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ACTIVE — Flash Flood Warning. The National Weather Service in Quad Cities has issued a Flash Flood Warning for parts of eastern Iowa and northwestern Illinois, in effect until 7:30 AM CDT on Sunday, September 20. This is a live snapshot as of 1:52 AM CDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Doppler radar at 1:38 AM CDT showed thunderstorms producing heavy rain moving across the southern and eastern portions of the warned area, and flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have already fallen across much of the warned area, with another 1 to 3 inches likely over the next few hours as more heavy-rain-producing storms move back across the area. For restoration teams, this is the classic overnight water event: the rain falls while everyone sleeps, and the interior flooding jobs get discovered at dawn — the exact water-intrusion calls contractors see most.

Quad Cities and Northwest Illinois — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: NWS Quad Cities IA IL. Issued: 1:38 AM CDT Sunday, September 20. Expires: 7:30 AM CDT. Severity: Severe. Certainty: Likely. Urgency: Immediate.

Covered areas: Southwestern Clinton County and Scott County in east central Iowa; eastern Muscatine County in east central Iowa; northwestern Bureau County, Henry County, Mercer County, Rock Island County, and southern Whiteside County in northwestern Illinois.

Hazard detail, verbatim from the alert: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. Source: radar indicated. At 1:38 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain moving across southern and eastern portions of the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen across much of the warned area with these storms. More heavy rain producing storms will move back across the area over the next few hours with additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches likely in the warned area.

Expected impacts, verbatim: Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Locations in the warning path: Davenport, Moline, Rock Island, Bettendorf, Muscatine, East Moline, Kewanee, Aledo, Cambridge, Silvis, Geneseo, Eldridge, Colona, Milan, Le Claire, Coal Valley, and Galva. The warned area also includes Big Bend Fish and Wildlife Area, Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area, and Prophetstown State Park — if you camped or parked near water in those areas overnight, move to higher ground now.

Highways in the warned area: Interstate 74 in Iowa between mile markers 1 and 5; Interstate 280 between mile markers 1 and 18; Interstate 80 in Iowa between mile markers 279 and 306; Interstate 80 in Illinois between mile markers 1 and 43; Interstate 74 in Illinois between mile markers 1 and 33; Interstate 88 between mile markers 1 and 32, and between mile markers 36 and 43. Never drive through flooded roadways — water over the road is the single most dangerous thing in this warning.

Source: NWS active alert | NWS Quad Cities office page

Stay safe tonight

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. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

If water gets into your home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present; do not enter the basement until water has receded and power is confirmed off. Photograph everything before you move or clean anything — documentation matters for insurance. Then call a local restoration contractor: water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day, and mold can begin within 24 to 48 hours.

If you can do so safely, please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law enforcement and ask that they pass the information to the National Weather Service — spotter reports are what upgrade these warnings from radar-indicated to observed.

What this means for restoration teams

This is a metro-area overnight event covering the Quad Cities corridor (Davenport–Bettendorf–Moline–Rock Island) plus Muscatine, Kewanee, Geneseo, and surrounding communities on both sides of the Mississippi. Damage categories to expect: interior water intrusion through foundations and slab-on-grade entries, saturated drywall and insulation in finished basements, stormwater backing up through floor drains in low-lying areas, and surface water pooling in urban poor-drainage zones. The call pattern will skew residential first light, then commercial — parking structures, below-grade storage, and loading docks along the I-74/I-80/I-280 corridors.

The play: stage equipment tonight and keep an on-call rotation through the morning. Pre-position dehumidifiers, air movers, and extraction units before the 7:30 AM CDT expiry so the first response window isn’t lost to loading the truck. Capture the address, water source, and affected areas on the first call — with 1 to 3 additional inches possible before the warning expires, distinguish active intrusion from post-recession wicking. Field discipline: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room (not just the visibly wet ones), and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

FEMA & federal assistance

FEMA Helpline: 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local, 7 days). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or find recovery centers at fema.gov/drc. Basic eligibility: 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 — do not wait for everything to be resolved first.

Looking ahead

The warning runs until 7:30 AM CDT, but the danger doesn’t end at expiry. The alert explicitly notes that additional heavy-rain-producing storms will move back across the area over the next few hours — with another 1 to 3 inches likely on top of the 1 to 2 inches already down, creeks and streams may crest well after the warning lifts, and urban ponding can linger into the morning commute. Watch for the next NWS update around the 7:30 AM CDT mark.

