Vermont Officials on High Alert for Incoming Flash Floods

Vermont and other surrounding parts of New England are expected to see flash flooding today and into later this week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Local officials are on high alert after the state saw some flooding and persistent rainfall last week.

The Weather Prediction Center has issued a High Risk of Excessive Rainfall for much of Vermont and throughout the Champlain Valley. Mudslides could potentially occur in some parts of the region alongside the flash flooding, according to the NWS. The region has not experienced flooding this severe since Hurricane Irene reached New England in 2011, local officials said.

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“Residents and visitors are advised to heed any warnings and never drive through a flooded roadway,” an alert from the NWS said. “If driving is necessary, be sure to check current road conditions before venturing out as over 50% of all flash flooding deaths occur within vehicles.”

Vermont is especially vulnerable after rain and flash flooding last week. Killington, Vermont saw landslides and flooding that shut down roads and stranded residents, VTDigger reported. Rivers in the state are swelling today, according to videos uploaded to Twitter by local officials.

Vermont Governor Phillip Scott tweeted earlier today that eleven “swift rescue teams” were positioned in strategic areas of Vermont on Sunday and assisted in more than ten rescues since. Vermont has received reinforcement teams from other states as well. “Two rescue teams from North Carolina arrived in Vermont this morning to assist in operations, and more crews from Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut are on their way to supplement our teams,” Scott also tweeted.

This comes after New York State already saw heavy rainfall this past Sunday. Punishing rains over the northeast especially pummeled the Hudson Valley just north of NYC this weekend. Parts of the region saw anywhere from five to eight inches of rain as of Sunday evening.

Like people in Vermont, some residents in the Hudson Valley were stranded and even trapped in their cars. At least one person has died as a result of the storms and flooding this weekend, the New York Times reported.

Want more climate and environment stories? Check out Earther’s guides to decarbonizing your home, divesting from fossil fuels, packing a disaster go bag, and overcoming climate dread. And don’t miss our coverage of the latest IPCC climate report, the future of carbon dioxide removal, and the invasive plants you should rip to shreds.

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