Flash Flood — Windsor, Vermont

2011-08-28 · near Goulds Mill, Windsor, Vermont

Event narrative

Devastating flash flooding as a result of 4 to 7+ inches of rainfall occurred across all of Windsor county, especially in the foothills of the Green Mountains such as Rochester, Ludlow, Stockbridge, Barnard, Woodstock, Plymouth, Cavendish. Several dozens roads (state and local), including Routes 4, 12, 12A, 100, 103, 107 and 131, as well as several bridges were washed out or suffered severe damage. Several communities between Rutland and Windsor and within Windsor county were isolated due to loss infrastructure. Dozens of homes and businesses experienced severe flooding as well as major losses to farms and livestock.

Wider weather episode

Tropical Storm Irene moved across southeast New York and southwest New England during the morning hours of August 28th and then proceeded to track north along the Connecticut River Valley in Vermont during the afternoon and evening.

Strong to damaging winds in excess of 60 mph was observed within several miles of Lake Champlain in northwest Vermont as well as exposed higher terrain in southern Vermont and wind gusts approaching 50 mph downed trees elsewhere in Vermont during the afternoon hours. A peak wind gust of 85 mph was measured at the summit of Mount Mansfield (4400 ft - Lamoille county). Approximately 100,000 customers were without power during the storm.

The main, devastating impact from Irene was widespread, devastating flooding, especially for central and southern Vermont. Widespread rainfall amounts of 3-5 inches occurred across Vermont with 5 to 7+ inches across much of southern, central Vermont and elevations above 1000 feet along the spine of Vermont's Green Mountains and the Worcester range.

Devastating flash flooding occurred across much of central and southern Vermont mountain valleys with substantial and some record breaking flood stages on larger rivers.

This flood event will likely rank second to the November 1927 flood in the scope of meteorological and hydrological conditions/impacts as well as loss of life (84 in 1927), but likely first in monetary damage ((approx $500. million statewide vs $350. million (1927 in 2010 dollars)). There were nearly 2400 roads, 800 homes/businesses, 300 bridges and a half dozen railroad tracks destroyed or damaged from the flooding caused by Irene.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (43.2294, -72.4823)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 341654. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.