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After the driest May on record in Philly, a flood advisory and a warning

Unfortunately for gardeners and farmers, the advisories have nothing to do with rain.

A teenager bikes through the flood waters at Fourth Street and Simpson Avenue in Ocean City three summers ago. It was possible flooding might close some streets Saturday night.
A teenager bikes through the flood waters at Fourth Street and Simpson Avenue in Ocean City three summers ago. It was possible flooding might close some streets Saturday night.Read moreTYGER WILLIAMS / Staff Photographer
    by Anthony R. Wood
    Updated 
    Published 

A flood advisory was up for the city and other parts of the region for Saturday night, and a flood warning for the beach towns in Cape May County and Sussex County, Del. — this after Philly just experienced its driest May in 152 years of recordkeeping.

Sorry, gardeners, the National Weather Service missives have nothing to with rain, just the winds and the moon.

“Moderate flooding” was expected in the Cape May and Sussex Shore communities, Sarah Johnson, the warning coordination meteorologist at the weather service office in Mount Holly, said late Saturday afternoon.

The warning was in effect until 2 a.m. Sunday. The weather service said “many roads” could become impassable, with “some damage to vulnerable structures” possible.

The weather service also said to forget about a dip in the fomented ocean, given the high risk of rip currents.

Onshore winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts to 35 mph were expected to whip waves and drive waters landward.

In addition, the waters will be getting a lift from the full moon, which would add about 1.5 feet to tide levels, Johnson said.

Minor tidal flooding could lead to some road closures along the Delaware River from central Bucks County to Wilmington. A flood advisory was in effect from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. That would be in line with the type of nuisance flooding that NOAA researchers say they expect in the future.

Both the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers are tidal, and when water backs up from the Delaware Bay, they have trouble draining, Johnson said.

Rain runoff won’t be an issue.

Those hit-and-miss showers evidently were more miss than hit. Officially, not a drop was observed at Philadelphia International Airport on Saturday, and a mere “trace” on Friday.

“Salt water doesn’t work quite the same as fresh water,” said Johnson.

Based on the extended outlook, the fresh water shortage looks to continue.

Shower chances are minimal until Wednesday, when they increase to an unimpressive 30%.

Temperatures will be quite comfortable, with highs in the 70s, ideal for yardwork — and watering.