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Update: warning extended to 9:45 AM EDT — new 5:43 AM EDT warning

Issued 5:43 AM EDT by the National Weather Service in Charleston, WV, until 9:45 AM EDT. The earlier 4:40 AM warning for central West Virginia (until 8:45 AM EDT) has been superseded by this updated warning for a reshaped polygon: southwestern Clay, Pocahontas, southwestern Randolph, Webster, and Nicholas counties. The flood threat is carrying forward into the morning commute.

Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen, with additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 1.5 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Hazard: flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. Impact per the alert: flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, and other poor-drainage and low-lying areas. This includes Route 19 between mile markers 35 and 49.

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads — most flood deaths occur in vehicles. If you see flooding, report it to the National Weather Service when you can do so safely: 1-800-401-9535 (toll-free).

What this means for restoration teams: the mountain-county polygon (Pocahontas, Webster, Randolph, Nicholas) means remote, limited-access communities along Route 19 and the small-creek drainages — the jobs will be interior water intrusion in homes with limited cell reach and longer dry-out equipment runs. Urban-underpass and street flooding means commercial water-intrusion work too. With up to 3 inches total possible before 9:45 AM EDT, calls will start as water recedes this morning and continue for days. Stage drying assets before the first call and moisture-map every affected room.

Update published as a live snapshot as of 5:43 AM EDT. Conditions change fast — verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

The National Weather Service in Charleston, WV has issued a Flash Flood Warning for central West Virginia — Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Gilmer, Lewis, Nicholas, Roane, and Webster counties — effective until 8:45 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026. Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area, with between 0.5 and 1.5 inches already fallen and another 1 to 1.5 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

For restoration teams, this is the exact interior-flooding scenario you see most often: water pushing into homes through low-lying entry points, saturated drywall and insulation, and the first wave of water-intrusion calls once the rain lets up. This is a live snapshot as of 5:00 AM EDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Central West Virginia — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: National Weather Service, Charleston, WV (weather.gov/rlx)
Issued: 4:40 AM EDT, September 20, 2026
Expires: 8:45 AM EDT, September 20, 2026
Severity: Severe · Certainty: Likely · Urgency: Immediate

The warning covers southeastern Roane County, Braxton County, southeastern Calhoun County, central Clay County, southern Gilmer County, northwestern Webster County, south central Lewis County, and north central Nicholas County — all in north central to northeastern West Virginia.

At 4:40 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 1.5 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Hazard: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. Source: Radar indicated.

Expected impacts (per the NWS alert): Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, as well as other poor-drainage and low-lying areas.

Locations that will experience flash flooding include: Sutton, Gassaway, Birch River, Wallback, Holly River State Park, Flatwoods, and Centralia.

Highways in the warning: Route 19 between mile markers 47 and 61, between mile markers 64 and 66, and near mile marker 68; Interstate 79 between mile markers 34 and 80.

Source: NWS alert (api.weather.gov)

Stay Safe This Morning

Turn around, don’t drown. When you encounter a flooded road, turn around and find another route. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — it takes very little moving water to sweep a car off the road. Never drive through flooded roadways, and never walk through moving water.

If water enters your home:

• Stay out of standing water where electricity may be present — assume any water in the home could be energized until power is confirmed off.
• Avoid the basement until water recedes and the power is confirmed off.
• Photograph everything before cleanup begins — room by room, wide shots and close-ups. Documentation matters for insurance.
• Call a local restoration contractor early — water left sitting starts a second wave of damage (mold, warping, bacterial growth) within a day or two.

What This Means for Restoration Teams

This is the bread-and-butter water-intrusion call: flash flooding of small creeks and streams and poor-drainage areas pushes water into basements, crawl spaces, and slab foundations across Sutton, Gassaway, Flatwoods, and the surrounding towns. Expect the call pattern contractors in central WV know well:

• Interior water intrusion — ground-level entry through doors, window wells, and foundation cracks, plus water backing up through floor drains in low-lying streets.
• Saturated drywall and insulation — anything wet past the paper backing is a tear-out, not a dry-out.
• Mold risk within 24–48 hours — with temperatures mild and humidity high after a morning storm, microbial growth starts fast. Drying equipment needs to be on-site same-day.
• Low-lying commercial along Route 19 and I-79 corridors — watch for retail and storage facilities near mile markers 47–61 and 64–68 that sit in drainage paths.

The play: stage equipment now, not when the phone rings. Pre-position air movers and dehumidifiers, keep an on-call rotation through the morning, and capture address + water source + affected areas on the first call — it decides the whole job scope. On-site: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room, and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

FEMA & Federal Assistance

If flooding damages your home or business, the FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or find a recovery center at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility: U.S. citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it is safe to do so — documentation you capture today (photos, receipts, the warning itself) supports your claim.

