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Don’t Park at the Boone Mall, Flash Flood Warning and Watch In Effect Throughout the High Country

Graphic courtesy NWS
Graphic courtesy NWS

By Jesse Wood

May 15, 2014. As heavy rain continues on Thursday, flash flood warnings and watches are in effect throughout the High Country.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood watch that began at about 3 a.m. on Thursday morning and expires on Friday at 6 p.m. The flash flood warning went into effect at 9 a.m. on Thursday morning and expires at 11:30 a.m.

This morning, the National Weather Service reported that rain gauges measured 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rainfall from midnight to 9 a.m. in parts of Watauga County. While no serious flooding has been reported, the NWS notes that Boone, Jefferson, West Jefferson, Blowing Rock, Beech Mountain and ASU will experience flooding.

In typical entertaining fashion, RaysWeather.com described the wet spring weather as a “Tropical Firehouse.”

“Rain will continue this afternoon (but not as heavily), then tapers off this evening. Rain totals in the 2 to 5 inch range will be common with stream/river flooding. I suspect the Boone Mall is ‘lake front property’ this morning–that’s news only for people who DON’T live here,” RaysWeather.com’s forecast discussion notes.

For those living nearby streams and creeks, the National Weather Service instructs folks to move to higher ground, and for those encountering a water-covered road, “turn around, don’t drown” is the phrase.

Be safe out there.

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