Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Flooding State-by-State: Widespread Floods Reported in Florida Panhandle; Virginia Schools Dismiss Early

Sean Breslin
Published: September 29,2015

Days of heavy rainfall have led to flooding along the Gulf Coast, and much of that moisture is now headed northeast.
Along Florida's panhandle and Alabama's coast, roads have been flooded by inches of rain, stranding some drivers who needed to be rescued by authorities. Tuesday morning, flooding rains moved into central North Carolina, causing problems in and around the town of High Point.
"A cold front that is bringing cooler temperatures to the Midwest will intercept a moist air mass in the East Tuesday into Wednesday," said weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce. "This will result in a swath of heavy rain from the southern Appalachians into New England, which could result in flooding. More heavy rain is possible in parts of the East later in the week as the front stalls near the East Coast, but uncertainty is high at this time."
(MORE: Rip Currents Blamed for Two Deaths Along Georgia Coast)
Below is a state-by-state rundown of areas that have been affected by flooding so far.

Alabama

When the rainfall was most intense Sunday night, officials had to rescue more than a dozen drivers from flooded roadways, according to the Associated Press.
"They were stranded motorists, people who drove through the water," Steve Huffman, a spokesperson for the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department, told the AP.
On the University of South Alabama campus, a sinkhole expanded during the rain event, according to AL.com. A dormitory also had minor flooding on the first floor, the report added.
(MORE: Eastern Flood Threat Ahead)
More than a half-foot of rain fell in one day in the Mobile area, creating dangerous driving conditions and heavy surf along the beaches as well.
"Right now the big issue is rip currents," John Kilcullen of the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency told the AP. "They're telling people to stay out of the water because the Gulf is angry."
The heaviest rain moved east on Monday, but a few additional inches of rainfall could fall Tuesday. Authorities warned residents that conditions could rapidly turn dangerous again if additional flash flooding occurs.

Florida

The Florida Panhandle has taken the brunt of the Sunshine State's flooding impacts from this storm. According to local storm reports, 11.55 inches of rain fell Monday at Destin Airport, surpassing the previous one-day record for rainfall at that site. That airport's records, however, only date back about 17 years.
But at Destin Airport, 9.64 inches of rain fell in just six hours on Monday. East of Destin, 11.71 inches of rain were reported near Point Washington.
As expected, all this rainfall left many roads swamped and impassable.
(MORE: Tropical Storm Joaquin Forms)
@MRSmithSEWX nearly 13 inches fell in Navarre

"Several areas of Destin are experiencing flooding. City crews are addressing the areas most affected at this time. We advise you to stay off the roads if possible," said a City of Destin release, via the Destin Log.
No injuries have been reported from the flooding, according to NBC News.

Mississippi

Mississippi also felt the effects of coastal flooding early this week.
In Pascagoula, residents have begun to clean up from the flooding that occurred over the weekend. Volunteers worked to repair flood damage to the First Presbyterian Church in town, according to WLOX.com. The church suffered some damage, but the staff told WLOX.com they expect cleanup to be completed by the weekend.
"It just shot through like a river and it happened fast," Pastor Matt Mitchell told WDAM.com, referring to the flash flooding that damaged the church.
(MORE: Worst Hurricanes in All 50 States Since 1900)
In some areas, residents used canoes to get around, as streets were too flooded to navigate in automobiles. Some said it was the worst flooding they'd seen since 2005.
"Not since Katrina. Yep, not since Katrina," resident Arthur Black told WDAM.com.
The Weather Channel @weatherchannel
In southeast Mississippi RT @frankcorder Items washing out of yards and down the street in Jackson County. pic.twitter.com/q1NHhmvmYV

North Carolina

Floodwaters rose in central North Carolina Tuesday morning as heavy rainfall moved through the Tar Heel State. The town of High Point was especially hard-hit, as parking garages and roadways were flooded.
Several roads around High Point Regional Hospital were under water, and authorities were only allowing ambulances to drive through the flooding, according to Greensboro.com.
(MORE: Why Vehicles Are So Dangerous During Floods)
At least one water rescue was performed in High Point as a driver got stranded in floodwaters Tuesday morning, Greensboro.com also reported. Officials said it would likely take at least an hour for the flooding to drain from roads that were deemed impassable Tuesday morning.
Duke Energy reported more than 5,000 customers were without power in Forsyth and Guilford counties Tuesday morning, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.

Virginia

Roanoke County Public Schools announced the decision to send some students home early Tuesday with the threat of flash flooding growing. Montgomery County and Franklin County schools also closed early on Tuesday, according to Roanoke.com. Craig County Public Schools also announced an early closure due to the rain.
Christiansburg Fire Department responded to a report of a school bus stuck in flooding, Roanoke.com also said. All students were safely removed from the stranded bus and were sent to school on another bus.
A shelter has been opened in Salem for those impacted by flooding, according to the AP. For a complete list of road closures, check the Virginia 511 website.

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