... Flash Flood Watch now in effect through Wednesday evening...
The Flash Flood Watch is now in effect for
* portions of Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands... including the
following areas... in Puerto Rico... central interior... Culebra...
eastern interior... north Central... Northeast... Ponce and
vicinity... San Juan and vicinity... southeast... southwest and
Vieques. In Virgin Islands... St Croix and St. Thomas/St.
John/adjacent islands.
* Through Wednesday evening
* abundant tropical moisture... associated with the newly formed
Tropical Depression Fifteen located near latitude 14.8 north...
longitude 69.6 west... will lift northwards and bring occasional
bands of showers and strong thunderstorms with gusty winds
across the U.S. Virgin Islands... and all of Puerto Rico through
Wednesday evening. Given this scenario... heavy rains across the
local islands during this prolonged period will result in
significant rainfall accumulations over the next several days.
Residents and visitors and motorists can therefore expect areas
of moderate to heavy rainfall... with isolated rainfall totals
ranging between 5 and 10 inches of rainfall through Tuesday...
then increasing to 15 to 30 inches or more of accumulative
rainfall through the end of the week.The depression is forecast
to eventually turn towards north northeast across Puerto Rico
and the remainder or the local islands by mid week. Due to
already saturated soils... across much of Puerto Rico... any
additional heavy rainfall will likely result in areas Rapid
River rises and of flash flooding... along with mudslides/debris
flow.
A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions are favorable for heavy
rain across the watch area... which may lead to flooding. If you are
in the watch area... check your preparedness requirements...
especially if you have interests along area rivers. Keep informed...
and be ready for quick action if flooding is observed or if a Flash
Flood Warning is issued.
People in the watch area should continue to be aware of the
possibility for heavy rainfall. Avoid low lying areas... and be
careful when approaching Highway dips and underpasses. The heavy
rain could also cause mudslides in areas of steep terrain.
Please stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio... local TV... radio or your
cable television provider for later statements and possible
warnings.
This product... along with other weather... hydrological and climate
information... is available on the web at http://www.Srh.NOAA.Gov/sju
or at http://weather.Gov.
Ram/bs/ra/fc