National Weather Service Issues Flash Flood Watch for Vermont
COLCHESTER, Vt. – Green Mountain Power (GMP) is urging safety for customers as forecasts call for heavy rains and strong winds as Tropical Storm Isaias moves up the East Coast Tuesday. Meteorologists call this a fast moving storm that will weaken as it moves over land, yet still is forecasted to possibly cause flash flooding with rains of one to four inches as it sweeps over Bennington County and heads northeast and over the Connecticut River valley in Vermont starting Tuesday.
“We are watching this system closely and will respond as quickly and safely as possible for our customers. The forecast is still changing, as it has just shifted to the west, increasing the possibility of flooding and wind concerns in our region. Travel could be difficult at times if there is flash flooding,” said Mike Burke, GMP’s Chief of Field Operations. “We want everyone to be safe. Do not drive over water-covered roads and stay away from all downed lines and trees,” he said.
Flooded or washed out roads could create delays for crews, and anyone travelling during and after the storm. Meteorologists say Isaias’s strong winds could be 45 miles per hour, with higher elevations experiencing stronger gusts that could increase the possibility of trees taking down power lines.
Customers can read GMP’s storm preparation and safety tips online and you can sign up for text alerts. Crews are following extra health and safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and GMP is also encouraging customers to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from crews, following CDC social distancing guidelines. Call GMP for assistance at (888) 835-4672 and call 911 for a medical emergency.
Customers can also report outages online and through the GMP app.
About Green Mountain Power
Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 266,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and is partnering with them to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. GMP earned a spot on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the World list four years in a row (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). J.D. Power’s 2018 and 2019 rankings put GMP among top utilities for customer satisfaction. In 2019 and 2020 GMP was named “One of the Best Places to Work in Vermont” by Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and was the winner of the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Vermont Business of the Year Award in 2019.
Kristin Kelly, Green Mountain Power
(802) 318-0872
[email protected]
We are watching this system closely and will respond as quickly and safely as possible for our customers. The forecast is still changing, as it has just shifted to the west, increasing the possibility of flooding and wind concerns in our region. Travel could be difficult at times if there is flash flooding.
Mike Burke, GMP Chief of Field Operations