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CTZ002>004-MAZ004>007-011>021-RIZ001>007-301515-



BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA

1040 PM EST THU MAR 29 2001



...A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...



THIS FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...



IN MASSACHUSETTS

     PLYMOUTH...BRISTOL...NORFOLK...SUFFOLK...MIDDLESEX...ESSEX...

     WORCESTER...EASTERN HAMPDEN



IN CONNECTICUT

     TOLLAND...HARTFORD AND WINDHAM



IN RHODE ISLAND

     PROVIDENCE...KENT...BRISTOL...NEWPORT...AND WASHINGTON.



A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FLOODING. IF 

YOU LIVE OR WORK IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA...TAKE TIME NOW TO PROTECT 

YOUR PROPERTY FROM FLOODING.  IN ADDITION...DAM OWNERS MAY WANT TO 

TAKE A MOMENT TO ENSURE THAT SPILLWAYS ARE CLEAR OF 

DEBRIS...ESPECIALLY AFTER LAST WEEKS STORM.



PRECIPITATION BEGAN MOVING INTO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AFTER 9 PM. 

MOST AREAS IN CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND REPORTED THE 

PRECIPITATION FALLING AS RAIN.  WHILE THE PRECIPITATION COULD FALL 

AS SNOW OR MIXED PRECIPITATION IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND 

FOR A FEW HOURS EARLY FRIDAY...THE BULK OF THE PRECIPITATION IN THE 

FLOOD WATCH AREA IS EXPECTED TO FALL AS RAIN.



RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND 

FRIDAY...WITH POSSIBLY AS MUCH AS 4 OR EVEN 5 INCHES IN A FEW 

LOCATIONS IN RHODE ISLAND AND EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.  THE HEAVIEST 

RAIN SHOULD FALL ON FRIDAY...ROUGHLY BETWEEN 6 AM AND 3 PM.



THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING IS IN THE MERRIMACK VALLEY OF 

NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS AND ALSO IN RHODE ISLAND...WHERE RIVERS AND 

STREAMS ARE RUNNING HIGH.  WIDESPREAD URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE 

FLOODING IS LIKELY THROUGHOUT THE FLOOD WATCH AREA.



...MERRIMACK RIVER VALLEY/NORTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS...

THE OVERALL IMPACT SHOULD BE SIMILAR OR SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN THE 

FLOODING WHICH OCCURRED LAST WEEK.  FLOODING OF SMALLER RIVERS AND 

STREAMS SUCH AS THE ABERJONA...SPICKET AND IPSWICH RIVERS COULD 

OCCUR AS SOON AS MIDDAY FRIDAY.  LARGER RIVERS THAT ARE STILL IN 

FLOOD INCLUDING THE CONCORD...CHARLES AND SUDBURY RIVERS MAY CREST 

LATER THIS WEEKEND AT STAGES HIGHER THAN LAST WEEK.  OTHER LARGER 

RIVERS AND MAINSTEM TRIBUTARIES MAY FLOOD FRIDAY AFTERNOON OR 

EVENING.  



...SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND...

THE OVERALL IMPACT SHOULD BE SIMILAR TO WHAT OCCURRED LAST WEEK.  

FLOODING OF SMALLER RIVERS AND STREAMS SUCH AS THE WADING... 

TAUNTON...PAWTUXET...PAWCATUCK...AND PONAGANSET RIVERS COULD BEGIN 

AS SOON AS MIDDAY FRIDAY.  FLOODING OF LARGER RIVERS AND THEIR 

TRIBUTARIES INCLUDING THE NEPONSET AND BLACKSTONE RIVERS MAY OCCUR 

FRIDAY EVENING.



...CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY...

FLOODING OF SMALL RIVERS AND STREAMS SUCH AS THE QUINNIPIAC AND 

QUINEBAUG RIVERS COULD OCCUR AS EARLY AS FRIDAY MORNING.  LARGER 

MAINSTEM RIVERS AND THEIR TRIBUTARIES INCLUDING THE FARMINGTON... 

WESTFIELD AND CHICOPEE RIVERS MAY BEGIN FLOODING FRIDAY AFTERNOON OR 

EVENING...WHILE THE MAINSTEM CONNECTICUT RIVER MAY NOT REACH FLOOD 

STAGE UNTIL EARLY NEXT WEEK AT THE EARLIEST.



STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE MEDIA OUTLET FOR 

THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

$$



WTB

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