Alert archive / Massachusetts / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 11, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

August 28, 2011Franklin County, Hampshire County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 28, 2011, 1:19 PM EDT for Franklin County, Hampshire County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 8 hr. 12 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Aug 28, 2011, 1:19 PM EDT (17:19 UTC)
Expired: Aug 28, 2011, 9:15 PM EDT
In force: 8 hr
Issued by: NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area: Storm-based polygon
Emergency: Flash flood emergency
Flood severity: None

Counties Franklin County, MA, Hampshire County, MA

The radar

The Albany radar (KENX), 117 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:20 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Aug 28, 1:22 PM EDT	FLOOD	Shelburne, MA	DOWNTOWN FLOODED BY DEERFIELD RIVER... RAPIDLY RISING WATER
Aug 28, 1:25 PM EDT	FLOOD	Ashfield, MA	FLOODING HAS CLOSED RTE 112 AT ASHFIELD AND BUCKLAND
Aug 28, 1:25 PM EDT	FLOOD	Charlemont, MA	FLOODING HAS CLOSED RTE 2
Aug 28, 1:59 PM EDT	FLOOD	Colrain, MA	HOUSE SWEPT AWAY ON GREEN RIVER
Aug 28, 1:59 PM EDT	FLOOD	Leyden, MA	HOUSE ON EAST LEYDEN ROAD SWEPT AWAY BY GREEN RIVER
Aug 28, 2:00 PM EDT	FLOOD	Greenfield, MA	NASHS MILL ROAD...RIVERSIDE DRIVE...BARTON ROAD...COLRAIN STREET...MERIDIAN STREET BRIDGE AND DEERFIELD STREET ALL CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING
Aug 28, 2:30 PM EDT	FLOOD	Greenfield, MA	COVERED BRIDGE ON EUNICE WILLIAM DRIVE COLLASPED INTO THE GREEN RIVER
Aug 28, 3:22 PM EDT	FLOOD	Easthampton, MA	RIVER ROAD CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING
Aug 28, 3:35 PM EDT	FLOOD	Monroe, MA	RIVER ROAD WASHED OUT...GAP FROM 75 TO 85 FEET WIDE TO 50 TO 75 FEET DEEP
Aug 28, 3:35 PM EDT	FLOOD	Northampton, MA	5 TO 6 FEET OF WATER WITH AT LEAST 2 CARS FLOATING DOWN THE ROAD AT EXIT 24 ON ROUTE 5
Aug 28, 4:11 PM EDT	FLOOD	Westhampton, MA	SOUTH ROAD IMPASSIBLE DUE TO SODOM BROOK OVERFLOWING OVER ROAD
Aug 28, 5:47 PM EDT	FLOOD	Greenfield, MA	ARBORS ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY ON MERIDIAN STREET EVACUATED DUE TO FLOODING

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Albany, NY (KALY), launched 12:00Z, 5.3 hours before the alert went out and 101 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 485 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 805 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 1072 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

455 
WGUS51 KBOX 281719
FFWBOX
MAC011-015-290115-
/O.NEW.KBOX.FF.W.0011.110828T1719Z-110829T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
119 PM EDT SUN AUG 28 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  FRANKLIN COUNTY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF GREENFIELD...
  HAMPSHIRE COUNTY IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...NORTHAMPTON...AMHERST...

* UNTIL 915 PM EDT

* THIS IS A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR FRANKLIN AND HAMPSHIRE 
COUNTIES.

* AT 113 PM EDT...TORRENTIAL RAINS RESULTED IN INTENSE RISES ON AREA 
RIVERS ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST SLOPES OF THE BERKSHIRES.  RIVER GAGE 
VALUES INDICATE THE POSSIBILITY OF RECORD FLOODING AT MULTIPLE 
LOCATIONS.  SEEK HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE NEAR A SMALL 
STEAM IN THE AREA.

