WAITSFIELD, Vt. (WCAX) – The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for ice jams on the Mad River in Waitsfield and the Ausable River in the North Country of New York, as rising temperatures melt leftover ice and cause river levels to climb.
Fred Messer, director of Waitsfield Emergency Management, said he had been tracking ice buildup throughout the day. He said the water had already left the river channel and was moving through a nearby parking lot.
“What’s concerning me right now is the water is leaving the channel and coming through this parking lot and down, you just can’t plan that it’s always gonna jump back into the river,” Messer said.
Emergency officials are urging people who live near the river to have a go-bag ready and an escape route planned in the event of an evacuation. Officials are also warning drivers not to travel through flooded areas.
“Turn around, don’t drown,” Messer said.
National Weather Service Meteorologist Maureen Hastings said ice jams can develop and intensify with little warning.
“Ice jams by nature can be very rapid and very quick onset and very difficult to predict,” Hastings said.
Hastings said water levels can rise several feet in just minutes, citing activity observed on a Waitsfield camera earlier in the day.
“The water can rise several feet in just a few minutes — we even saw that on the Waitsfield camera this morning,” Hastings said.
Some Warren residents said the situation was familiar. Tom Spencer said the area has experienced ice jams before.
“We’ve seen this several times here so unfortunately we’re a little bit used to it, but it’s always scary though — it’s always scary because you never know when it’s going to end,” Spencer said.
The National Weather Service said the possibility of an ice jam is above normal for the next two weeks.