Looking Ahead

This warning runs until 8:45 AM EDT Sunday. When it expires, that does not mean the water is gone — small creeks and streams in these counties can crest after the rain stops, and a second round of storms over already-saturated ground would re-trigger flooding fast. Watch NWS Charleston (weather.gov/rlx) for extensions or new warnings through the morning.

Demand window note for contractors: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — warped flooring, musty odors, wicking up drywall. Today’s Sutton/Gassaway/Flatwoods corridor is the call map for the next 72 hours.

Sources & How to Verify

• NWS Flash Flood Warning alert (api.weather.gov)
• NWS Charleston, WV — weather.gov/rlx

To verify for your own county or ZIP code: go to weather.gov, enter your ZIP in the search box, and check the active alerts for your area. Your county emergency management office carries local closure and evacuation information.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.

ACTIVE: A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for the Cedar Rapids and eastern Iowa area, issued by the National Weather Service Quad Cities IA/IL at 3:08 AM CDT, expiring 8:00 AM CDT.

Between 1 and 2 inches have already fallen with 1 to 3 more inches possible — a multi-county setup across Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, and Linn counties, running right through Cedar Rapids on I-380.

This is a live snapshot as of 3:18 AM CDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones & Linn Counties, Iowa — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: NWS Quad Cities IA/IL
Issued: 3:08 AM CDT
Expires: 8:00 AM CDT

Hazard: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

Source: Radar indicated.

Locations expected to experience flash flooding include: Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, Robins, Anamosa, Vinton, Marengo, Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Solon, Ely, Fairfax, Walford, Mechanicsville, Stanwood, Palo, Belle Plaine, Center Point, Springville, Atkins.

Expected impacts: Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen, with additional rainfall of 1 to 3 inches possible. This includes Interstate 380 between mile markers 8 and 36 — expect flooded stretches on the main north-south corridor through the warned area.

Sources: NWS alert | NWS Quad Cities IA/IL office page

Stay Safe Tonight

Turn around, don’t drown. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways, and be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads. Remain alert for flooding even in locations not receiving rain — arroyos, streams, and rivers can become raging killer currents in a matter of minutes, even from distant rainfall.

If water enters your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present, avoid the basement until water recedes and power is confirmed off, and photograph everything before cleanup — that documentation matters for insurance. Then call a local restoration contractor: water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day.

Report what you see: the NWS asks residents to report observed flooding to local emergency services or law enforcement and request they pass it to the National Weather Service — but only when it can be done safely.

What This Means for Restoration Teams

A warning like this one is the contractor’s early warning system for the next several days of inbound work. Six counties and the Cedar Rapids metro in one polygon — this is the scale of warning that generates a multi-day call queue: basements along the Cedar River corridor, saturated commercial ground floors, and low-lying subdivisions in Hiawatha and Robins.

• Basement and crawlspace flooding across the Cedar Rapids/Marion/Hiawatha metro — the classic Category 1–2 residential jobs that start the moment water recedes.
• Stormwater backup in low-lying urban streets and underpasses — sewage cross-contamination risk where combined systems are overwhelmed.
• Saturated drywall, carpet, and insulation with mold risk within 24–48 hours — crews that start drying same-day get the job, not the callback.
• I-380 corridor flooding (mile markers 8–36) — commercial and fleet clients along the interstate should be on the call list.

The play: pre-position drying assets across the metro now, keep an on-call rotation through the 8:00 AM expiry and into the morning commute, and capture address + water source + affected areas on the first call — with 3 more inches possible, crews should expect the call volume to build through sunrise.

Field discipline holds: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room, and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

FEMA & Federal Assistance

If flooding damages your home and you need federal help, the FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or by finding a recovery center at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility: U.S. citizenship or qualified immigration status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it’s safe to do so — you do not have to wait for an official disaster declaration to start the process.

Looking Ahead

This warning runs until 8:00 AM CDT, and with up to 3 additional inches possible, watch for reissues or extensions from NWS Quad Cities through the morning. Small creeks and streams can crest after the rain stops, and urban underpasses stay flooded into the commute window.

Water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — saturated drywall, buckling floors, and musty odors that show up after the water is gone.

Sources & How to Verify

• NWS Flash Flood Warning alert (read September 20, 2026)
• NWS Quad Cities IA/IL office page (read September 20, 2026)
• weather.gov — enter your county or ZIP for the current warning picture

To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov and enter your ZIP code, or check the issuing NWS office page for the latest updates and any reissues.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.

