Flood Warning 8:21 am EDT

Issued by The National Weather Service


Boston, MA

8:21 am EDT, Mon., Mar. 15, 2010

THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE MERRIMACK RIVER AT LOWELL. * FROM THIS AFTERNOON TO TUESDAY EVENING... OR UNTIL THE WARNING IS CANCELLED. * AT 7:30 AM MONDAY THE STAGE WAS 50.3 FEET. * MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST. * FLOOD STAGE IS 52.0 FEET. * FORECAST... RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE TO RISE TO NEAR 52.5 FEET BY AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. THE RIVER WILL FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE BY TOMORROW AFTERNOON. * IMPACT... AT 52.0 FEET... LOWLAND FLOODING IS LIKELY ALONG THE MERRIMACK RIVER. MOST OF THE IMPACT WILL BE FELT BY BUSINESSES AND MILLS WHERE BASEMENT FLOODING IS LIKELY.

More Information

... THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING RIVERS IN CONNECTICUT... MASSACHUSETTS... NEW HAMPSHIRE... RHODE ISLAND.. FARMINGTON RIVER AT SIMSBURY AFFECTING HARTFORD COUNTY MERRIMACK RIVER AT LOWELL AFFECTING ESSEX AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES CONTOOCOOK RIVER AT PETERBOROUGH AFFECTING CHESHIRE AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES PISCATAQUOG RIVER NEAR GOFFSTOWN AFFECTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SOUHEGAN RIVER AT MERRIMACK AFFECTING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ASSABET RIVER AT MAYNARD AFFECTING MIDDLESEX AND WORCESTER COUNTIES NASHUA RIVER AT EAST PEPPERELL AFFECTING MIDDLESEX... WORCESTER AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTIES NORTH NASHUA RIVER AT FITCHBURG AFFECTING WORCESTER COUNTY SPICKET RIVER NEAR METHUEN AFFECTING ESSEX AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES

SQUANNACOOK RIVER AT WEST GROTON AFFECTING MIDDLESEX COUNTY SUDBURY RIVER AT SAXONVILLE AFFECTING MIDDLESEX COUNTY CONCORD RIVER AT LOWELL AFFECTING MIDDLESEX COUNTY SHAWSHEEN RIVER NEAR WILMINGTON AFFECTING ESSEX AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES BLACKSTONE RIVER AT WOONSOCKET AFFECTING WORCESTER AND PROVIDENCE COUNTIES CHARLES RIVER AT DOVER AFFECTING MIDDLESEX AND NORFOLK COUNTIES NEPONSET RIVER AT NORWOOD AFFECTING NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES PAWTUXET RIVER AT CRANSTON AFFECTING KENT AND PROVIDENCE COUNTIES

VERY SERIOUS FLOODING WILL BE OCCURRING IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS... AS WELL AS PORTIONS OF RHODE ISLAND TODAY. ANOTHER SLUG OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN TODAY WILL CAUSE MANY STREAMS TO CONTINUE TO RISE OR RISE TO A NEW CREST. THIS IS EVOLVING INTO DANGEROUS FLOODING IN SOME LOCATIONS ALONG STREAMS AND URBAN POOR DRAINAGE LOCATIONS. SEVERAL STREAMS HAVE REACHED OR WILL REACH INTO THE MODERATE OR MAJOR FLOOD CATEGORY.

IN THE CASE OF THE PAWTUXET IN RHODE ISLAND... THAT RIVER MAY START TO RECEDE..BUT ANOTHER ONE INCH OF RAIN IS LIKELY ACROSS THAT BASIN LATER THIS MORNING. THIS WILL PROBABLY KEEP THE PAWTUXET IN THE MAJOR FLOOD CATEGORY INTO THIS AFTERNOON.

FLOODING WILL ALSO BE EXACERBATED NEAR THE COAST WHERE THE HIGH TIDE WILL CAUSE THE FRESH WATER RUNOFF TO BACK UP ONTO CITY STREETS.

THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS FLOOD SITUATION. STAY WELL CLEAR OF FAST FLOWING WATER AND DO NOT ATTEMPT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TO DRIVE THROUGH ANY FLOODED ROADWAYS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD STATEMENT PROVIDING THE LATEST INFORMATION IN THIS FLOOD EVENT WILL BE ISSUED WITHIN THE NEXT 8 HOURS... OR EARLIER IF NEEDED.

DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO PLAY NEAR SWOLLEN RIVERS... STREAMS OR CULVERTS. SWIFTLY MOVING WATER CAN POSE AN IMMINENT THREAT TO LIFE.

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