A soupy mess

By Rhonda Simmons

Published: May 13, 2008

Strong winds plucked trees from the earth, while continuous chilly rainfall submerged roads in the Piedmont region Sunday causing officials to close schools and roads Monday.

At 2:15 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Rappahannock River at Remington — 12 miles northeast of the Town of Culpeper near the Fauquier border.

The warning, issued after the river reached 16.6 feet high, is in effect until this morning. The flood stage is 15 feet.

Since Sunday, the Culpeper region has accumulated an average of 1.56 inches of rainfall, according to NWS Weathercaster Calvin Meadows.

Virginia Department of Transportation crews spent Monday morning clearing trees from roadways and coordinating with power company workers to remove live power lines from limbs.

In Culpeper, nearly 25 routes were closed due to the torrential weather. Flooding affected more than 50 routes in Fauquier.

Madison and Orange each reported a handful of road closures.

By 4:45 p.m., authorities reopened a few roads in Central Virginia, but the majority of secondary roads in Culpeper and Fauquier counties remained closed, according to VDOT.

The area also received wind gusts up to 30 mph, according to weather.com.

Monday’s precipitation and cloudy skies lasted until the evening hours.

Today’s forecast includes lots of sun and warmer temperatures hovering around 75 degrees.

The winds are expected to diminish between 10 and 15 mph.

Rhonda Simmons can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 125 or .