Flooding increases amid heavy rains
Heavy, peristent rain across the region is bringing small stream and creeks to their brims, while waters are rising to flood stage along the Potomac River, the Monocacy in Frederick County and other rivers.
BWI-Marshall has tallied more than 3 inches of rain so far from this storm. We have 1.6 on the gauge here on the WeatherDeck. Drop a comment and let us know what you're seeing.
The National Weather Service has posted Flood Warnings from Garrett County east to the
Chesapeake, with more rain expected. Here is a bit of this afternoon's Forecast Discussion from Sterling:
"...THE FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM EST FOR URBAN
AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS IN BALTIMORE CITY...BALTIMORE...NORTHERN ANNE
ARUNDEL...HOWARD AND CARROLL COUNTIES...
"AT 219 PM EST NATIONAL SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE
AN AREA OF HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREA.
ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE.
"A FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR HAS BEEN REPORTED.
STREAM RISES WILL BE SLOW AND FLASH FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED.
HOWEVER...ALL INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS
IMMEDIATELY."
NOAA's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service is reporting minor flooding along the Potomac River near Williamsport, Little Falls (chart above) and Wisconsin Avenue in Washington, D.C.
The National Weather Service is also reporting flooding and closed roads on Route 77 near Cunningham Falls, near Thurmont in Frederick County and in Elkridge. Roads have been closed, also, in parts of Loudon County, Va., and Hampshire County, West Virginia.
(SUN PHOTO: Frank D. Roylance)
Comments
Frank, not sure if you knew about these gauges or not: http://afws.erh.noaa.gov/afws/county.php?state=24&county=027&type=stage
Patapsco River rose 8 feet at Elkridge, 3 feet at Ellicott City.
Posted by: John | March 15, 2010 12:58 PM
My parents live in Shepherdstown, WV, along the Potomac (I told them to never buy property where a required access road is called "River Road") , and people were kayaking on their field yesterday -- there was just no sense of where river, road, or field ended or began.
I also just wanted to thank you, though we're not in a high-drama snow period, for all the time and effort you take with this blog, really expanding my understanding of meteorology and the interaction of various forces!
FR: Thanks!
Posted by: April | March 15, 2010 4:43 PM