VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — As coastal storms approach, residents living in Lynnhaven Colony are preparing for the possibility of rising water and flooding in their neighborhood.
Frank Willson, who has lived in his home for more than 30 years, was preparing his property on Wednesday by checking his deck and placing sandbags in front of his garage.
Willson said nor’easters can be particularly concerning because prolonged northeast winds can prevent water from draining from the inlet and Chesapeake Bay.
“The nor’easters are the worst in my mind,” Willson said. “The hurricanes come, and they go pretty quickly. It’s when we have these northeast winds sit here for two to three days, not letting the water out of the inlet and the bay, and each high tide gets a little higher and higher.”
Willson has also placed “No Wake” signs in his front yard, hoping drivers will slow down if water covers the roadway.
He said vehicles driving through standing water can create wakes that have damaged garage doors in the neighborhood during previous storms.
“Unfortunately, what it will do is the wake it creates in past storms; it’s actually damaged some of the neighbors’ garage doors,” Willson said. “It will buckle when the waves hit. I try to do something to encourage them to make them say, ‘Hey, you may not live here, but we do. Take it easy.’”
Willson said water from the inlet can make its way up a nearby boat ramp, while clogged storm drains can prevent water from moving off the roadway.
Although the neighborhood was relatively dry on Wednesday afternoon, Willson said he expects conditions to change as additional high tides move through.
“I anticipate the next three high tides, maybe four, it’s going to be significant,” Willson said. “So try to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
The city of Virginia Beach is also allowing residents in flood-prone areas to park their vehicles in Town Center parking garages through Saturday morning. Residents are asked not to park in reserved spaces.
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