NWS: Flood Watch in Effect Wednesday

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a flood watch through Wednesday evening for much of the north central Virginia foothills and Piedmont, including the cities of Fredericksburg and Culpeper, and the counties of Culpeper, Orange, Spotsylvania, Stafford and King George.

The Rappahannock River is projected to crest at 12.5 feet sometime between Wednesday morning and midnight, according to the NWS.  "That prediction will increase if the area experiences more rain today," the NWS said.

As of 8:30 a.m. the river at City Dock was at 8.5 feet, according to the visual gauges there.  Flood stage for City Dock is 18 feet. 

Scattered showers with moderate to heavy rain are expected to develop again late this morning and into the early afternoon as slow moving low pressure remains over the region, the NWS said.  Another one to two inches of rainfall is possible today, with locally higher amounts.

Since the ground is already saturated and rivers are high from Tuesday's rainfall, there is enhanced flooding potential in the region, the NWS said.

Locally heavy rainfall may cause small streams and creeks to rise out of their banks, overflowing low lying roads.  "Do not ever drive into flood waters," the NWS said.  "Monitor conditions and be prepared to take action should flooding occur," the NWS said.

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