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RWUS32 KBOS 231749

FFSBOS

CTZ002-MAZ005>007-012>019-RIZ001>004-232300-



URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA

1250 PM EST FRI MAR 23 2001



...FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF RHODE 

ISLAND AND MOST OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS INTO FRIDAY EVENING...



THESE FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...  

IN MASSACHUSETTS - BRISTOL  ESSEX  MIDDLESEX  NORFOLK  SUFFOLK 

   AND PLYMOUTH

IN RHODE ISLAND - KENT AND PROVIDENCE 



THE FLOOD WARNING FOR HARTFORD COUNTY WAS CANCELLED EARLIER TODAY.



PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA ENDED THIS MORNING WITH ONLY SCATTERED 

SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES REMAINING.  THE FLOOD WARNING FOR THE NORTHERN 

HALF OF RHODE ISLAND AND MOST OF EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS REMAINS IN 

EFFECT...HOWEVER...DUE TO THE CONTINUED RUNOFF FROM THURSDAYS HEAVY 

RAINFALL OF 3 TO 7 INCHES.



THE ABERJONA RIVER CRESTED AT A STAGE OF 16.9 FEET EARLY THIS 

MORNING.  THIS IS JUST ABOVE THE STAGE REACHED DURING THE 

DEVASTATING FLOOD OF OCTOBER 1996. THE ABERJONA IS RECEDING BUT WILL 

STILL REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE THROUGH TONIGHT. 



...ESSEX AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES...

THIS CONTINUES TO BE THE HARDEST HIT REGION.  MANY RIVERS AND 

STREAMS ARE IN FLOOD WITH LINGERING URBAN FLOODING AS WELL. THE 

SPICKET AND IPSWICH RIVERS CONTINUE TO RISE...AND MAY NOT CREST 

UNTIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING.  AT 1115 AM...THE SPICKET 

RIVER AT METHUEN WAS AT 8.55 FEET AND WILL LIKELY CREST NEAR 8.8 

FEET.  MOST OF THE OTHER SMALLER TRIBUTARIES IN NORTHEAST 

MASSACHUSETTS HAVED CRESTED.  AFTER CRESTING AT 16.9 FEET EARLY THIS 

MORNING...THE ABERJONA RIVER IS RECEDING BUT WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD 

THROUGH TONIGHT. 



IF FLOODING DEVELOPS IN YOUR AREA AND YOU ARE ASKED TO EVACUATE...DO 

SO IMMEDIATELY.  FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND STAY OUT 

OF FLOODED AREAS. 



...PROVIDENCE AND KENT COUNTIES...

MOST OF THE TRIBUTARIES TO THE BLACKSTONE RIVER HAVE CRESTED...BUT 

MANY REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE.  THIS WAS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT 

FLOODING THE PAWTUXET BASIN HAS SEEN SINCE 1984.  AFTER CRESTING AT 

11.4 LAST EVENING...THE PAWTUXET RIVER CONTINUES TO RECEDE GRADUALLY 

AND IS EXPECTED TO FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE THIS EVENING.  THE SOUTH 

BRANCH OF THE PAWTUXET CRESTED AT 3.9 FEET AROUND 830 AM...AND WAS 

NOW SLOWLY RECEDING.  



...NORFOLK SUFFOLK BRISTOL AND PLYMOUTH COUNTIES...

MOST TRIBUTARIES TO THE CHARLES AND NEPONSET RIVERS...AS WELL AS 

OTHER SMALL RIVERS SUCH AS THE TEN MILE...WADING AND THREE MILE 

RIVERS HAVE CRESTED AND BEGUN A GRADUAL RECESSION.  URBAN FLOODING 

WILL ALSO GRADUALLY EASE THIS AFTERNOON.



IF YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO EVACUATE...BE SURE TO TURN OFF ALL 

ELECTRICAL AND GAS APPLIANCES. IF THEY BECOME DAMAGED BY FLOOD 

WATERS...DISCARD THEM ONCE YOU ARE ABLE TO RETURN TO YOUR HOME OR 

BUSINESS.



REMEMBER...NEVER ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES OR ROADS WHERE WATER 

COVERS THE ROADWAY. IT ONLY TAKES A FOOT OR TWO OF WATER TO WASH 

MOST CARS AWAY. KNOW SOME ALTERNATE ROUTES BEFORE YOU START 

TRAVELING IN CASE ROADS HAVE BEEN FLOODED AND CLOSED.



$$



THOMPSON



DUNH

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