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If your social media feed is anything like ours, odds are you have seen pictures and accounts of the floodwaters which surged through much of the Williamsport area on Sunday.
Here's a shocking fact that you might not have seen: according to the National Weather Service in State College, Sunday's deluge was Williamsport's 5th rainiest day in recorded history.
That puts Sunday's 5.28 inches of rain, in a 24-hour period, below only 1972's Agnes (8.66), 2011's Lee (6.76), 1999's Dennis (6.29), and 2004's Ivan (5.58).
You may ask why this fact is shocking. After all -- there are days where it rains, and some of those days must necessarily be the days where it rains the most.
Here's the thing: all of those other storms listed? Those were tropical systems.
The National Weather Service extended that list out to 8th place. Below Sunday's storm are 1933's Chesapeake-Potomac storm (5.22), 1955's Connie (4.38), and 1988's Chris (4.32).
Usually, when there is a heavy (read: record-setting) rain in our region, it's the result of some kind of tropical influence. Heck, just recently, in 2024, the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby caused immense damage to Trout Run when a rain band trained through the region.
This is an echo of other flood events which have happened throughout the nation. Vermont, for one, has experienced a sharp uptick in devastating floods, with repeated events over the last few years making the headlines in weather news.
Thusfar, Clinton County has gotten lucky, and these flood incidents have mostly tracked to our east.
However, as we enter a world where normal, everyday low pressure systems are capable of producing these kinds of flooding rains, we -- as a region defined by our river -- must take appropriate precautions and strengthen our infrastructure accordingly. Be it hardening flood-prone developments, clearing and improving storm drains to accomodate increased flow, or the on-going major dam revitalization projects -- these kinds of improvements represent not luxury, but safety.
With the changes to disaster aid at the federal level -- up to and including the continued discussions about revamping or ending FEMA -- the best cure is prevention.
Our area is capable, and Clinton County is populated by caring people who would doubtless leap into action if needed during a crisis.
But just because we could respond does not mean that we should invite the opportunity into our midst. If we want to keep our way of life as intact as we can, now is the time to learn lessons from the struggles of our neighbors.
This isn't a matter of politics. It's a matter of safety, and of protecting the roads and communities that we call home -- and toward that end, petty divisions are irrelevant.
A person with a flooded home isn't a Republican or a Democrat. They are a victim.
It's past time for vulnerable river regions to take action. Mother Nature rarely offers warnings or second chances. We are in the unique position of having been given both.
Take advantage of it.