The Snowmelt/Rainfall Floods of January 1996
The Winter Flood of 1996 began January 18 and 19 ahead of a strong cold front. In the day leading up to the floods, strong southerly winds and dew points reaching in to 50's created ideal conditions to melt the snowpack that was covering the entire Mid Atlantic region. As the cold front moved through the area on January 19 and 20, intense rainfall accelerated the snowmelt even further, causing massive amounts of runoff to enter the rivers and streams.
The flooding was the worst to hit the entire MARFC area in over 20 years. Some smaller streams broke their all-time flood records. Pennsylvania cities saw their worst flooding since Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
Flood of '96 Photo Gallery
Preliminary Crests as recorded by the MARFC
To get the official crest at each of these locations, please contact the U.S. Geological Survey office nearest you.
Susquehanna River Basin
FLOOD
LOCATION CREST STAGE DATE REMARKS
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NORTH BRANCH SUSQUEHANNA
Unadilla, NY 14.3 ft 11 ft Jan 20
Bainbridge, NY 21.1 ft 13 ft Jan 21
Conklin, NY 17.6 ft 11 ft Jan 20
Vestal, NY 27.8 18 ft Jan 20
Waverly, NY 20.4 11 ft Jan 20
UNADILLA RIVER
Rockdale, NY 12.4 ft 11 ft Jan 20
TIOUGHNIOGA RIVER
Cortland, NY 12.7 ft 8 ft Jan 20
OTSELIC RIVER
Cincinnatus, NY 11.2 ft 9 ft Jan 20
CHENANGO RIVER
Sherburne , NY 10.5 ft 8 ft Jan 20
Green, NY 15.9 ft 13 ft Jan 20
Chenango Forks, NY 12.8 ft 10 ft Jan 20
CANISTEO RIVER
West Cameron, NY 20.9 ft 17 ft Jan 19
COHOCTON RIVER
Campbell, NY 9.5 ft 8 ft Jan 20
CHEMUNG RIVER
Corning, NY 25.9 ft 29 ft Jan 20
Elmira, NY 14.1 ft 12 ft Jan 20
Chemung, NY 19.8 ft 16 ft Jan 20
WEST BRANCH SUSQUEHANNA
Karthaus, Pa 13.3 ft 19 ft Jan 20
Renovo, Pa 20.7 ft 16 ff Jan 20
Lock Haven, Pa 25.8 ft 21 ft Jan 20
Jersey Shore, Pa 29.5 ft 26 ft Jan 20
Williamsport, Pa 26.7 ft 20 ft Jan 20
Muncy, Pa 28.6 ft 20 ft Jan 20
Montgomery, Pa 28.5 ft 17 ft Jan 20
Watsontown, Pa 28.5 ft 23 ft Jan 20
Milton, Pa 27.5 ft 19 ft Jan 20
Lewisburg, Pa 25.9 ft 18 ft Jan 20
SINNEMAHONING CREEK
Sinnemahoning, Pa 19 ft 17 ft Jan 20
BALD EAGLE CREEK
Beech Creek Station, Pa 15.6 ft 11 ft Jan 19
PINE CREEK
Cedar Run, Pa 11.5 ft 12 ft Jan 19
LOYALSOCK CREEK
Loyalsockville, Pa 17.8 ft 12 ft Jan 19
FRANKSTOWN BRANCH JUNIATA RIVER
