FRANKLIN COUNTY – As roads wash away and flood warnings flash across news reports, all indicators are pointing to more of the same is expected through this week.
The National Weather Service issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Franklin County, calling for potential flooding Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. In Phillips, which has been drenched with nearly a foot of rain this month, a number of roads have washed completely away, with others sustaining serious damage. With the next week’s forecast calling for rain and more rain, people are beginning to ask “when’s it going to end?
“I wouldn’t hold my breath,” National Weather Service Hydrologist Tom Hawley said.
NOAA Weather Observer Dennis Pike in Farmington, had recorded 9.48 inches of precipitation for the month of June, with two rainy days still to come. The average, according to Hawley, is 4.5 inches. Northern Franklin County did better than the southern half, recording 5.93 inches in the Eustis/Stratton area, compared to an average 4.05 inches of precipitation.
Phillips has borne the brunt of the rainstorms, recording 11.01 inches so far in June. Hawley noted that the average rainfall total for the area was 4.7 inches.
The worst of these storms struck Friday evening, the night before the annual town meeting. With residents reporting as much as three inches falling in a matter of hours, several Phillips-area roads were unable to take the sudden onslaught and gave way.
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Franklin County Emergency Management Agency Director Tim Hardy was inspecting the damage Monday morning with Phillips Road Commissioner Stacy Reed, reporting that Wheeler Hill Road and Tory Hill Road had sustained the most serious damage.
“Phillips is the area with most damage right now,” Hardy said. “They’ve made them passable, but that’s about it.”
Hardy asked that non-residents who don’t have to use the roads to get to their homes to please stay away. He also said that more flooding could be on the way.
“The ground is so saturated,” he said, “the water doesn’t have anywhere to go. If we get more heavy rain, it’s going to make a difference.”
For now, FCEMA is monitoring local streams and rivers with the help of fire and rescue departments. Franklin County residents who live near flood-prone areas are being asked to be vigilant and keep an eye on water levels.
According to NWS, no immediate end to the rain is expected. Hawley said his agency believes that the July 4th weekend may include a sunny day or two, but even that might not be a total reprieve from the rain.
“We’re in a pattern where we’re going to get thunderstorms exploding across the state in the afternoons,” he said.
