Severe weather to bring flash flooding risk over weekend
Apr. 26—Multiple rounds of rain over the last week have set the table for the first substantial risk of flash flooding this season as severe weather moves through the weekend.
With severe weather presenting a variety of potential hazards on Saturday and Sunday, a flood watch is set to go into effect in Buchanan County from noon Saturday until 1 p.m. Sunday.
"We're anticipating many different kinds of weather from small hail to large hail, downpours to possible tornadoes," said Bill Brinton, Buchanan County Emergency Management director. "Especially if you're out and you're driving in poured-down rain, you need to be very, very careful about where you're driving and about how fast you're going."
In addition to local law enforcement assistance and a 12-team EMS strike team, Buchanan County Emergency Management coordinates with Chillicothe and Cameron to cover as many areas as possible when severe weather and flooding occur.
A quick drive through St. Joseph shows small bodies of water already building on the sides of roadways from 1 to 2 inches of previous rain and runoff.
One area by the rail crossing on South Sixth Street already has a large amount of standing water nearby. With 2 to 4 inches of rain potentially in store, it likely will not take much extra rain for it to start spilling onto the roadway.
Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett said regardless of the size of a vehicle being driven, the risks are too great to attempt pushing through flash flood waters.
"Depending on how deep the water is, a vehicle could become buoyant very quickly ... whether it's a taller or smaller vehicle," Puett said. "I've worked fatalities where vehicles have been taken off roadways and it doesn't take very much."
Puett said the department has a response team ready to act if weather and travel conditions become hazardous in areas across the city and county. Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm-related hazard.
"We do have some people on standby. And when those events start, then we start with checking our common areas that we've had issues in the past and we work out from there," Puett said.
A mere 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars.
Brinton suggests staying off the roadways altogether this weekend if possible during severe weather.
"When you're driving along and you're going over the speed limit and you happen upon a puddle of water, your vehicle will hydroplane and it may cause you to strike things that may even kill you," Brinton said.
With Saturday's severe weather expected to start in the afternoon and persist into the evening and night, officials are cautioning those who do decide to drive in the dark with low visibility to be especially careful as gauging water depth becomes even more difficult.
"Our biggest concern is always at night," Brinton said. "At nighttime, if you happen upon moving water and you're not aware of it ... you're already in it."
One thing residents can do to assist law enforcement and emergency management officials is report when water is seen over a roadway. Reports can be especially helpful as they track and respond to situations over the weekend.
