Heavy rain brings flood warnings for region; snow expected in afternoon
Share this post:
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for parts of Western Pennsylvania.
Rain is expected to increase Sunday morning and early afternoon, creating conditions for potential flooding in parts of Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland counties.
Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen over the last day.
Forecasts call for a cold front to swing into the region this afternoon, causing the rain to change to snow and wind gusts of up to 40 mph later in the day. About two inches of snow are forecast for the region through midnight.
The NWS has extended its Winter Weather Advisory through midnight. The affected regions are also in northwest and southwest Pennsylvania and and northern and the northern panhandle of West Virginia. Across the area slippery road conditions are found, with blowing snow reducing visibility. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.
This morning, the South Buffalo Volunteer Fire Department reported flooding along South Scenic. “Buffalo Creek is up, which means that Boggsville and other areas following the creek are flooded,” it reported on its Facebook page. “Some residents are being evacuated due to the rapidly rising water. If you live along the creek, be vigilant.”
TribLive news partner WTAE reported that Armstrong Public Safety Director Mike Mollick said Buffalo Creek was about nine inches above its average, with 17 homes being in the floodplains. At least five people have been evacuated.
Butler County 911 reported flooding caused road closures in Renferd Road and Meridian Road in Penn Township, Tenter Avenue in Callery Borough and Herman Road in Summit Township.
The National Weather Service said other areas of potential flooding include: Pittsburgh, Penn Hills, Monroeville, Butler, Vandergrift, Kittanning, Apollo, Plum, Murrysville, Hampton, Wilkinsburg, New Kensington, Lower Burrell, Harrison, O’Hara, Homeacre-Lyndora, Oakmont, Fox Chapel, Arnold and Shanor-Northvue.
Additional areas of potential flooding were named later in the afternoon: Ross, McCandless, Cranberry, Moon, Franklin Park, Wexford, Aliquippa, Beaver Falls, Ambridge Monaca, Robinson, Economy, Bellevue, and Kennedy.