Vermont flood map: Flooding devastation captured in drone footage amid race to rescue dozens of stranded citizens

The long and gruelling recovery work is slowly starting in Vermont after the state was deluged by two months worth of rain in two days this week.

In the capital city of Montpelier, where streets were flooded Tuesday by the swollen Winooski River, officials said that water levels at a dam just upstream appeared to be stable.

“It looks like it won’t breach. That is good. That is one less thing we have to have on our front burner,” Montpelier Town Manager Bill Fraser said. (AP)

Despite heavy rainfall being expected to ease later on Tuesday over New England, more extreme weather was brewing across the United States.

There was risk of heavy rainfall on Tuesday in the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley, the National Weather Service said in its short-term outlook.

Texas and other parts of the Southwest will continue to get extreme heat with advisories, watches and warnings in effect from Florida and Texas to California.

Some parts of Florida would experience record-tying/breaking temperatures in the coming days. When combined with the humidity, the “real feel” of the heat will range between 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Eastern Texas will hit the upper 90s to low 100s on Tuesday, spreading northward into additional portions of the Southern Plains and Central Plains on Wednesday. High humidity will lead to heat indices up to 110F here as well.

West Texas, as well as the Desert Southwest, will not see as much humidity but the air temperature will be hotter, ranging between the mid-100s to mid-110s, posing a similarly high risk of heat-related impacts.

After extreme rainfall battered the US northeast, the southern parts of the country are bracing for extreme temperatures, the forecast from National Weather Service shows.

The forecaster said “there’s going to be sweltering #heat across the Southern half of the US” by the end of this week, with “probabilities of a greater than a 100 degree (over 37C) heat index on Saturday (L) and Sunday (R)”.

Next week is expected to get even hotter with “hazardous” conditions in some parts, as “heat wave that will impact the South-Central and Southeast US,” according to NWS.

Extreme heat warnings and advisories have been put in place already in several parts including southern Nevada, southern California, eastern Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas.

Meanwhile, Flordia will start to see “dangerous heat” this week “through at least Thursday, continuing the hot and dry start to the rainy season for portions of the Sunshine State,” the Weather Channel reported.

The flood warning by the National Weather Service (NWS) for parts of Vermont is set to expire at 10.30am ET today, with no further flooding expected for central, northeast, northwest, and southern Vermont, including various counties.

The weather service said heavy rain had ended across the region. However, light rain may still persist. No new flooding is expected, but existing floodwaters may be slow to recede, the service warned.

Downtown Montpelier, a city of 8,000, was swamped between the capitol building and the Winooski River. Montpelier Town Manager Bill Fraser warned on Tuesday that the Wrightsville Dam several miles to the north could exceed capacity for the first time.

“There would be a large amount of water coming into Montpelier which would drastically add to the existing flood damage,” he said, adding that there are very few evacuation options remaining. “People in at risk areas may wish to go to upper floors in their houses.”

Just before noon on Tuesday, Montpelier Police said waters had risen to within a foot of the top of the dam, and every foot of water that goes over the spillway would double the flow into the city.

Multiple rescue crews were positioned in Montpelier, where dispatch, police and fire operations were relocated to a water treatment plant after heavy flooding at City Hall and the police and fire departments. Also, the radio towers they use for emergency calls are not functional, Police Chief Eric Nordenson said.

Shelters were set up at churches and town halls, but at least one refuge had to close as flooding worsened. Delivering food and water to more than 200 people sheltering at the Barre Municipal Auditorium has been a challenge.

“We’re trying to find paths to get supplies in to them,” said John Montes, American Red Cross of Northern New England regional disaster officer.

Floodwaters receded in Vermont cities and towns pummelled by a storm that delivered two months of rain in two days, officials say, allowing the focus to be on recovery now.

In the capital city of Montpelier, where streets were flooded on Tuesday by the swollen Winooski River, officials said that water levels at a dam just upstream appeared to be stable.

“It looks like it won’t breach. That is good. That is one less thing we have to have on our front burner,” Montpelier town manager Bill Fraser said.

Mr Fraser said the dam remains a lingering concern but with the water receding the city was shifting to recovery mode.

Public works employees were expected to start removing mud and debris in the downtown on Wednesday and building inspections will start as businesses begin cleaning up their properties.