Williamsburg, Pa 19.2 ft 12 ft Jan 19 FLOOD OF RECORD
OLD RECORD 19.1
SET 1 JUNE 1889
LITTLE JUNIATA RIVER
Spruce Ck, Pa 19.1 ft 8 ft Jan 19
JUNIATA RIVER
Huntingdon, Pa 15.9 ft 12 ft Jan 19
Saxton, Pa 19.6 ft 17 ft Jan 20
Mapleton Depot, Pa 22.5 ft 20 ft Jan 20
Lewistown, Pa 31.6 ft 23 ft Jan 20
Newport, Pa 24.7 ft 22 ft Jan 20
MAIN STEM SUSQUEHANNA
Towanda, Pa 24.8 ft 16 ft Jan 20
Meshoppen, Pa 36.3 ft 27 ft Jan 20
Wilkes-Barre, Pa 34.5 ft 22 ft Jan 20
Bloomsburg, Pa 26.9 ft 19 ft Jan 21
Danville, Pa 26 ft 20 ft Jan 21
Sunbury, Pa 30.3 ft 24 ft Jan 20
Harrisburg, Pa 25.1 ft 17 ft Jan 20
Marietta, Pa 56.8 ft 49 ft Jan 21
TOWANDA CREEK
Monroeton, Pa 12 20.7 ft 12 ft Jan 19 SIGNIFICANT ICE
POSSIBLE FLOOD OF RECORD
OLD RECORD 15.3
SET 22 JUNE 1972
TUNKHANNOCK RIVER
Dixon, Pa 17.3 ft 11 ft Jan 20 SIGNIFICANT ICE
POSSIBLE FLOOD OF RECORD
OLD RECORD 14.3
SET ? MARCH 1964
LACKAWANA RIVER
Old Forge, Pa 15.5 ft 11 ft Jan 19
PENNS CREEK
Penns Ck, Pa 13.7 ft 8 ft Jan 20
SHERMANS CREEK
Shermans Dale, Pa 11.6 ft 9 ft Jan 19
CONODOGUINET CREEK
Hogestown, Pa 9.2 ft 8 ft Jan 21
YELLOW BREECHES CREEK
Camp Hill, Pa 10.4 ft 7 ft Jan 20
SWATARA CREEK
Harpers Tavern, Pa 15.7 ft 9 ft Jan 20
Hershey, Pa 10.2 ft 7 ft Jan 21
Middletown, Pa Est. 14.0 ft 11 ft Jan 21 FLOOD CREST ESTIMATED
CONESTOGA RIVER
Lancaster, Pa 12.3 ft 11 ft Jan 20
Delaware River Basin
FLOOD
LOCATION CREST STAGE DATE REMARKS
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DELAWARE RIVER
Riegelsville, NJ 28.72 ft 22 ft Jan 20
Trenton, NJ 22.19 ft 20 ft Jan 21
LEHIGH RIVER
Lehighton, PA 12.16 ft 10 ft Jan 20
Walnutport, PA 12.31 ft 8 ft Jan 19
Bethlehem, PA 16.9 ft 16 ft Jan 20
JORDAN CREEK
Allentown, PA 9.13 ft 6 ft Jan 20
SCHUYLKILL RIVER
Berne, PA 14.32 ft 12 ft Jan 19
Reading, PA 15.85 ft 13 ft Jan 20
Pottstown, PA 14.91 ft 13 ft Jan 20
Norristown, PA 19 ft 17 ft
Philadelphia, PA 13.36 ft 11 ft Jan 20
NESHAMINY CREEK
Langhorne, PA 14.98 ft 9 ft Jan 20
PERKIOMEN CREEK
Graterford, PA 16.26 ft 11 ft Jan 19
CHESTER CREEK
Chester, PA 11.2 ft 8 ft Jan 19
BRANDYWINE CREEK
Chadds Ford, PA 14.21 ft 9 ft Jan 20
Wilmington, DE 12.72 ft 9 ft Jan 20
New Jersey River Basins
FLOOD
LOCATION CREST STAGE DATE REMARKS
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ASSUNPINK CREEK
Trenton, NJ 10.3 ft 7 ft Jan 19
NORTH BRANCH RANCOCAS CREEK
Pemberton, NJ 2.64 ft 2.7 ft Jan 19
RAMAPO RIVER
