By AccuWeather staff writer & AccuWeather meteorologist
Updated Jul. 13, 2021 4:07 PM EDT
The floodgates opened over the Philadelphia metro area on Monday, as a deluge of rainfall shut down highways, prompted numerous water rescues and delivered up to 10 inches of rainfall for one town.
As storms rolled into the area, the National Weather Service office of Mount Holly, New Jersey, issued a flash flood emergency at 5 p.m. EDT for an area including Levittown and Croydon, Pennsylvania, and Burlington, New Jersey. Hours later, some areas on the map had picked up nearly a foot of rainfall.
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"A nearly stationary front, tropical moisture and 90-degree plus heat fueled slow-moving thunderstorms which dropped astounding amounts of rain in a matter of a couple of hours, with serious flash flooding," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Bowers said.
Multiple cities across Bucks County received the brunt of the storm. Croydon, Pennsylvania, had over 10 inches of rainfall. A few minutes away in Bensalem, first responders worked to respond to numerous flooding incidents, according to the Bensalem Fire Rescue.
Marine units were called in from around Bucks County to Bensalem to help assist with the water rescues as crews moved to save people not just from stalled vehicles, but also from flooded homes.
The NWS estimated the flooding to be a 100-year flood event. According to the United States Geological Survey, a 100-year flood doesn't mean that a flooding situation of this magnitude occurs only once every 100 years. Rather, flooding of the magnitude that occurred in the Philly suburbs has about a 1% chance of happening each year, meaning it's possible that a 100-year flood event could occur in two straight years.
To the south of the county, the City of Brotherly Love also wasn't spared by the deluge.
Philadelphia received around 5 inches of rainfall on Monday alone, prompting officials to close flooded roads. Route 63 was closed around 6 p.m. EDT before reopening later Monday night.
The Philadelphia OEM warned motorists to use caution if traveling, especially during the night.
As for the city's airport, Philadelphia International Airport reported 4.35 inches of rainfall through Monday -- which is the normal rainfall for the entire month of July, according to
Some of the strongest thunderstorms that soaked the region also contained damaging winds, with several reports of tree and power line damage streaming in across southeastern Pennsylvania and central New Jersey, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Forecasters say there will be little change in the weather pattern through Wednesday as a tropical air mass remains in place with temperatures soaring into the lower 90s and thunderstorms likely each afternoon and evening.
A thunderstorm is seen in the distance from Stone Harbor, New Jersey, on July 12, 2021. (AccuWeather/Dr. Joel N. Myers)
The possibility of more flash flooding will exist, given how much rain has already fallen across the region, according to Bowers. In addition, the strongest storms can bring gusty winds that break tree limbs and power lines.
Trees sitting in soil that is saturated are much more susceptible to being toppled even with a moderate gust of wind.
"Thursday should be a dry day before a front brings a renewed threat of heavy thunderstorms Friday into the weekend," Bowers said.
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