Flash Flood Warning

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... KENT COUNTY IN RHODE ISLAND... THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF WARWICK... WASHINGTON COUNTY IN RHODE ISLAND... THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF SOUTH KINGSTOWN... EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN WINDHAM COUNTY IN NORTHERN CONNECTICUT... * UNTIL 300 PM EDT * AT 102 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED FLASH FLOODING FROM THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WARNED AREA. * NEARLY 4.5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS BEEN REPORTED TODAY AT WESTERLY RHODE ISLAND WITH NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FLOODING. OCCASIONALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MID AFTERNOON AND STORM TOTALS TODAY MAY REACH 6 OR 7 INCHES IN PARTS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY WITH 4 INCH TOTALS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WARNING AREA. WESTERLY AND THE PAWCATUCK RIVER BASIN ARE PARTICULARLY THREATENED. THIS WARNING REPLACES THE PREVIOUSLY ISSUED AREAL FLOOD WARNING AND ADVISORY FOR THESE TWO COUNTIES. EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE RAPID FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS. FLOODING OF URBAN AREAS...INCLUDING ROADS AND UNDERPASSES IS ALSO EXPECTED. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA BY 3 PM. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY...INCLUDING UNDERPASSES. THE WATER MAY BE TOO DEEP TO ALLOW VEHICLES TO CROSS SAFELY...OR THE ROADWAY MAY BE UNDERMINED. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES. NEVER DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE 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 FLOODING ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN. A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT RAPID FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED AREAS BY FOOT OR IN YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FLOOD WATERS. ONLY A FEW INCHES OF RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER CAN QUICKLY CARRY AWAY YOUR VEHICLE. TO REPORT FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON.