Water Rescues in Delaware County With Passage of Storm; Hail Piles, Too - Delco Times

A slow-moving storm system crawled across Delaware County on Thursday, forcing emergency crews into water rescues and leaving major roadways buried under unexpected accumulations of hail.

The weather event, which brought heavy rain and lightning to the region, triggered a series of vehicle rescues, particularly in the western half of the county.

Emergency radio traffic confirmed that no injuries occurred during the rescues, though the intensity of the storm necessitated a rapid deployment of fire stations starting after 2:30 p.m. Dispatches subsided by 3 p.m. as the water levels began to recede. While a National Weather Service-issued tornado watch was initially slated to run until 7 p.m., officials canceled the alert by 4 p.m. A flash flood warning remained in effect until 6:45 p.m.

The storm’s impact was uniquely severe in Parkside and Brookhaven, where hail, not just water, created significant transit hazards.

In Parkside, Officer Doug Staffelbach reported that Edgmont Avenue was closed between Upland and Forrestview because hail blocked the roadway. Police social media posts depicted a pickup truck stalled in a scene that appeared more like a mid-winter blizzard than a November rainstorm.

PennDOT crews were dispatched to clear the debris, and the road was eventually reopened.

Brookhaven faced a similar logistical challenge when storm drains became overwhelmed by a combination of autumn leaves and falling hail. Brookhaven Police Chief Timothy Habich described the scene as the municipality scrambled to maintain access on key thoroughfares.

“We experienced significant side street flooding because storm drains became clogged with leaves and hail. Police personnel and highway department personnel were very busy getting the drains cleared. “Our highway department was forced to move large amounts of hail from the roadway with a backhoe. The hail was several feet deep at Trimble Blvd and Swiftwater Lane. Police Chief Timothy Habich

The disruption extended to local education, with buses delayed arriving at The Christian Academy due to flooding near the school’s main entrance. The Brookhaven Fire Department was called to the Brookhaven Swim Club after a lightning strike ignited a tree on the property. Data collected from the MesoWest collaborative highlighted the localized nature of the storm’s intensity. By 4:30 p.m., an Upper Chichester spotter recorded 0.95 inches of precipitation, while Swarthmore logged 0.92 inches. Philadelphia International Airport reported 0.51 inches, though that figure likely included a mix of melted hail and rainfall.

Despite the dramatic scenes on the roads, the regional power grid remained largely stable. PECO reported that the number of power outage customers in Delaware County stayed below 100 throughout the duration of the storm. The weather service indicates that rain will persist at times through the night, with temperatures expected to drop into the low 40s by daybreak on Friday.

A cold front is forecasted to cross the region late Friday into Saturday morning, bringing a blustery, cold day with clearing skies. Conditions are expected to moderate starting Sunday, with daily highs climbing through the 50s and reaching 60 degrees by Wednesday.

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