FLASH FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND URBAN AREAS IS OCCURRING OR 
IMMINENT. THOSE NEAR STREAMS AND CREEKS...OR IN AREAS PRONE TO 
FLOODING SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. AVOID FLOODED 
ROADS. THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP TO ALLOW VEHICLES TO CROSS SAFELY...
OR THE ROADWAY MAY BE UNDERMINED. TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN!

&&

LAT...LON 4263 7295 4267 7299 4270 7295 4274 7302
      4272 7228 4261 7223 4235 7231 4231 7221
      4225 7221 4219 7237 4223 7241 4223 7263
      4229 7261 4218 7270 4225 7282 4224 7291
      4234 7290 4233 7306

$$

NMB

2 follow-up statements

755 
WGUS71 KBOX 281957
FFSBOX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
357 PM EDT SUN AUG 28 2011

MAC011-015-290115-
/O.CON.KBOX.FF.W.0011.000000T0000Z-110829T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FRANKLIN MA-HAMPSHIRE MA-
357 PM EDT SUN AUG 28 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM EDT FOR
HAMPSHIRE AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES...

...THIS IS A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR HAMPSHIRE AND FRANKLIN 
COUNTIES...

TORRENTIAL RAINS ASSOCIATED WITH IRENE FROM LAST NIGHT AND THIS 
MORNING HAVE CAUSED A SEVERE RESPONSE IN RIVERS AND STREAMS IN 
NORTHWEST MASSACHUSETTS.

AT 250 PM EDT...SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTS AND ADDITIONAL REPORTS 
INDICATED THAT MAJOR FLOODING WAS OCCURRING IN NORTHWEST 
MASSACHUSETTS.  

THE FOLLOWING GAGED RIVER LOCATIONS INDICATED THAT MODERATE...MAJOR 
OR RECORD FLOODING WAS OCCURRING:

GREEN RIVER AT COLRAIN.
NORTH RIVER AT SHATTUCKVILLE.
DEERFIELD RIVER AT CHARLEMONT.
DEERFIELD RIVER AT WEST DEERFIELD.

SIGNIFICANT FLOODING MAY ALSO BE OCCURRING ON THE WEST BRANCH 
WESTFIELD RIVER IN HUNTINGTON. 

THERE ARE LIKELY SIGNIFICANT FLOOD ISSUES OCCURRING ON OTHER STREAMS 
AND RIVERS AS WELL...PARTICULARLY ON THE EAST SLOPES OF THE 
BERKSHIRES IN FRANKLIN AND HAMPSHIRE COUNTIES. 

SOME REPORTS RECEIVED INCLUDE...5 TO 6 FEET OF WATER AT EXIT 24 ON 
ROUTE 5 IN NORTHAMPTON WITH AT LEAST 2 CARS FLOATING DOWN THE ROAD.  
ALSO IN NORTHAMPTON...THE MILL RIVER HAS RESULTED IN A NUMBER OF 
ROAD CLOSURES. 

A HOUSE WAS REPORTED TO BE SWEPT AWAY ON THE GREEN RIVER IN COLRAIN. 
A COVERED BRIDGE WAS REPORTED TO HAVE COLLAPSED INTO A RIVER IN 
GREENFIELD. NUMEROUS ROADS WERE CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING IN 
GREENFIELD. 

THE SHELTER IN GREENFIELD MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS REPORTED TO BE GETTING 
FULL...AND OPENING OF A SECOND SHELTER WAS IN PROGRESS.  

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FLOOD WATERS. ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER CAN QUICKLY CARRY AWAY YOUR VEHICLE.

&&

LAT...LON 4263 7295 4267 7299 4270 7295 4274 7302
      4272 7228 4261 7223 4235 7231 4231 7221
      4225 7221 4219 7237 4223 7241 4223 7263
      4229 7261 4218 7270 4225 7282 4224 7291
      4234 7290 4233 7306

$$

NMB

551 
WGUS71 KBOX 282152
FFSBOX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
552 PM EDT SUN AUG 28 2011

MAC011-015-290115-
/O.CON.KBOX.FF.W.0011.000000T0000Z-110829T0115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FRANKLIN MA-HAMPSHIRE MA-
552 PM EDT SUN AUG 28 2011

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM EDT FOR
HAMPSHIRE AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES...

