Flood Watch Upgraded to Warning

Update: 3:46 P.M. -

The National Weather Service has bumped the flood watch to a flood warning. The warning, sent out shortly after 3:30 p.m. warns of steady rain swelling small streams in the Piedmont Region of Central Virginia, including the city of Fredericksburg, Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties.  The warning is in effect until 9:30 p.m.

"Numerous incidences of high water and road closures due to flooding have been reported throughout the area," reads the warning. "Moderate rainfall will continue through this evening."

According to the warning, the draining rain is expected to create ponds of water on country roads and farmland along bodies of water.

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The National Weather Service has declared a flood watch in effect throughout the region through the evening.

The flood watch includes Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania and Stafford counties. The watch says that up to 1.5 inches of rain will fall across the region, with some areas seeing more. The watch continues through at least 7 p.m.

The rains could cause some creeks and streams to flood, according to the alert, and street flooding is possible in urban areas.

In the city, there are already reports of standing water in some areas. The Fredericksburg Police have reported standing water on the Westbound lanes of the Blue-Gray Parkway Rappahannock River Bridge at around 12:30 p.m. Another tweet from the police at 10:30 a.m. alerted the public to high water on Gateway Boulevard.