Tropical Storm Agnes remains in a league of her own

June 22--YORK, Pa. -- Tropical Storm Agnes remains in a league by herself 40 years later.

The drenching rains -- more than a foot in York County within a 24-hour period -- produced the highest flooding on the Susquehanna River in nearly a century.

The Codorus Creek in York crested at 26.4 feet -- the highest ever recorded, said Charles Ross, service hydrologist with the National Weather Service in State College.

Tropical Storm Lee in September brought widespread flooding, too, but it did not affect all the branches of the Susquehanna River, which is what made Agnes so bad, he said.

"She's still in a league by herself," Ross said of Agnes.

Here is the 1972 storm by the numbers:

13.5: Inches of rain that fell in York on June 22, 1972. The weather station's observation center recorded about an inch the day before and an inch the day after.

16.02: Inches of rain that fell between June 20 and June 23.

64.54 feet: The crest along the Susquehanna River at Marietta during Agnes.

49 feet: Flood stage at Marietta.

58.16 feet: By comparison, the crest of the Susquehanna during Tropical Storm Lee in September.

1.1 million: Gallons of water per minute that spilled over Indian Rock Dam, flooding York during Agnes

4: Number of people declared dead in the height of the flooding.

1: Number of people reported missing.

111: Number of families displaced in York County.

50+: Number of deaths statewide.

$10 million: Amount of damage York City sustains from the flooding.

Remembering the flooding

Glen Rock was one of the communities hit hard by Agnes.

Jim Ream and his wife, Gloria, of Glen Rock recalled being at the fire company when the town flooded. He was president of the fire company at the time.

Firefighters had moved the trucks to higher ground, but they didn't get the ambulance out in time and they lost

it.

The fire alarm shorted out and blew all night long. They watched as cars, groceries, tires and more floated away, the couple said.

Even dinner -- a pot of barbecue the ladies auxiliary had on the stove -- disappeared.

"That floated out the door and down the street," Jim Ream said.

The couple also recalled attending church service at Zion Lutheran Church, which was ravaged by the flood. The preacher stood on the steps while the congregants stood on the street.

It did bring people together, the couple said. Everyone helped to scrub and clean up, Gloria Ream said.

"It was quite an ordeal," Jim Ream said. "I wouldn't want to go through another one."

Remember Tropical Storm Agnes

To follow how Tropical Storm Agnes unfolded, check out this website: https://www.erh.noaa.gov/marfc/Agnes/

Read more

Read more about Tropical Storm Agnes at York Town Square: www.yorkblog.com/yorktownsquare

Copyright 2012 - York Daily Record, Pa.