FIRST PERIOD OF PRECIPITATION HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE OVER ONE INCH OF RAIN BETWEEN 3 PM AND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THE SECOND PERIOD HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE BETWEEN ONE AND TWO
INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE SAME AREA BETWEEN 7 AM AND 7 PM ON SATURDAY. SOME OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN ON SATURDAY COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. BY THE TIME ALL THE RAIN ENDS BY LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON, 2.0 TO 2.75 INCHES OF RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED.

BOTH THE LEHIGH AND DELAWARE RIVERS ARE RUNNING HIGH AS A RESULT OF HEAVY RAIN THAT FELL EARLIER IN THE WEEK. THE GROUND ALSO REMAINS NEARLY SATURATED IN SOME PLACES. AS A RESULT, THE HEAVY RAIN THAT FALLS LATER TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY WILL CAUSE RIVER AND STREAM LEVELS TO RISE QUICKLY, PERHAPS REACHING FLOOD LEVELS BY MID DAY SATURDAY ON THE SMALLER STREAMS AND ON A LITTLE LATER ON THE LARGER STREAMS AND RIVERS. BASED ON A FORECAST OF 2.0 TO 2.75 INCHES OF RAIN THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING, THE LEHIGH AND DELAWARE RIVERS ARE EXPECTED TO CREST BETWEEN ONE AND TWO FEET ABOVE FLOOD STAGE IN MANY LOCATIONS. THESE CRESTS WOULD MOST LIKELY OCCUR SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN THE FASTER RESPONDING AREAS, TO LATE SUNDAY IN TRENTON. A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE REGION.

FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER NEAR TOCKS ISLAND, THE LATEST STAGE WAS 14.7 FEET AT 10 AM FRIDAY. A CREST OF BETWEEN 21 AND 23 FEET IS FORECAST FOR SUNDAY. FLOOD STAGE AT TOCKS ISLAND IS 21 FEET.

FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER AT BELVIDERE, THE LATEST STAGE WAS 13.4 FEET AT 10 AM FRIDAY. A CREST OF BETWEEN 17.5 AND 19.5 FEET IS FORECAST FOR SUNDAY. FLOOD STAGE AT BELVIDERE IS 22 FEET.

FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER AT EASTON-PHILLIPSBURG BRIDGE, THE LATEST STAGE WAS 16.4 FEET AT 10 AM FRIDAY. A CREST OF BETWEEN 22.5 AND 24.5 FEET IS FORECAST FOR SUNDAY. FLOOD STAGE AT EASTON-PHILLIPSBURG IS 22 FEET.

FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER AT RIEGELSVILLE, THE LATEST STAGE WAS 16.9 FEET AT 10 AM FRIDAY. A FORECAST CREST OF BETWEEN 23 AND 25 FEET IS EXPECTED SUNDAY. FLOOD STAGE AT RIEGELSVILLE IS 22 FEET.

FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER AT FRENCHTOWN, THE LATEST STAGE WAS 11.1 FEET AT 7 AM FRIDAY. A CREST AROUND THE FLOOD STAGE OF 16 FEET IS EXPECTED SUNDAY. FLOOD STAGE AT FRENCHTOWN IS 16 FEET.

FOR THE DELAWARE RIVER AT TRENTON, THE LATEST STAGE WAS 16.5 FEET AT 10 AM FRIDAY. A CREST OF BETWEEN 20 AND 22 FEET IS EXPECTED LATE SUNDAY. FLOOD STAGE AT TRENTON IS 20 FEET.

FOR THE LEHIGH RIVER AT WALNUTPORT, THE LATEST STAGE WAS 5.7 FEET AT 9 AM FRIDAY. A CREST OF BETWEEN 8 AND 10 FEET IS EXPECTED SATURDAY NIGHT. FLOOD STAGE AT WALNUTPORT IS 8 FEET.

FOR THE LEHIGH RIVER AT BETHLEHEM, THE LATEST STAGE WAS 6.1 FEET AT 9 AM FRIDAY. A CREST OF BETWEEN 11 AND 13 FEET IS EXPECTED AT BETHLEHEM SATURDAY NIGHT. FLOOD STAGE AT BETHLEHEM IS 16 FEET.

THESE FORECASTS ASSUME A CONTINUATION OF PRESENT RESERVOIR RELEASES.

THESE FORECASTS ARE BASED ON EXPECTED RAIN OF BETWEEN 2.0 AND 2.75 INCHES THROUGH SATURDAY. IF LESS RAIN FALLS, CRESTS WILL BE LOWER. IF MORE RAIN FALLS, CRESTS WILL BE HIGHER.

STAY TUNED TO DEVELOPMENTS BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION OUTLET.

ONE WAY TO CHECK EXISTING AND FORECAST CONDITIONS ON WATERWAYS THROUGHOUT OUR REGION IS TO MONITOR THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/ AVAILABLE ON OUR HOMEPAGE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PHI. JUST CLICK THE AHPS ICON ON THE LEFT HAND MENU.

Please make sure that you make whatever preparations you have to make for heavy rain and potential flooding are completed today.

One word of advice - NEVER EVER drive across flooded roadways - "Turn Around - Don't Drown". Be careful out there this weekend!

Tut Tut - Looks like Rain

It looks like my "Snow" post below may actually turn out to be another huge rain maker (image courtesy of AccuWeather).



With the Bushkill already running high from the recent rain storm(s), I would suggest that folks who have interests along the creek take action now to move whatever you have that you don't want wet to higher ground.

Keep tuned to the latest weather outlets for further updates. If/when I hear anything more, I'll post links here as well.

Snow?

How apropos is the "Snowplowing" post below - when I stumbled on this image courtesy of our friends at AccuWeather.

Now - we haven't had "the big one" yet this winter. Could this be our last chance? I guess we should just stay tuned.