Flash Flood Warning Issued for Western Pennsylvania Following Ice Jam Break on Allegheny River

Source: NOAA · Western Pennsylvania

This alert is no longer in effect.

NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).

Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Venango, Armstrong, Butler, and Clarion counties until 11:45 AM EST following an ice jam break at Emlenton.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
Flash Flood Warning
Affected area
Western Pennsylvania
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Pittsburgh

Flood notices turn on location and timing. Treat the named area as this record's scope; do not assume nearby counties, parishes, or waterways were included.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Western Pennsylvania.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh has issued a Flash Flood Warning for portions of northwestern and west-central Pennsylvania. This alert was triggered by an observed ice jam break on the Allegheny River, which was reported by local law enforcement.

Affected Areas

The warning impacts the following specific geographic regions:

  • Southern Venango County (Northwestern Pennsylvania)
  • Northwestern Armstrong County (West Central Pennsylvania)
  • Northeastern Butler County (West Central Pennsylvania)
  • Western Clarion County (West Central Pennsylvania)

The nearest town downstream of the ice jam break is Foxburg.

What You Should Do

Residents and motorists in the warning area should take the following precautions:

  • Turn around, don't drown: Do not attempt to drive through flooded roads. Most flood-related fatalities occur in vehicles.
  • Stay away from the river: River banks and culverts can become unstable and unsafe during flash flooding events. Stay away or be swept away.
  • Monitor surroundings: Be aware of your environment and avoid driving on any roads covered by water.

Expected Conditions

At 8:43 AM EST, law enforcement reported that an ice jam on the Allegheny River at Emlenton, PA, broke. This break is causing immediate flash flooding downstream. The primary hazard is flooding of areas near and downstream of the ice jam break.

Timeline

The Flash Flood Warning is effective immediately as of 8:43 AM EST on February 20. The alert is currently scheduled to expire at 11:45 AM EST on February 20.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for Venango, Armstrong, Butler, and Clarion counties until 11:45 AM EST following an ice jam break at Emlenton.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Western Pennsylvania. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.