Flood warning in effect for much of Tri-State, some road closures

The region was battling flooding conditions once again Sunday night as heavy rains dumped up to three inches of precipitation in some areas, according to emergency officials.

Members of the Funkstown Volunteer Fire Co. were pumping water from homes in areas such as Sun Valley Drive off Jefferson Boulevard, Artillery Drive, Garis Shop Road and other roads, according to Fire Chief Eric Fraley.

Williamsport also was experiencing some residential flooding, according to a Washington County 911 supervisor.

Washington County officials said sections of a number of roadways were closed due to flooding, including Dellinger, Beaver Creek, Battletown , Leiters Mill, Clopper, Ashton, Reiff Church, Wishard, Catholic Church and Cresspond roads.

The underpass along Memorial Boulevard, by the Hagerstown shed and near Maryland Avenue, also was closed.

At 7:34 p.m. Sunday, Hagerstown weather observer Greg Keefer said 2.79 inches of rain fell in the city during the day.

The National Weather Service posted a flood warning for Washington County, as well as Berkeley and Morgan counties and central Jefferson County in West Virginia, until 9:45 p.m. Sunday. But at 8:36 p.m., weather officials were considering extending the warning for another three to six hours, according to a NWS spokesman, who added that up to one to two inches of rain could fall overnight.

A flood watch is in effect until 6 a.m. Monday for Washington County and West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle.

A similar flood warning for Franklin and Fulton counties in Pennsylvania was in effect until at least 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Franklin and Fulton counties were under a flood watch through at least 8 p.m. Monday, according to the weather service's website.

A flood warning means flooding is already occurring, while a flood watch is a heads-up that conditions are favorable for flooding, meteorologist Kyle Pallozzi said.

Pallozzi said earlier in the day that a steady, soaking rain was expected to continue Sunday, due to a low-pressure system and the remnants of what was Tropical Storm Gordon, which came up the Gulf Coast. The area was not seeing the effects of Tropical Storm Florence yet.

On Monday, a warm front will bring warm temperatures and humidity with the chance for short, intense heavy rain and thunderstorms, Pallozzi said. Most of Monday could be dry, except for intense thunderstorms producing a lot of rain in a short time, he said.

Flooding was possible along regional streams and creeks, as well as low-lying areas.

Berkeley County Emergency Services reported the following road closures Sunday afternoon:

• Area at Baxter Road and Ted Kesecker Road

• Baxter Road from Hedgesville Road

• Douglas Grove Road near W.Va. 9 Bypass

• Rothwell Avenue

• McCubbins Hollow Road

• 3700 block of Allensville Road

• Moler Avenue at the ice plant

• Henshaw Road (Interstate 81 underpass)

• Williamsport Pike near Berkeley Station

• Berkeley Station Road near Glowworm Lane

• Providence Church and Ted Kesecker Road

• Hedgesville Road near Independent Bible Church