The situation right now

The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a Flash Flood Warning for southern De Kalb County, northern La Salle County, and Lee County in north central Illinois, effective 2:12 AM CDT Sunday, September 20, and running until 8:00 AM CDT. Doppler radar shows thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area — up to 3 inches have already fallen, with rainfall rates of 1.5 to 2.5 inches per hour and another 1 to 3 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. This is the exact interior-flooding profile restoration teams see most: fast water in homes, not rising rivers. This is a live snapshot as of early Sunday morning. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

De Kalb, La Salle & Lee Counties, IL — Flash Flood Warning

Issued by NWS Chicago at 2:12 AM CDT; expires 8:00 AM CDT. Hazard, verbatim from the alert: flash flooding caused by thunderstorms, radar-indicated. At 2:12 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain; up to 3 inches of rain have fallen, expected rainfall rates of 1.5 to 2.5 inches per hour, with additional amounts of 1 to 3 inches possible in the warned area.

Locations in the warning path, per NWS: Sandwich, Mendota, Amboy, Sheridan, Shabbona, Lake Holiday, Hinckley, Somonauk, Earlville, Waterman, Serena, Leland, Paw Paw, Sublette, Woodhaven Lakes, Millington, Lee, Compton, Troy Grove, Nelson, West Brooklyn, Harmon, Triumph, Prairie Center, and Lee Center.

Expected impacts, verbatim: rapid-onset flooding of creeks, streams, drainage ditches, streets, underpasses, low-lying areas, and other poor drainage areas. Persons along creeks, drainage ditches, and other waterways should take immediate precautions to protect life and property.

Sources: NWS Chicago, weather.gov.

Stay safe tonight

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads — most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Never drive through flooded roadways; 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, 12 inches can carry away a car. It is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding at night — be especially cautious. If water enters your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present, avoid the basement until water recedes and power is confirmed off, and photograph everything before any cleanup — documentation matters for insurance. Then call a local restoration contractor; water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day.

What this means for restoration teams

Rates of 1.5 to 2.5 inches per hour on already-saturated ground mean rapid-onset interior flooding: water intrusion through doors and window wells, saturated drywall and insulation, and sewage backup in low-lying pockets of the warned area. With flash flooding ongoing at 2 AM, first water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage. Mold risk begins within 24 to 48 hours — the drying play starts now.

The play: stage equipment now — air movers, dehumidifiers, extraction units — and pre-position drying assets across the De Kalb / La Salle / Lee triangle before first light. Keep an on-call rotation through the morning; Sunday-morning water events generate calls all day as residents wake to standing water. Capture address, water source, and affected areas on the very first call. Field discipline: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room, and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

FEMA & federal assistance

If the flooding damages your home, the FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA mobile app, or find a recovery center at fema.gov/drc. Basic eligibility generally requires citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it is safe to do so.

Looking ahead

This warning runs until 8:00 AM CDT. Overnight, watch for additional rounds of thunderstorms training over the same counties, and creeks and drainage ditches that crest later even after rain stops. The NWS will update or extend the warning if conditions warrant; check the NWS Chicago page for the latest. For restoration operators, the demand window is Sunday: calls start as water recedes and run for days as damage is discovered.

Sources & how to verify

NWS Chicago alert (issued 2:12 AM CDT Sept 20, 2026): weather.gov — NWS Chicago office: weather.gov/lot/. To verify for your county or ZIP, go to weather.gov and enter your ZIP, or check your local NWS office page.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.

Flash flood warning extended through 9 AM in central Ohio

The National Weather Service office in Wilmington, Ohio has extended a Flash Flood Warning for southern Hocking County and southeastern Pickaway County in central Ohio, now in effect until 9:00 AM EDT Sunday, September 20, 2026. This is an extension of the earlier warning — and it is not routine: law enforcement reported flash flooding across the warned area at 2:48 AM EDT, with 3 to 4 inches of rain already fallen.

Flash flooding at this scale is exactly the interior-water damage that restoration teams spend the busiest days of their year on — saturated basements, flooded roadways, and water moving through homes and businesses before daylight. This is a live snapshot as of 3:10 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Southern Hocking County — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: National Weather Service Wilmington, Ohio (weather.gov/iln)
Issued: 2:48 AM EDT Sunday, September 20, 2026
Expires: 9:00 AM EDT Sunday, September 20, 2026
Severity: Severe

Hazard detail, per the alert: At 2:48 AM EDT, local law enforcement reported flash flooding across the warned area. Between 3 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. The hazard is described as life threatening flash flooding, with thunderstorms producing flash flooding. Source: law enforcement reported.

