Above: A screenshot of the forecast hydrograph for the West Branch of the Delaware River in Walton, taken at 11:20 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21.
The National Weather Service at Binghamton has issued a flood warning for the West Branch in Walton, effective from the morning of Sunday, Dec. 22 through Monday afternoon.
At 9 p.m. on Saturday, when the warning was issued, the river was at 7.3 feet and rising. The West Branch will continue to rise throughout the day on Sunday, and is expected to crest at 10.5 feet -- minor flood stage -- at around 6 p.m.
The rest of Delaware County is under a flood watch through Monday morning, due to the combination of rain and rapid snowmelt. A warning is more serious than a watch: A watch indicates that flooding is possible, while a warning means flooding is imminent or already underway.
No weather watches or advisories are currently in effect for the other Catskills counties: Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan or Ulster.
Update, Sunday, Dec. 22, 1 p.m.: A flood warning has also been declared for the Susquehanna River at Bainbridge, affecting the northwestern edge of Delaware County. The warning is in effect from 1 a.m. Monday through early Monday afternoon, with the river expected to reach minor flood stage at 1 a.m.
A hydrograph showing both real-time and forecasted water level data for the Susquehanna at Bainbridge can be found on the National Weather Service's website.
