*Flash flood watch issued for Northern Shenandoah Valley

By Preston Knight -- pknight@nvdaily.com

Showers are expected to increase in frequency and power Tuesday afternoon as the Northern Shenandoah Valley remains under a flash flood watch, according to the National Weather Service.

As of noon, most showers had been light, but that was to change within an hour or two, said Carrie Suffern, a meteorologist with the weather service's Sterling office. Rain will continue into the evening hours.

Since 6 a.m., Frederick County, near Whitacre, had 1.46 inches of rain, while an area two miles northeast of Winchester had 1.02 inches, Suffern said. Edinburg, from 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday, had 0.86 inches.

There were no collective seasonal totals immediately available for the area, but Dulles International Airport has had 11.55 inches of rainfall since March 1, which is 2.66 inches above normal, Suffern said.

Charlottesville, meanwhile, has more than doubled its amount of rain in the same period compared to last year -- 14.53 inches versus 6.85 inches.

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