Locations in the warned area include:

• Hocking Hills State Park
• Starr
• Laurelville
• Tarlton
• Gibisonville
• South Bloomingville
• Buena Vista (Hocking County)
• Ilesboro
• Union Furnace
• Whisler

This also includes Salt Creek and Laurel Run. Expected impacts, verbatim from the alert: life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Southeastern Pickaway County — Flash Flood Warning

The same warning covers southeastern Pickaway County in central Ohio, issued and expiring on the same timeline: 2:48 AM EDT through 9:00 AM EDT Sunday, September 20, 2026, from NWS Wilmington (weather.gov/iln). The same conditions apply — observed flash flooding reported by law enforcement, 3 to 4 inches of rain fallen, and another 0.5 to 1 inch possible. Because this warning is an extension rather than a new issuance, the ground in the warned area is already saturated, and even the additional half-inch to inch of rain can convert quickly into renewed flooding on small creeks, low-lying roads, and poor-drainage areas.

Stay safe overnight

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding — a road that looks merely wet can be under feet of moving water. Never drive around barricades, and never attempt to cross a flooded underpass or low-water crossing.

If water enters your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present, and avoid the basement until the water recedes and the power is confirmed off. Photograph everything before cleanup begins — documentation matters for insurance. Then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day, as drywall, insulation, and flooring begin to break down and mold takes hold.

To report flash flooding, go to weather.gov/iln and submit your report via social media, when you can do so safely.

What this means for restoration teams

An observed, law-enforcement-confirmed flash flood warning with 3 to 4 inches down and more possible is the profile that produces the densest cluster of water-mitigation calls: interior water intrusion through foundations and below-grade entries, saturated drywall and insulation in basements and first floors, and mold risk within 24 to 48 hours anywhere water sits. The named impacts — creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses — translate directly to flooded homes near low-lying drainage, commercial buildings with overwhelmed storm drainage, and water pushing into finished basements around Salt Creek and Laurel Run.

The play for operators in the Hocking Hills and Pickaway area:

• Stage equipment now — extractors, dehumidifiers, air movers — because the calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage.
• Pre-position drying assets and keep an on-call rotation through the morning, since the warning runs through 9 AM and saturated soils mean even the extra half-inch to inch of rain can restart flooding.
• Capture the essentials on the first call: address, water source, and affected areas. After an overnight event, homeowners describe things loosely — pin down where the water came from and which rooms are wet.
• Field discipline: photo-document everything before mitigation begins, moisture-map every affected room even where the water “looked minor,” and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts. After a chaotic night event, scope creep and disputed authorizations are the expensive part of the job.
• Expect secondary damage claims: sewage backup in low-lying areas is common in this kind of event, and saturation around foundations shows up as delayed intrusion days later.

Local emergency contacts

For life-threatening emergencies, always dial 911 first. County emergency management contacts, verified against county sources:

• Hocking County Emergency Management Agency — 740-385-6168, hocking.oh.gov/EMA (52 E 2nd St, Logan, OH)
• Pickaway County Emergency Management — 740-477-1165, pickaway.org/offices/emergency (24-hour line; office in Circleville, OH)

FEMA & federal assistance

If this flooding damages your home or property, federal assistance may be available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week), apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA app, or find a recovery center at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility generally requires citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it is safe to do so — and document the damage thoroughly before cleanup, since that documentation supports both insurance and FEMA claims.

Looking ahead

The warning expires at 9:00 AM EDT Sunday. Between now and then, the additional 0.5 to 1 inch of rain possible over already-saturated ground is the thing to watch — small creeks and streams, including Salt Creek and Laurel Run, can crest after the rain stops, so water levels may keep rising even as conditions look like they’re improving. Watch for the next update from NWS Wilmington at weather.gov/iln, and note that a warning can be extended again if flooding persists.

For restoration operators, the demand window on events like this runs long: the first wave of calls comes within hours of water receding, and a second wave arrives over the following days as homeowners discover intrusion in basements, crawlspaces, and finished areas they didn’t check overnight. Plan staffing accordingly, and treat the morning after expiry as the start of the intake window, not the end of the event.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert: Flash Flood Warning, southern Hocking and southeastern Pickaway Counties (api.weather.gov)
• Issuing office: NWS Wilmington, Ohio — weather.gov/iln
• Hocking County Emergency Management: hocking.oh.gov/EMA
• Pickaway County Emergency Management: pickaway.org/offices/emergency

To verify conditions for your own county or ZIP code, visit weather.gov and enter your location, or go directly to your local NWS office page.

This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.