Flooding in Rhode Island, October 15, 2005

Name: Flooding in Rhode Island, October 15, 2005
Start: 2005-10-15T05:07
End: 2005-10-15T23:45
Location: Rhode Island

October 15, 2005 · NWS BOX · 18 events in 5 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $1.6 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 18

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS BOX wrote it up.

A low pressure system interacted with a plume of tropical moisture as the low slowly moved parallel to the Long Island and south Massachusetts coasts, resulting in excessive rain and flooding across Rhode Island. Between 2.5 and 4.5 inches of rain fell from this event. Many roads were closed region wide; and approximately 500 evacuations occurred. These evacuations were concentrated mainly along the Pawtuxet, Pocasset, Woonasquatucket, and Blackstone Rivers. Along the Blackstone River, evacuations occurred in Woonsocket and Central Falls. In Providence, the fire department rescued people from their flooded cars on Charles Street and Branch Avenue near the Woonasquatucket River. In Coventry, there were several reports of water flooding Main Street, causing flooding in basements and first floors of multiple homes nearby. In addition, a large section of Route 117 in Coventry was flooded with between 2 and 3 feet of water. In Cranston, the Pawtuxet River overflowed its banks, flooding Knight Street and several nearby businesses. The Pawtuxet River also flooded portions of Warwick, causing Fletcher Road, Route 37, and Pontiac Avenue to be closed by police. Evacuations and rescues were also performed in Warwick. The Woonasquatucket River at Centerdale experienced a new record flood from this event. A new record flood stage of 8.26 feet was observed at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gage location. This flood stage caused flooding, and subsequent road closure, at Route 44 approaching Centerdale.No injuries directly resulted in Rhode Island from this significant rainfall event.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

18 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Southeast Providence

When: October 15, 5:07 AM EST to 6:30 AM EST
Where: Southeast Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $60,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Northwest Providence

When: October 15, 5:20 AM EST to 6:57 AM EST
Where: Northwest Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.717, -71.283

Flood, Washington

When: October 15, 6:30 AM EST to 8:50 AM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Southeast Providence

When: October 15, 6:45 AM EST to 9:00 AM EST
Where: Southeast Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Northwest Providence

When: October 15, 6:57 AM EST to 9:20 AM EST
Where: Northwest Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $40,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.717, -71.283

Flood, Eastern Kent

When: October 15, 7:15 AM EST to 8:06 AM EST
Where: Eastern Kent forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Western Kent

When: October 15, 7:20 AM EST to 10:20 AM EST
Where: Western Kent forecast zone
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.683, -71.617

Flood, Eastern Kent

When: October 15, 8:06 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Eastern Kent forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.673, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Washington

When: October 15, 8:50 AM EST to 10:40 AM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Southeast Providence

When: October 15, 9:00 AM EST to 11:08 AM EST
Where: Southeast Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Northwest Providence

When: October 15, 9:20 AM EST to 11:40 AM EST
Where: Northwest Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.717, -71.283

Flood, Western Kent

When: October 15, 10:20 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
Where: Western Kent forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 41.683, -71.617

Flood, Washington

When: October 15, 10:40 AM EST to 12:15 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Southeast Providence

When: October 15, 11:08 AM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.871, -71.579 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Northwest Providence

When: October 15, 11:40 AM EST to 4:55 PM EST
Where: Northwest Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $200,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.717, -71.283

Flood, Washington

When: October 15, 12:15 PM EST to 8:45 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Northwest Providence

When: October 15, 4:55 PM EST to 9:00 PM EST
Where: Northwest Providence forecast zone
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.717, -71.283

Flood, Washington

When: October 15, 8:45 PM EST to 11:45 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.397, -71.620 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Rhode Island in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Rhode Island, October 2005

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5477907, 5477908, 5477909, 5477910, 5477911, 5477912, 5477913, 5477914, 5477915, 5477916, 5477917, 5477918, 5477919, 5477920, 5477921, 5477922, 5477923, 5477924.