Severe thunder storm watch, Flash Flood warning and special heat sttement

Severe Thunderstorm Watch 386 remains in effect until 9:00 PM EDT

. Maine counties included are

Androscoggin Cumberland Franklin

Kennebec Knox Lincoln

Oxford Sagadahoc Somerset

Waldo York

Flash Flood Watch

Statement as of 2:27 PM EDT on July 2, 2014

Flash Flood Watch in effect through Thursday evening...

The National Weather Service in gray has issued a

* Flash Flood Watch for portions of western Maine and New

Hampshire... including the following areas... in western Maine...

Androscoggin... coastal Cumberland... coastal Waldo... coastal

York... interior Cumberland... interior Waldo... interior York...

Kennebec... Knox... Lincoln... Sagadahoc... southern Franklin...

southern Oxford and southern Somerset. In New Hampshire...

Belknap... coastal Rockingham... interior Rockingham...

Merrimack... northern Carroll... northern Grafton... southern

Carroll... southern Grafton... Strafford and Sullivan.

* Through Thursday evening

* thunderstorms will produce locally heavy rainfall in excess of 1

inch per hour.

* Rapid water rises on creeks and in low lying areas are possible.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead

to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action

should flash flood warnings be issued.

Special Statement

Statement as of 12:44 PM EDT on July 2, 2014

Very warm temperatures... in the 90s... will combine with high

humidity to make it feel much hotter. Heat index values will climb

to near 100 degrees this afternoon. The combination of hot

temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a

situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Drink plenty of

fluids... stay in an air- conditioned room... stay out of the

sun... and check in on relatives and neighbors.