...THIS IS A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY FOR HAMPSHIRE AND FRANKLIN 
COUNTIES...

TORRENTIAL RAINS ASSOCIATED WITH IRENE FROM LAST NIGHT AND THIS 
MORNING CAUSED A SEVERE RESPONSE IN RIVERS AND STREAMS IN NORTHWEST 
MASSACHUSETTS.

AT 530 PM...SKYWARN SPOTTERS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS REPORTED SEVERE 
FLOOD CONDITIONS. OF PARTICULAR CONCERN WAS THE CITY OF 
GREENFIELD. IN THIS AREA...ABOUT 200 TO 250 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN 
EVACUATED ON VARIOUS STREETS...INCLUDING PEOPLE FROM A RETIREMENT 
HOUSING COMPLEX.  THE CITY SEWER TREATMENT PLANT WAS 
EVACUATED...WHICH HAS NOT OCCURRED BEFORE. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE 
OCCURRED TO A COVERED BRIDGE. I91 WAS REPORTED TO BE FLOODED DURING 
THIS AFTERNOON. 

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT FLOODS OF RECORD OCCURRED AT THE FOLLOWING 
LOCATIONS TODAY...THE DEERFIELD RIVER IN WEST DEERFIELD...THE NORTH 
RIVER AT SHATTUCKVILLE...AND THE GREEN RIVER AT COLRAIN. THE 
DEERFIELD RIVER AT CHARLEMONT WENT INTO AT LEAST MODERATE FLOOD. 
FINAL DETERMINATIONS ON FLOOD CRESTS ARE DETERMINED BY THE UNITED 
STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

INDICATIONS ON THE SMALL STREAM GAGES ARE THAT THE UPPER REACHES OF 
MANY STREAMS ARE BEGINNING TO RAPIDLY RECEDE.  HOWEVER...RIVERS AND 
STREAMS MAY STILL BE RISING OR COMING INTO CREST AT DOWNSTREAM 
LOCATIONS. 

HEED ANY ADVICE FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS...AND EVACUATE IF ASKED TO DO 
SO.  THIS IS A SERIOUS FLOOD SITUATION!


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FLOOD WATERS. ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER CAN QUICKLY CARRY AWAY YOUR VEHICLE.

&&

LAT...LON 4263 7295 4267 7299 4270 7295 4274 7302
      4272 7228 4261 7223 4235 7231 4231 7221
      4225 7221 4219 7237 4223 7241 4223 7263
      4229 7261 4218 7270 4225 7282 4224 7291
      4234 7290 4233 7306

$$

NMB

The office that day

Everything else NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 28, 1:24 AM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	BOX	Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire	24 hr
Aug 28, 8:38 AM EDT	Special Weather Statement	BOX	Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester	57 min
Aug 28, 8:58 AM EDT	Areal Flood Warning	BOX	Middlesex, Worcester	16 hr
Aug 28, 10:02 AM EDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BOX	Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and 1 more	3 hr
Aug 28, 10:30 AM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Worcester	8 hr
Aug 28, 1:05 PM EDT	Flash Flood Warning	BOX	Hampden, Hampshire	3 hr
Aug 28, 1:38 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Worcester	16 hr
Aug 28, 1:38 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Worcester	24 hr
Aug 28, 2:49 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Hampden, Hampshire	14 hr
Aug 28, 3:46 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Franklin, Hampshire	54 hr
Aug 28, 3:46 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Hampden, Hampshire	68 hr
Aug 28, 3:46 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Hampden	69 hr
Aug 28, 3:46 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Hampden	53 hr
Aug 28, 5:43 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Hampden	67 hr
Aug 28, 6:37 PM EDT	River Flood Warning	BOX	Middlesex	19 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Massachusetts, 2011 Every flash flood warning in 2011

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.