After a mostly dry day Sunday additional heavy rain moved into the area overnight, resulting in renewed flooding fears in Saucon Valley–parts of which were inundated Saturday–and prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning until 12:45 p.m.
As of 9 a.m. heavy rain was falling across the entire area, and the NWS said another 2 to 3 inches of rain could fall this morning.
“At 8:40 a.m., Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area,” the NWS warning statement said. “Over two inches of rain have already fallen just west of Philadelphia. These thunderstorms will continue to drift northward toward areas that were previously hard hit with heavy rain and flash flooding this past Saturday. Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly in the areas of heaviest rain.”
Areas that were hard-hit in Saucon Vally include the Meadows Road area just west of Rt. 412–where more than 40 people attending a reception at The Meadows were rescued when floodwaters from the Saucon Creek began to fill the facility’s parking lot–and areas of Wassergass along Easton and Lower Saucon roads which were flooded by the east branch of the Saucon Creek.
Two bridges–the Water Street Bridge and the metal grate bridge on Easton Road–were temporarily closed after the flash flooding caused concerns about their structural integrity, but both bridges were reopened to traffic Sunday.
Drivers are reminded not to attempt to drive through flooded roadways, or to drive around police barricades.
“Most flood deaths occur in vehicles,” the NWS stated. “Turn around, don’t drown.”
A flash flood warning is issued when flooding is already occuring or imminent.
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