National Weather Service continues flood warning for Connecticut River
The National Weather Service Tuesday issued a flood warning that included the Connecticut River at Hartford, affecting Hartford and Middlesex counties, and the Connecticut River at Thompsonville, affecting Hartford County and Hampden County in Western Massachusetts.
The warning also including the Connecticut River at Middle Haddam, affecting Middlesex County. The service said the flood warning is cancelled for the Farmington River at Simsbury, which also would have affected Hartford County.
For the Connecticut River, including Montague, Northampton, Holyoke Dam, Holyoke, Springfield, Thompsonville, Hartford, and Middle Haddam, moderate “flooding is forecast,” the weather service said in a statement Tuesday evening.
The warning will remain in effect through Thursday afternoon, the service reported.
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At 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Connecticut River stage was at 16.4 feet, the service reported, and at 17 feet, “flooding will become more widespread along the Connecticut River from the Massachusetts towns of Agawam and Longmeadow, through the northern Connecticut towns of Suffield and
Enfield.” Flood stage is 15 feet, the service said in its statement.
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“The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 5:30 (p.m.) Tuesday was 16.4 feet and the “river is expected to rise to a crest of 16.7 feet just after midnight tonight. It will then fall below
flood stage Thursday morning,” the weather service statement said. “This crest compares to a previous crest of 16.8 feet” on April 18, 1996.
The service also issued these precautions:
- Motorists should not attempt to drive around barricades or drive cars through flooded areas.
- Caution is urged when walking near riverbanks.
- Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.