National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Lingering Winter Weather in Interior New England; Snow Squalls Developing Downwind of the Lower Great Lakes

A wintry mix will continue in interior New England through tonight as a coastal storm quickly passes to the east. Heavy snow is expected in northern Maine, with a coating of ice expected for much of interior New England. Behind this storm system, lake effect snow and snow squalls will develop from the Ohio Valley to interior New England through Monday. Read More >

 

Definitions of Flood and Flash Flood


Flood: An overflow of water onto normally dry land. The inundation of a normally dry area caused by rising water in an existing waterway, such as a river, stream, or drainage ditch. Ponding of water at or near the point where the rain fell. Flooding is a longer term event than flash flooding: it may last days or weeks.
 
Flash flood: A flood caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than 6 hours. Flash floods are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains that rip through river beds, urban streets, or mountain canyons sweeping everything before them. They can occur within minutes or a few hours of excessive rainfall. They can also occur even if no rain has fallen, for instance after a levee or dam has failed, or after a sudden release of water by a debris or ice jam.