Weekend washout in Bucks County? Weather forecast calls for heavy rain, winds

Damon C. Williams, Bucks County Courier Times
Updated ·4 min read

Earlier this week, the National Weather Service estimated that 1 to 3 inches of rain will fall across Bucks County on Saturday.

The weather service has since revised and upgraded that earlier forecast, and it's safe to say that you're going to need a bigger umbrella.

"It's going to be quite a wet day on Saturday. We are expecting 2-4 inches widespread throughout Bucks County, and locally, some places may get more than 4 inches," said Mike Lee, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "And it will be quite windy as well. We will see gusting winds of 35 to 45 mph Saturday night heading into Sunday."

National Weather Service warns of possible flooding in Bucks County

Lee said the expected rain and could have a significant effect on Bucks County.

"With all the rain that's going to occur, we are definitely concerned with flooding on streets, in poor drainage areas and in low-lying areas," Lee said. "We are also watching for all that rainfall running off into rivers, banks and streams, and that may lead to localized roads being closed. You could see side roads, main roads and roads that are flood-prone being flooded by this storm."

Likewise, Lee said the wind will be a concern, particularly as the storm moves out Saturday evening.

"The strongest wind gust will be around 35 to 45 mph as the storm exits. The strongest winds occur Saturday night into Sunday," Lee said. "As a result, isolated power outages can happen due to downed power lines. And with that amount or rain saturating the soil, it makes trees that much looser, so we could see some downed trees."

You'll need a good-sized umbrella if heading out in Bucks County on Saturday.
You'll need a good-sized umbrella if heading out in Bucks County on Saturday.

Lee said the storm should move out by 8 p.m. Saturday.

The weather service also issued a flood watch that will be in effect through at least Sunday evening.

As of Friday morning, the water level of the Delaware River at Trenton stood at 10.48 feet, and is expected to reach 13 feet Sunday morning. Flood stage is 20 feet.

Also as of Friday morning, the water level for the Nehsaminy Creek at Langhorne stood at 1.5 feet, and is expected to surge to 7.7 feet on Saturday before receding. Flood stage is 9 feet.

The weather service pushed an alert on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, to alert resident of the enhanced forecast.

Saturday's storm leads to a sunny, yet brisk, Sunday

Even with the rain, Saturday's high should hover around 54 degrees, according to the weather service's forecast for Bucks County.

Sunday will be mostly sunny, but breezy, with highs around 51 degrees with sustained winds around 25 mph.

Mostly sunny conditions are expected on Monday and Tuesday, with highs nearing 51 degrees on both days.

There's a slight chance of rain late next week.

Styler Orchard planning spring upgrade: Styer Orchards readies for spring with huge additions to fields. Here's the plan

Weekend Easter egg hunts cancelled, postponed by rain

Several Easter egg hunts scheduled for this weekend have been postponed or canceled altogether:

  • CANCELLED: Annual Easter Egg Hunt: 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23, at North Branch Park, 207 Park Ave., Chalfont. "Unfortunately, the Easter Egg Hunt scheduled for Sat., March 23 is cancelled due to inclement weather," read a portion of the update on New Britain's website. "Now for the good news. The  Easter Bunny will still be hopping on over for indoor photos at the New Britain Township General Meeting Room at 207 Park Ave., Chalfont on Sat., March 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Don’t be late. The bunny hops off to his next destination at 11:00 sharp. This is a First Come – First Serve event."

  • Wycombe Community Easter Egg Hunt - RAIN DATE IN EFFECT: Moved from 10 a.m. Sat., March 23, to Sat., March 30, at the First Baptist Church of Wycombe, 4174 Township Line Road in Furlong. Organizers say this free event will also include food, crafts and face-painting.

Guide to spring events in Bucks County: Check out these 50 Easter and other spring events in Bucks County

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County weather forecast heavy rain, wind, possible flooding