Major flooding struck Pittsburgh 25 years ago today leaving $31 million in damages

Pittsburgh — Twenty-five years ago today, Pittsburgh was hit with near-record flooding due to widespread heavy rain and runoff from snow melt.

January 1996 was marked by a period of frigid weather with below-freezing temperatures for 10 days in a row. During this time, 16.2 inches of snow was recorded in the city and ice jams formed on some area rivers.

Temperatures began to rise and hit 51 degrees on Jan. 14, rising to 63 degrees by Jan. 18. Then more than an inch of rain fell on Jan. 19, and the flooding started. Runoff from the snow melt was nearly three inches over a two-day period.

An ice jam broke near Parker, Pa. which made the flooding on the Allegheny River even worse, and then the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers crested in Pittsburgh at the same time.

There was major flooding along the Monongahela River in the southwest part of Pennsylvania. Two of the rivers’ tributaries rose rapidly as up to 25 inches of snow cover from the Maryland and West Virginia mountains melted.

No deaths were reported in the flood. However, there were approximately $31 million in damages reported to roads, bridges, businesses and homes.

Cox Media Group