Flood watch update

Areal Flood Watch Statement as of 2:58 am EDT on April 20, 2015

Flood Watch remains in effect from this evening through Wednesday morning...

The Flood Watch continues for

* portions of western Maine and New Hampshire... including the

 following areas... in western Maine... Androscoggin... Central

 Somerset... coastal Cumberland... coastal Waldo... coastal York...

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

 Kennebec... Knox... Lincoln... northern Franklin... northern

 Oxford... Sagadahoc... southern Franklin... southern Oxford and

 southern Somerset. In New Hampshire... Belknap... coastal

 Rockingham... interior Rockingham... Merrimack... northern

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

 Coos... southern Grafton... Strafford and Sullivan.

* From this evening through Wednesday morning.

* Low pressure will develop off the mid Atlantic coast today and

move northeastward into the Gulf of Maine Tuesday. This low will

produce anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain across much of

the area... with locally higher amounts possible. The heaviest

rainfall should occur tonight into early Tuesday... but runoff

and additional snowmelt will keep the threat for flooding going

through at least Tuesday night. The heaviest rainfall is

expected on the coastal plain... as well as the east slopes of

the White Mountains northeastward into the Maine foothills.

* Rivers are already gradually on the rise from snowmelt over the

past few weeks. 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rainfall will allow some

rivers to rise to bankfull and even overflow their banks. Urban

and poor drainage flooding is also expected... especially tonight

and the morning hours on Tuesday.

 

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on

current forecasts.

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible

flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be

prepared to take action should flooding develop.