Flash flood watches remain in effect as weather front threatens
Jun. 12—BLUEFIELD — Flash flood watches remained in effect until midnight today as a weather front threatened to bring more heavy rain and its resulting runoff to southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia.
The National Weather Service issued flash flood watches Friday for Mercer, McDowell and Monroe counties in West Virginia and the Southwest Virginia counties of Tazewell, Bland, Giles and Wythe. Showers and thunderstorms are likely today, mostly after 5 p.m., with rainfall totals ranging from a quarter to half an inch.
Heavy rain was still possible up to 10 p.m. Friday. A "very heavy rain" was passing Tazewell County about 5:45 p.m. Friday and heading into Bland County, Va. The rain system was also moving over McDowell County.
Today, a weather system with possible thunderstorms would be lingering along the Interstate 77 corridor, according to meteorologist Robert Beasley. Sudden bursts of heavy rain are still possible today in the Bluefield area. Heavy rain fell Wednesday on Bluefield, and getting such a downpour today is not out of the question.
"Sunday should be fine," Beasley said. "Sunday should hardly have any precipitation."
The forecast predicted sunny skies Monday with a high of 80 degrees.
Residents living near rivers and streams have been urged to remain vigilant when heavy rain falls in their areas. The ground has been saturated by previous storms, and the rain it cannot absorb will readily flow into local waterways. Motorists are advised not to try driving through any water covering roadways since it is hard to know how deep it is and how fast it is moving.
— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
