PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — "We are in the worst of this storm right now...life-threatening," said NBC10 Meteorologist Steve Sosna at about 8:30 p.m. Friday night as floodwaters reached major flood stage along the Delaware River in Philadelphia and Burlington, New Jersey.
Near-record flood crests came at the Delaware River in South Philadelphia, reaching 10.4 feet above flood stage. That was just under the all-time record at 10 feet 6 inches.
The NBC 10 First Alert Weather team and the National Weather Service were projecting major flooding at 9 p.m., and it came.
A coastal flood warning was in effect until 1 a.m. Saturday for Philadelphia, Delaware, and lower Bucks counties in Pennsylvania, Gloucester, Mercer, northwestern Burlington and Camden counties in New Jersey and New Castle County in Delaware - basically, areas along the Delaware River below Trenton.
KYW Newsradio's John McDevitt observed floods that closed Columbus Avenue near Penn's Landing with heavy rain and wind pelting the area. A police cruiser was blocking the boulevard at Spring Garden, with ponding beginning there at about 7:30 p.m.
The Tacony-Palmyra Bridge had to close just after 9 p.m. due to flood issues, and drivers were recommended to take the Betsy Ross Bridge instead.
Forecasters also warned of potential tidal flooding along the Schuylkill River, which saw record levels of flooding earlier this summer.
About 12,000 customers of utility services had lost their power.
Meteorologist Alex Staarmann with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, New Jersey said a strong surge of onshore wind is expected to impact southern New Jersey, Philadelphia and Delmarva.
"As a result of the onshore wind, this is going to result in some pretty significant tidal flooding for the tidal Delaware River, the Delaware Bay, and the Atlantic coast," said Staarmann.
"Generally near the coast, we are forecasting peak gusts at around 50 to 60 miles per hour, and then farther inland away from the coast, The peak gusts will be generally around 30 to 40 miles per hour.”
There was already flooding along Christopher Columbus Boulevard by the Benjamin Franklin Bridge Thursday night, which caught many drivers off guard. It didn’t rain, but the winds from the recent nor’easter caused the already-elevated Delaware River to flood during high tide.
Plus, when areas like Columbus Boulevard flood, clogged drains are typically a factor.
As the region has seen — especially in recent months with Ida — is how quickly situations can become dangerous due to Mother Nature.
Officials urge people to be prepared, especially those who are on the road. If they come across a flooded road, turn around.
The City of Philadelphia shared these preparation tips for people who could be affected by flooding:
Residents can prepare by removing any valuables or electronics from basements and low-lying areas. If a customer experiences water entering a basement through pipes, drains, toilets, or other basement plumbing fixtures, they should safely document the flooding and call the Water Department’s 24/7 emergency hotline at (215) 685-6300.
Get free alerts before, during, and after severe weather, emergency, or special events by texting READYPHILA to 888-777 or by visiting www.phila.gov/ready. Also, follow your trusted news-source for updates on road conditions, use caution, and give yourself extra time in your commute.
Never drive around barricades or flooded roadways. Floodwater is murky, sometimes fast-moving, and you may not be able to tell how deep it is.
Residents and businesses should know their flood risk and can visit www.floodsmart.gov to see if their location is in a flood zone.
The public can also find emergency preparedness plans on the Office of Emergency Management's website at www.phila.gov/ready. Of special interest is how to prepare to shelter in place or to build a go bag should you need to evacuate, all while keeping pets in mind.
Learn about the types of flooding in the city and what you can do to protect your property with information from the Philadelphia Flood Risk Management Task Force.