HURRICANE IRENE IS EXPECTED TO BRING TORRENTIAL RAINS AND MAJOR FLOODING.
FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT.
FLOOD WATCH ALSO FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT...NE NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHEAST NEW YORK...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT...NORTHERN FAIRFIELD...NORTHERN MIDDLESEX...NORTHERN NEW HAVEN...NORTHERN NEWLONDON...SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD...SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX...SOUTHERNNEW HAVEN AND SOUTHERN NEW LONDON. IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY...EASTERN BERGEN...EASTERN ESSEX...EASTERN PASSAIC, EASTERNUNION, HUDSON, WESTERNBERGEN, WESTERNESSEX,WESTERNPASSAIC AND WESTERN UNION. IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK...BRONX...KINGS (BROOKLYN)...NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)...NORTHEASTERNSUFFOLK...NORTHERN NASSAU...NORTHERN QUEENS...NO. WESTCHESTER...NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK...ORANGE...PUTNAM...RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)...ROCKLAND...SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK...SOUTHERN NASSAU...SOUTHERN QUEENS...SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER AND SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK.
FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT BASED ON THE FORECAST TRACK OF HURRICANE IRENE TORRENTIAL RAINS ARE EXPECTED TO OVERSPREAD THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT THOUGH SUNDAY
EVENING. THE EXACT TRACK OF IRENE WILL DETERMINE WHERE THE HEAVIEST AXIS OF RAIN SETS UP...BUT A SIGNIFICANT FLOOD POTENTIAL EXISTS.
THESE RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BRING THE POTENTIAL FOR MODERATE TO MAJOR SMALL STREAM AND RIVER FLOODING ACROSS THE RIVER BASINS...AS WELL AS SIGNIFICANT AND WIDESPREAD URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING.
A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.