Alert archive / Rhode Island / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS Boston/Norton, MA

July 21, 2026Bristol County, Newport County, Washington County, Rhode Island; Bristol County, Plymouth County, Massachusetts

NWS Boston/Norton, MA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 21, 2026, 7:45 PM EDT for Bristol County, Newport County, Washington County, Rhode Island; Bristol County, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. It was in force for 93 min. 1 report 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
Jul 21, 2026, 7:45 PM EDT (23:45 UTC)
Expired
Jul 21, 2026, 9:18 PM EDT
In force
93 min
Issued by
NWS Boston/Norton, MA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Bristol County, MA, Plymouth County, MA, Bristol County, RI, Newport County, RI, Washington County, RI

The radar

The Boston radar (KBOX), 26 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:45 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 21, 8:30 PM EDTFLASH FLOOD2 Nne New Bedford Ap, MAIn New Bedford, Acushnet Ave was flooded with water coming out of manhole covers requiring DPW assistance.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Brookhaven, NY (KOKX), launched 12:00Z, 11.8 hours before the alert went out and 169 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Brookhaven, NY at 12:00Z on 2026-07-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Brookhaven, NY at 12:00Z on 2026-07-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 135 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
1211 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
135 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
172 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

801 
WGUS51 KBOX 212345
FFWBOX
MAC005-023-RIC001-005-009-220245-
/O.NEW.KBOX.FF.W.0002.260721T2345Z-260722T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
745 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

The National Weather Service in Norton has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts...
  Plymouth County in southeastern Massachusetts...
  Bristol County in Rhode Island...
  Newport County in Rhode Island...
  East Central Washington County in Rhode Island...

* Until 1045 PM EDT.

* At 745 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated showers and embedded 
  thunderstorms producing torrential rain across the warned area. 
  Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Main area 
  of concern is near the south coast and especially the typically 
  vulnerable areas of Fall River and New Bedford.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by showers and embedded
           thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  New Bedford, Fall River, Warwick, Plymouth, Taunton, Dartmouth, 
  South Kingstown, Bridgewater, North Kingstown, Marshfield, 
  Newport, Bristol, Marion, Middleborough, Wareham, Bourne, 
  Somerset, Scituate and Pembroke.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 4152 7149 4170 7138 4167 7138 4167 7137
      4171 7137 4172 7136 4173 7138 4175 7136
      4181 7126 4219 7058 4211 7047 4190 7042
      4122 7144

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

Frank
2 follow-up statements
580 
WGUS71 KBOX 220106
FFSBOX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
906 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

RIC001-009-220116-
/O.CAN.KBOX.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260722T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Bristol RI-Washington RI-
906 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR BRISTOL AND EAST CENTRAL 
WASHINGTON COUNTIES...

The heaviest rain has shifted southeast of the region...so the Flash 
Flood Warning has been cancelled. Please continue to heed remaining 
road closures.

&&

LAT...LON 4123 7143 4142 7121 4149 7121 4155 7119
      4165 7113 4190 7098 4199 7093 4213 7068
      4219 7058 4211 7047 4190 7042 4177 7062
      4176 7063 4161 7086 4149 7104

$$

MAC005-023-RIC005-220245-
/O.CON.KBOX.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260722T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Bristol MA-Plymouth MA-Newport RI-
906 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1045 PM EDT THIS 
EVENING FOR SOUTHEASTERN BRISTOL, PLYMOUTH AND SOUTHEASTERN NEWPORT 
COUNTIES...

At 906 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated showers and a few embedded 
thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Flash 
flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by showers and a few embedded
         thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Radar.

IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
         highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
         drainage and low-lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  New Bedford, Fall River, Plymouth, Taunton, Dartmouth, 
  Bridgewater, Marshfield, Marion, Middleborough, Wareham, Bourne, 
  Scituate, Pembroke, Fairhaven, Tiverton, Westport, Duxbury, East 
  Bridgewater, Kingston and Carver.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

&&

LAT...LON 4123 7143 4142 7121 4149 7121 4155 7119
      4165 7113 4190 7098 4199 7093 4213 7068
      4219 7058 4211 7047 4190 7042 4177 7062
      4176 7063 4161 7086 4149 7104

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

Frank
237 
WGUS71 KBOX 220118
FFSBOX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA
918 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

MAC005-023-RIC005-220128-
/O.CAN.KBOX.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260722T0245Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Bristol MA-Plymouth MA-Newport RI-
918 PM EDT Tue Jul 21 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHEASTERN BRISTOL, 
PLYMOUTH AND SOUTHEASTERN NEWPORT COUNTIES...

The heavy rain has ended. Additional flooding is no longer expected 
to pose a threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

&&

LAT...LON 4123 7143 4142 7121 4149 7121 4155 7119
      4165 7113 4190 7098 4199 7093 4213 7068
      4219 7058 4211 7047 4190 7042 4177 7062
      4176 7063 4161 7086 4149 7104

$$

Frank

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 21, 4:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXBristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, Washington80 min
Jul 21, 6:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXBristol, Kent, Washington89 min
Jul 21, 3:45 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryBOX67 hr
Jul 21, 4:34 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningBOX56 min
Jul 21, 5:11 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementBOXMiddlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk94 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Rhode Island, 2026Flash Flood Warnings in Massachusetts, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

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.