Flood watch in effect for Lewis County through noon Wednesday

“We are expecting very heavy rain, and if we get it we will have flooding”. Governor Terry McAuliffe has preemptively declared a state of emergency clearing the way for state agencies to get in emergency mode.

Motorists should beware of the potential for ponding of water on roadways. According to the National Weather Service, heavy rains are expected to begin later today and persist into Saturday, with the heaviest rain likely Friday and Friday night. In April, Shell’s CEO said the company aimed to pare down to three types of businesses, which did not seem to include the Chukchi project.

After a brief respite late in the work week, Tropical Storm Joaquin or its remnants could give the region another soaking over the weekend, though the National Hurricane Center says the track and future intensity of the system remains up in the air. “A couple more days it’s gonna be insane”, It’s a necessary precaution, says emergency management director Jim Bennett.

Town, county and state officials are preparing for possible severe weather over the weekend and into early next week as a hurricane now pounding the Bahamas is expected to move north over the next few days, combining with a frontal system already causing rain and flooding in New York.

A “Flood Watch” is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding, and residents are encouraged to be prepared. Last summer several roads were washed out as the result of flooding. Don’t drive through any flooded roads – “turn around, don’t drown”. Route 18 in New Bedford was also closed. Areas in South Carolina and western North Carolina could see *significant* amounts of rain.

While Friday will start with a 30 percent chance of rain in Ithaca, it will increase to a 60 percent chance of rain by the evening and continue into Saturday.

Officials were closely watching the progress of the hurricane, though its path was far from certain.

According to AccuWeather, 1 to 3 inches of rain fell on the area during the first round during Tuesday night adding that each round of rain will likely become more intense.

The heaviest rain was recorded in Stone Ridge, where the small hamlet in Ulster County saw more than 6 inches Wednesday.

The average high temperature for the month was 80.3 degrees, and the low was 57.4. Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water.