National Weather Service Issues Flood Warning

(Written by Hamilton-Wenham LE Robert Gates.)

Flooding is possible on Thursday night and Friday as part of an approaching rainstorm, according to the National Weather Service.

A flash flood watch is in effect from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon for most of Massachusetts, including Foxborough, plus parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

“The combination of some localized heavy rain with thunderstorms the last couple of days, and more on the way for Thursday, will combine with more widespread moderate to heavy rainfall Thursday night into Friday,” the weather service said when it issued the flood watch.

A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. If flash flooding occurs, the weather service said it is a very dangerous situation. If flooding occurs, a flash flood warning will be issued.

Chris Lambert, a meteorologist at WHDH, is also warning of the possibility of flooding. He said it would not take long “for pockets of downpours to produce an inch or two of rain in spots.”

The greatest threat for street flooding is overnight Thursday and early Friday morning, he said.

“Some rivers and streams may near their banks by (Friday) afternoon, so we'll watch for that as well,” Lambert wrote in his latest blog entry.

The weather service said that additionally, areas with poor drainage and places that are typically susceptible to flooding are vulnerable.

“All of this rainfall could lead to localized flash flooding especially in urban areas, higher terrain and flashy streams and rivers. This threat is expected to linger from Thursday afternoon well into the day on Friday,” the weather service said, with the possibility of rainfall amounts of greater than 2 inches, especially in areas that are hit by thunderstorms.