Flood Watch Declared Again In Montco Tuesday, Drought Watch Persists

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — A flood watch has been declared again in Montgomery County on Tuesday, marking the second straight day of severe weather following a weeks-long dry period that led to a drought watch being declared statewide.

The watch is in place until midnight. Already swollen waterways around Montgomery County are at particular risk, including the Schuylkill River, Perkiomen Creek, Skippack Creek, and more.

"Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations," the National Weather Service said. "Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Low-water crossings may be flooded."

Up to 3 inches of rain is possible where severe thunderstorms hit. Widespread rainfall of 1 to 2 inches is expected.

Residents are urged to avoid travel is possible, and to exercise caution if they are on the roads.

Tuesday's storms dumped varying rainfall totals across the county. Some towns only saw an inch or so, while others saw close to 3 inches.

See also: How Much Rain Fell In Montgomery Co. Towns During Torrential Storm Monday

The storm led to numerous accidents, including a fatality in Norristown as part of a major four-vehicle crash.

Despite the heavy rain, the drought watch remains in effect in all of Pennsylvania. The recent rain is "not enough to make up for the lack of rainfall this spring, following a winter that brought little snowfall in many areas," Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Rich Negrin said in a statement.

Drought watches and related declarations are based on four factors: stream flow, groundwater level, precipitation, and soil moisture. They take into account weeks and months of patterns, and a bout or two of severe rainfall — particularly when it is concentrated in short bursts — is not sufficient to alleviate the lingering effects of a system that is behaving with increasing irregularity.

Periods of drought interspersed with the severe and devastating storms that have hit the Delaware Valley are likely to be the norm heading into the future, as the impacts of climate change continue to make themselves felt. Climate change creates conditions that exacerbate both severe weather and drought: when things are dry, lingering heat and increased evaporation rates are likely to make them even drier. And when storms hit, they draw more moisture from a warmer ocean.

For droughts specifically, water evaporates more quickly when it's warmer. Hotter soils are drier. Drought conditions mean less greenery is growing, which means that plants are absorbing less CO2, creating a feedback loop that contributes to warming.