Pompton Lak Loyalsockville, Pa 17.8 ft 12 ft Jan 19
FRANKSTOWN BRANCH JUNIATA RIVER
Williamsburg, Pa 19.2 ft 12 ft Jan 19 FLOOD OF RECORDft Jan 21
SOUTH BRANCH RARITAN RIVER
Stanton, NJ 9.75 ft 8 ft Jan 19
NORTH BRANCH RARITAN RIVER
Raritan, NJ 14.3 ft 10 ft Jan 19
RARITAN RIVER
Manville, NJ 19.94 ft 12 ft Jan 20
MILLSTONE RIVER
Blackwells Mills, NJ 15.16 ft 9 ft Jan 20
Potomac and James River Basins
FLOOD
LOCATION CREST STAGE DATE REMARKS
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APPOMATTOX RIVER
Farmville, Va 17.4 ft 16 ft Jan 20
Matoaca, Va 9.94 ft 10 ft Jan 21
JAMES RIVER
Lick Run, Va 25 ft 16 ft Jan 19
Buchanan, Va 29 ft 17 ft Jan 20
Holcombs Rock, Va 31 ft 22 ft Jan 20
Bent Creek , Va 19.1 ft 16 ft Jan 20
Scottsville, Va 26 ft 20 ft Jan 21
Cartersville, Va 26.5 ft 20 ft Jan 21
Richmond-Westham, Va 20.6 ft 12 ft Jan 22
MAURY RIVER
Buena Vista, Va 18.3 ft 17 ft Jan 19
RIVANNA RIVER
Palmyra, Va 25 ft 17 ft Jan 20
RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER
Remington, Va 20.9 ft 15 ft Jan 20
RAPIDAN RIVER
Culpeper, Va 18 ft 14 ft Jan 20
SOUTH RIVER
Waynesboro, Va 9.8 ft 9.5 ft Jan 19
SOUTH FORK SHENANDOAH RIVER
Lynnwood, Va 24.9 ft 16 ft Jan 19
Front Royal, Va 24.9 ft 12 ft Jan 20
NORTH FORK SHENANDOAH RIVER
Cootes Store , Va 19.7 ft 15 ft Jan 19
Strasburg, Va 27.8 ft 17 ft Jan 20
SHENANDOAH RIVER
Millville, WV 23.6 ft 13.5 ft Jan 20
NORTH BRANCH POTOMAC RIVER
Kitzmiller, Md 12.9 ft 9 ft Jan 19
Cumberland, Md 25.6 ft 17 ft Jan 19
WILLS CREEK
Cumberland, Md 23.1 ft 13.5 ft Jan 19 FLOOD OF RECORD
OLD RECORD 20.2 ft
SET 17 MARCH 1936
SOUTH BRANCH POTOMAC RIVER
Franklin, WV 16.1 ft 7 ft Jan 19
Petersburg, WV 20 ft 12 ft Jan 19
Moorefield, WV 10.5 ft 10 ft Jan 19
Springfield WV 28.3 ft 15 ft Jan 20
POTOMAC RIVER
Paw Paw, WV 41 ft 25 ft Jan 20
Hancock, Md 36.4 ft 30 ft Jan 20
Harpers Ferry, WV 29.4 ft 18 ft Jan 21
Shepherdstown, WV Est. 32.5 ft 15 ft Jan 20 FLOOD CREST ESTIMATED
Point of Rocks, Md 36.5 ft 16 ft Jan 21
Little Falls, Md 19.3 ft 10 ft Jan 21
CONOCOCHEAGUE CREEK
Fairview, Md 14.2 ft 8 ft Jan 20
OPEQUON CREEK
Martinsburg, WV 18.2 ft 10 ft Jan 20 FLOOD OF RECORD
OLD RECORD 17.4 ft
SET 22 JUNE 1972
ANTIETAM CREEK
Sharpsburg, Md 13.5 ft 8 ft Jan 20
MONOCACY RIVER
Frederick, Md 23.7 ft 15 ft Jan 20
GOOSE CREEK
Leesburg, Va 20.5 ft 12 ft Jan 20
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