Flood Watch Persists as River Rises

The recent rains trickling through the watershed are giving rise to the Rappahannock. Projections from the National Weather Service's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service forecast the river to crest at 12.2 feet at City Dock by 2 p.m. today. Flood stage for the city of Fredericksburg is 18 feet. 

A for the area until midnight tonight. 

Data from AHPS river monitoring station at the City Dock show that the river has risen more than 10 feet over the last 24 hours, with readings taken roughly every hour. Above Fredericksburg, the AHPS monitoring station takes readings every 15 minutes, and shows river levels already receding this morning, down to 9.15 feet from a max height of 9.39 feet recorded earlier this morning. 

The National Weather Service is warning of scattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms which could become severe, producing heavy downpours, large hail and damaging winds. 

The rising waters have already claimed at least two vehicles in the area. Earlier, around 2 a.m., two different motorists became stranded in rising water on River Road near Pratt Park in Stafford County, requiring rescue services.