National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Flooding in the city of Binghamton, NYThe remnants of Tropical Storm Lee moved northward from the southern Appalachians on the 6th to the middle Atlantic states on the 7th before stalling on the 8th. The moisture from Lee interacted with a frontal system to the west across the eastern Ohio Valley and eastern Great Lakes. In addition, moisture was drawn into New York and Pennsylvania from Hurricane Katia which was moving northward off the east coast in tandem with the remnants of Lee. This complicated scenario led to an extreme amount of rain for central New York and northeast Pennsylvania, most of which fell over a 48 hour period from the 6th to the 8th. Rainfall of 6 to 12 inches occurred over most of the upper Susquehanna river basin in New York and northeast Pennsylvania. The heavy rain caused massive, record breaking flooding on small streams, creeks and the Susquehanna River and its larger tributaries.

The main branch of the Susquehanna River in New York from Binghamton to Vestal, Owego and Waverly crested from 1 to 4 feet higher than the previous record crests set in June 2006. In Pennsylvania, record crests occurred along the Susquehanna River at Meshoppen and Wilkes Barre which exceeded the long-standing record crests by around 1 foot associated with Hurricane Agnes in 1972.

Damages in the upper Susquehanna River Basin in New York and Pennsylvania are close to 1 billion dollars. Unfortunately, the flooding claimed 1 life and injured 1 person in central New York and northeast Pennsylvania.

Flooding

 

Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates (MPE)

Preliminary data

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Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates (MPE) 24 Hour Total September 06 to 07, 2011
24 Hour Total September 06-07, 2011
Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates (MPE) 24 Hour Total September 07-08, 2011
24 Hour Total September 07-08, 2011
Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimates (MPE) 48 Hour Total September 06-08, 2011
48 Hour Total September 06-08, 2011

 

Definitions

The MPE graphic shown in this section are Multisensor Precipitation Estimates, otherwise known as MPE data. The data used to produce this graphic is a combination of radar and precipitation gages. Source: Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center.

When using MPE data, it is important to remember it is vulnerable to the same inaccuracies that can be caused by either radar or precipitation gages. For radar, problems would be: freezing or frozen precipitation, low topped convection, bright banding, the reflectivity/rainfall relationship in use, calibration of the radar, radar location and elevation, range degradation, and the radar's effective coverage. For precipitation gages, problems come from freezing precipitation, windy conditions, gage siting, undermeasurement by tipping bucket gages in high intensity rainfall, and gage maintenance.

Past Flood Events
July 6-10, 1935 Rainfall Map.

July 6-10, 1935 Observed Rainfall Map.

Hurricane Agnes Rainfall Map June 18-25, 1972.

Hurricane Agnes Observed Rainfall Map June 18-25, 1972.

Observed rainfall totals from June 25 to June 28, 2006

Total MPE accumulation from 8 AM EDT June 24th, 2006 8 AM EDT June 29th, 2006.

A graphic that shows various rainfall accumulation rates at the Greater Binghamton Airport.

A graphic that shows various rainfall accumulation rates at the Greater Binghamton Airport.

 

 

 

Show text rainfall reports

 

Regional Radar Loop

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Animated GIF radar loop. No audio

A hydrograph shows how the river level changes over time at a specific location. More information.

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Hydrographs listed in alphabetical order by gage site location.

Pictures of some of the flooding that occurred in the area.

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434 on the left, highway 17 on right looking west.  Apalachin, NY    



Highway 17 on the left, 434 to the right, facing east. Apalachin, NY

Additional Information

Casestudy of the September 7-8, 2011 Flood USGS: 100-Year Flood - It's All About Chance Other Past Flooding Events