Flash flood warnings swamp Richmond in 2025
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There have been 68 flash food warnings issued for metro Richmond so far this year, according to data from the National Weather Service.
Why it matters: The NWS has issued more flash flood warnings nationwide thus far in 2025 than in any other year on record.
- And it's only mid-July.
State of play: The "extraordinary amount of humidity in the atmosphere" has been behind the most recent Richmond storms, WTVR's chief meteorologist Zach Daniels reported this week.
- And high humidity not only drives RVA's recent miserable mugginess, it leads to storms, which dumps moisture onto the ground, which is then evaporated and drives even more storms, he noted.
What they're saying: "2025 has been the year of the flood," meteorologist Michael Lowry writes.
Between the lines: Climate change is to blame for much of it. It "is supercharging the water cycle," sparking heavier precipitation extremes and related flood risks, according to climate research group Climate Central.
- Hourly rainfall intensity in Richmond increased by nearly 14% between 1970 and 2024.
By the numbers: With 23, Chesterfield has had the most flash food warnings in the metro area this year, per NWS data. The rest:
- Henrico: 19
- Richmond: 14
- Hanover: 12
Zoom out: NWS offices issued 3,160 flash flood warnings nationwide this year through July 16, according to a tracker at Iowa State University's Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
What we're watching: The high chance of more rain in the forecast this weekend.