Severe weather downs trees, knocks out power, floods roads

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia, the suburbs and South Jersey were hit by severe thunderstorms Monday night, taking down trees and knocking out power to houses all around the region. Delaware and Chester counties were hit especially hard.

Crews in Ridley Township, Delaware County didn’t waste time getting started on the cleanup. Sawed-up sections of trees were strewn about Morris Avenue early Tuesday morning. The storm came and went fairly quickly, but it certainly left a mark.

The National Weather Service is also looking into the possibility of a tornado that touched down in North Jersey and Northampton County, Pennsylvania.

The Philadelphia region didn't get as much action on Monday afternoon as some other areas out in Pennsylvania and up in North Jersey, said National Weather Service meteorologist Cameron Wunderlin. Neither Philadelphia International Airport nor Camden County saw the deluge it had been expecting. A severe thunderstorm watch, however, came later that night, with a great deal of lightning and strong winds.

Wunderlin said there were quite a few factors at play in the atmosphere for the storms to happen.

“We're under a general pattern of instability right now. We have a surface cyclone that's approaching out from the west with a cold front quickly approaching the region — although, that cold front’s actually not supposed to pass through the region until [Tuesday] night.”

He said they will continue to monitor radar screens for clues to the severity of any potential storms.

Hail was reported overnight too, which could pop up again on Tuesday.

Wunderlin described the difference between a watch and a warning:

Watch: All the ingredients are in place for severe weather, but it might not happen.

Warning: Severe weather has developed, and it has been observed.

Consult the National Weather Service website for the latest conditions in your area.

Monday got the brunt of it, but the National Weather Service said we could continue to see isolated severe storms and scattered instances of flooding.

Excessive runoff may cause rivers to swell and low-lying areas and urban locations to flood. Creeks and streams may rise beyond their banks.

Drivers should be advised that low-water crossings may be flooded. Affected areas may include:
— Pennsylvania Turnpike, between mile markers 340 and 359.
— I-95 in Pennsylvania, between mile markers 26 and 40.
— I-295 in New Jersey, near mile marker 58.

Radar estimated rainfall between 2.5 and 5 inches in some areas. Northern Delaware peaked at 6.8 inches.

Strong thunderstorms had already rolled through on Sunday, leaving behind some damage.

Northeast Philadelphia saw some flooding. A big tree came down at the corner of Ryan and Rowland avenues in Mayfair. Next to it, a smaller tree was uprooted and came to a rest on a row home.

Winds had reached 40 mph, and branches were strewn all over the street.

There was also some flooding in Haddonfield, New Jersey. In Chester County, a wind gust was measured at 68 mph. Trees toppled and took down power lines in East Caln Township. No serious injuries were reported.