The National Weather Service in Upton, N.Y., has issued a Flash Flood Warning for parts of the tri-state area, including Fairfield County.[naviga:img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-314902" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/NWS-Flash-Flood-Warning-map.jpg" alt="NWS Flash Flood Warning map" width="543" height="423" /]This National Weather Service graphic shows the area impacted by a Flash Flood Warning issued late Monday morning. The warning is expected to remain in effect until 2:15 Monday afternoon.

At 11:18 am Monday, April 16, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain across the warned area. Up to two inches of rain has already fallen in parts of the affected area; Newtown has received less than an inch, however.

"Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low-lying spots," the weather service said in issuing the warning. The warning will remain in effect until 2:15 pm Monday.

In addition to Fairfield County in Connecticut, areas covered by the warning include Hudson County, Passaic County, Union County, Bergen County, and Essex County, in New Jersey; and Orange County, Queens County, Richmond County, Bronx County, Kings County, Rockland County, Westchester County, and New York (Manhattan) County in New York.

"Some locations that will experience flooding," according to NWS, "include Newark, Jersey City, Jamaica, Yonkers, Paterson, Bridgeport, Elizabeth, Stamford, Flatbush, Norwalk, Danbury, New Rochelle, Flushing, Passaic and Bayonne."

A Flash Flood Warning means that flooding is imminent or occurring. Those in the warned area should move to higher ground immediately, the weather service advises. In addition, residents living along streams and creeks should take immediate precautions to protect life and property.

Unofficial observations taken during the 26 hours prior to 9:44 am April 16 showed no more than 1.06 inches of rain had fallen in Fairfield County. Stratford had recorded that level, while a location in west-northwest Newtown had received .52 of an inch during the same timeframe.

Showers "and possibly a thunderstorm" are expected for Newtown for the remainder of Monday, according to the weather service. "Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall," its forecast continues. Temperatures will reach a high of 55. Winds will be "breezy, with a southeast wind 18 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph."

New rainfall amounts of between a half and three-quarters of an inch are possible.

There is a 30 percent chance of showers into Monday evening, "mainly before 8 pm." Skies will be mostly cloudy, and temperatures will drop to a low around 37.

-National Weather Service graphic