If you have a cell phone that is capable of receiving text messages, contact the Planning Department and give us
the e-mail address that your cell phone provider gave you for your cell phone's text
messaging feature. We'll add it to the Montpelier Alerts list. This way,
if we send a message saying EVACUATE, you will get that text message (in text
form) on your cell phone.
Flood Watch for Northern & Central VT continues... Wednesday, February 12, 2009
315 AM EST THU FEB 12 2009
...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BURLINGTON CONTINUES A FLOOD
WATCH FOR...
NORTHERN NEW YORK...EXCEPT WESTERN SAINT LAWRENCE COUNTY...AND
FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VERMONT...EXCEPT GRAND ISLE COUNTY.
THROUGH THIS EVENING
THE COMBINATION OF WARM TEMPERATURES...SNOW MELT...AND LIGHT TO
MODERATE RAINFALL HAVE CREATED CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR MINOR
LOCALIZED ICE JAM FLOODING ON LOCAL WATERWAYS. THE GREATEST
POTENTIAL FOR MINOR ICE JAM FLOODING WILL BE ON THE FOLLOWING
RIVERS IN NORTHERN NEW YORK...GREAT CHAZY...SARANAC...AND
AUSABLE. MEANWHILE...THE OTTER CREEK...MAD RIVER...DOG
RIVER...AND WINOOSKI RIVER WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED IN VERMONT
FOR POTENTIAL ICE JAM FLOODING.
THE THREAT FOR MINOR FLOODING WILL DIMINISH TONIGHT...AS COLDER
TEMPERATURES ARRIVE AND RAIN SHOWERS CHANGE TO SNOW SHOWERS.
ICE FLOWS ON LOCAL RIVERS AND STREAMS MAY FORM ICE JAMS IN
FAVORABLE LOCATIONS. ICE JAMS TYPICALLY FORM ON RIVER
OBSTRUCTIONS TO INCLUDE... BENDS IN RIVERS...BRIDGE PIERS...ROCK
ISLANDS...AND MERGER OF RIVER CHANNELS.
ICE JAMS CAN OCCUR SUDDENLY AND ARE HIGHLY UNSTABLE. WATER CAN
BACKUP QUICKLY BEHIND AN ICE JAM AND FLOOD AN AREA IN A MATTER
OF MINUTES. IN ADDITION...IF AN ICE JAM BREAKS A SUDDEN
RELEASE OF WATER CAN FLOOD AREAS DOWNSTREAM.
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.
Flood Watch for Northern & Central VT Tuesday, February 11, 2009
210 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
EVENING...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BURLINGTON HAS ISSUED A
FLOOD WATCH FOR NORTHERN NEW YORK...EXCEPT WESTERN SAINT
LAWRENCE COUNTY...AND FOR NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VERMONT...EXCEPT GRAND
ISLE COUNTY.
FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING
UNSEASONABLY MILD TEMPERATURES FROM TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
WILL RESULT IN MELTING SNOW ACROSS THE NORTH COUNTRY...WHICH
COMBINED WITH PERIODS OF RAIN THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING...COULD
CAUSE RIVER AND STREAM ICE TO BREAKUP. ICE FLOWS ON LOCAL RIVERS
AND STREAMS MAY FORM ICE JAMS IN FAVORABLE LOCATIONS. ICE JAMS
TYPICALLY FORM ON RIVER OBSTRUCTIONS TO INCLUDE...BENDS IN
RIVERS...BRIDGE PIERS...ROCK ISLANDS...AND MERGER OF RIVER
CHANNELS.
ICE JAMS CAN OCCUR SUDDENLY AND ARE HIGHLY UNSTABLE. WATER CAN
BACKUP QUICKLY BEHIND AN ICE JAM AND FLOOD AN AREA IN A MATTER
OF MINUTES. IN ADDITION...IF AN ICE JAM BREAKS A SUDDEN RELEASE
OF WATER CAN FLOOD AREAS DOWNSTREAM.
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.
Winooski River Rises in Montpelier Monday, December 22, 2008
A freeze-up ice jam has formed in Montpelier in the area on Lower State Street known as Cemetery Curve. The river is backed up and water levels have been rising steadily over the last 48 hours. The levels are currently about 1.5 feet below the level where basement flooding could occur along the North Branch of the Winooski River.
The City is monitoring conditions and trying to determine if there is any feasible action to break up the jam. The river is currently at 9.4 feet as of 2:30 PM according to the USGS river gage. Action stage for precautionary measures is 11 feet and flood stage is 15 feet. In past years, ice build-up at this location has indicated that early warning and initial protective action measures action may be necessary and officials are taking precautions.
The City has notified business owners in the area most likely to be affected in the flood prone areas. Pay attention to siren warnings, news alerts or door-to-door notices and heed directions. Check on neighbors that may need assistance should the warnings be activated.
Vermont Emergency Management has been notified by the City of Montpelier as part of their early warning procedures.
Gwendolyn Hallsmith, Director
Department of Planning and Community Development
City Hall, 39 Main Street
Montpelier, VT 05602 ghallsmith@montpelier-vt.org
