Flood — Lamoille, Vermont

2011-04-26 to 2011-04-29 · near Lake Elmore, Lamoille, Vermont

Event narrative

Severe flooding occurred along the Lamoille river from Johnson downstream through Cambridge. In Johnson, the Grand Union shopping plaza was inundated by several feet of water, along with other low lying homes and businesses. Much of Jeffersonville was inundated, and in Cambridge homes were surrounded by water. Route 15 was flooded in many locations between Morrisville and Cambridge. The Lamoille River at Johnson VT exceeded flood stage of 13.0 feet at 00:15 EST on April 27, and crested at 16.97 feet at 09:30 EST on April 27, the fourth highest crest on record. The Lamoille at Jeffersonville exceeded its flood stage of 450.0 feet at 23:59 EST on April 26, and crested at 454.21 feet at 12:00 EST on April 27.

Wider weather episode

Snowmelt from an above normal snowpack and daytime high temperatures in the 50s and 60s on the 25th and 26th, combined with rainfall of a half to one inch early on the 26th to set the stage for a significant flood event across the region. Late in the day on the 26th into the early morning hours of the 27th thunderstorms repeatedly moved over central and northern Vermont, dumping over two inches of rain into already saturated soils and swollen rivers and streams. Flash flooding during the overnight hours late on the 26th quickly transitioned into river flooding by the morning of April 27.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (44.5573, -72.5468)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 301934. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.