Tuesday storms prompt tornado warning, but high water real concern in Tuscarawas Valley
TUSCARAWAS COUNTY – By Wednesday afternoon, the Tuscarawas Valley was saturated with the heavy rain that had fallen over the past 72 hours, leading to numerous road closings and at least two school cancellations.
Claymont City Schools and Conotton Valley Union Local Schools were closed Wednesday due to flooding.
Tornado sirens sounded in Tuscarawas County on Tuesday evening after a warning was posted for the southern part of the county, but there were no reports of damage, said Jennifer James, director of the Tuscarawas County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency. Instead, flooding is the main concern.
According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, some places in the Tuscarawas Valley received between 3 and 4 inches of rain.
More weather news: Friday snowstorm hits southern Tuscarawas County hard; up to 1 foot of snow in some areas
Rainfall totals:
4 miles east of Deersville, Harrison County ‒ 4.68 inches.
2 miles northeast of Leesville, Carroll County ‒ 4.59 inches.
Harry Clever Field, New Philadelphia ‒ 3.07 inches.
Carrollton ‒ 2.76 inches.
New Philadelphia ‒ 2.4 inches.
Zoar ‒ 1.8 inches.
The rain led to numerous roads being closed, including Ohio 800 south of Dennison, Ohio 258 north of West Chester and east of Newcomerstown, Ohio 800 in Freeport, Ohio 646 north of Tappan Lake in Harrison County, Ohio 151 east of Scio and west of Bowerston, Ohio 212 just south of Leesville and north of Sherrodsville.
"In light of this, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) strongly urges drivers to exercise extreme caution ... and to check OHGO.com for the most up-to-date information regarding road conditions," said Lauren Borell, public information officer for ODOT District 11. Drivers should never travel through high water.
Soggy forecast
The weather service is calling for rain and snow showers through Friday. The Thursday forecast for New Philadelphia calls for snow showers before 11 a.m., then rain showers. Some thunder is possible. The high will be near 44. On Friday, snow showers are likely before 1 p.m., then rain showers are likely. It will be mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Drier conditions are expected Saturday and Sunday.
Dennison Mayor Greg DiDonato said his village has seen high water at PHAC Park and Thornwood Park. At the PHAC, water got into the street department garage, forcing village employees to move equipment out of the building. At Thornwood Park, the shelter house had water in it and will have to be power washed before the first scheduled party there on May 4.
South Sixth Street, leading to Deersville Avenue, is also under water, DiDonato said.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported that Big Stillwater Creek in Uhrichsville was at 14 feet, which is 4 feet above flood stage. Mayor Jim Zucal said there was limited flooding in the city, but nothing major.
High water in Scio and Jewett
In Harrison County, there was high water in Scio and Jewett, said Eric Wilson, director of the Harrison County Emergency Management Agency. But there were no reports of damage from the storm Tuesday evening.
He noted that Harrison County had more damage from a storm Monday night, which brought down trees and power lines in the Cadiz and New Athens areas.
Flooding also posed a problem Tuscarawas County for residents on Tuesday.
Along Fry's Valley Road in Clay Township, Todd and Wendy Fillman worked to corral livestock after debris flowing from the flooding of Fry's Creek knocked over several pasture fence posts.
In New Philadelphia, the Tuscora Park Pond overflowed into the parking lot.
T-R staff photographer Andrew Dolph can be reached by phone at, 330-289-6072, or by email at adolph3@gannett.com. You can also find him on Instagram @dolphphoto.
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: After Tuesday storm, high water remains concern in Tuscarawas Valley
