It’s interesting that despite the high-end severe risk, with wind and TORs possible, the rainfall was by far the most impactful element.
It rained hard. It was a “this is going to be a problem” type rainfall. I was in a vehicle at 1800ft at work during it… and after watching weather on this mountain for 15 years, this rainfall was a sign of problems in lower elevations if it was flashing like this up high.
I alerted BTV to the situation at the mountain and they issued the first Flash Flood Warning immediately.
WGUS51 KBTV 232044
FFWBTV
VTC005-007-015-023-232345-
/O.NEW.KBTV.FF.W.0001.240623T2044Z-240623T2345Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Burlington VT
444 PM EDT Sun Jun 23 2024
The National Weather Service in Burlington has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Northern Washington County in central Vermont...
Western Caledonia County in northeastern Vermont...
East Central Chittenden County in northwestern Vermont...
Southern Lamoille County in northwestern Vermont...
* Until 745 PM EDT.
* At 444 PM EDT, Thunderstorms producing heavy rain in steep terrain
is driving flash flooding in the vicinity of Mount Mansfield.
Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. The expected rainfall
rate is 1 to 2 inches in 30 minutes. Flash flooding is already
occurring.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Public reported.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Morrisville, Worcester, Stowe, Middlesex, Morristown, Elmore,
Morrisville Village, Waterbury, Waterbury Village, Calais, East
Montpelier, Moretown, Hyde Park, Woodbury, Wolcott, Underhill
State Park, Duxbury, Bolton, Cambridge and Underhill.
This warning was soon updated with law enforcement reporting multiple washouts and roads out across the area.
I give BTV credit for accepting my observations as fact in the moment (that the rainfall was going to be a problem) and they acted on it. Subsequent downstream flooding in Stowe and the Worcester Range was severe, but they were able to get the warnings out quick.
I don’t think flash flooding was the primary concern but it’ll be the most costly part of these storms.