Demand window note: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — the second-day calls (musty odor, buckling flooring, wicking up drywall) often exceed the first-morning wave. Contractors who staff the full 48-hour window after a radar-indicated overnight event capture the jobs others miss.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert, read September 20, 2026: api.weather.gov active alert
• NWS Quad Cities IA IL office: weather.gov/dvn

To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov and enter your ZIP code, or check the NWS Quad Cities office page linked above.

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 National Weather Service office in Charleston, West Virginia, has extended a Flash Flood Warning for central Athens County and northeastern Vinton County in southeastern Ohio, effective until 6:30 AM EDT on Sunday, September 20. Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicate thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area, with between 0.5 and 2 inches already fallen and an additional 1 to 1.5 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

For restoration teams in Athens and Vinton counties, this is the classic interior-water-intrusion profile: the exact flood jobs restoration contractors see most. This is a live snapshot as of late Saturday night (PDT); conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Athens & Vinton Counties — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: NWS Charleston, WV (RLX) · Issued: 2:16 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026 · Expires: 6:30 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026 · Warning type: Flash Flood Warning

Hazard, verbatim from the alert: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. Source: radar and automated gauges. Detection: Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated. Between 0.5 and 2 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.

Expected impacts, per the 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: Athens, Nelsonville, Lake Hope State Park, Chauncey, Buchtel, Amesville, The Plains and Stroud Run State Park.

The warning covers central Athens County and northeastern Vinton County in southeastern Ohio. This is an extension of an earlier warning — rain has already been falling on ground that is now saturated, which is exactly when creeks, streams, and urban drainage start to outpace themselves. Source: the NWS alert for this warning, issued by NWS Charleston WV.

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 passable in headlights can be covering a washed-out culvert or a foot of fast-moving water.

If water enters the 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 — documentation matters for insurance. Then call a local restoration contractor: water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day.

You can report flooding to the National Weather Service by calling toll-free 800-401-9535, when you can do so safely.

What this means for restoration teams

A radar-and-gauge-indicated flash flood warning that has already been extended is the setup restoration teams know well: 0.5 to 2 inches already down with up to 1.5 more on the way, falling on ground that is now saturated overnight. Expect the calls to be interior water intrusion — water at door thresholds and garage entries, saturated lower drywall and insulation in finished basements, carpet and pad saturation in living areas, and standing water in crawl spaces. In college-town Athens and the small communities of northeastern Vinton County, watch for overwhelmed low-lying rentals and older housing stock with marginal drainage.

The damage categories to be ready for: interior water intrusion through low entries and below-grade walls, saturated drywall and insulation that wicks upward from the floor line, mold risk inside 24–48 hours on any organic material that stays wet, sewage backup where low-lying laterals get overwhelmed, and water-damaged flooring in garages and finished rooms.

The play overnight: stage extraction and drying equipment now so it rolls at first light; keep an on-call rotation through the 6:30 AM expiry and the hours after, because discovery calls lag the water — people wake up to wet carpet, not to the warning itself. On every first call capture the address, the water source, and the affected areas before dispatching. Field discipline stays the same even at speed: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room, and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

Athens is home to Ohio University and a dense rental market; landlords and property managers often discover damage a full day after tenants do. If your shop does property-management accounts, a proactive heads-up to those clients tonight can turn into a scheduled first-look tomorrow instead of an emergency call Monday.

FEMA & federal assistance

If damage is significant, the FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or through the FEMA app, and find local recovery centers 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 — do not wait for cleanup to finish.

Looking ahead

The warning runs until 6:30 AM EDT, after which the immediate alert expires — but that does not mean the water is done. Small creeks and streams can crest after the rain stops, and urban poor-drainage spots hold standing water into the morning. Watch for additional rounds of storms overnight: this warning is already an extension, so the pattern is active, not clearing.

The demand window: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — first the homeowners who are awake and watching, then the ones who find it Sunday afternoon, then the rental-property discoveries Monday. Staff your phone line through at least midday Sunday and have your first site visits scheduled by mid-morning.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS Flash Flood Warning — Athens & Vinton Counties, OH (issued 2:16 AM EDT, expires 6:30 AM EDT, Sep 20)
• NWS Charleston, WV — the issuing office; check here for updates, extensions, and county-specific guidance
• weather.gov — enter your ZIP code for your current watches and warnings

To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter the ZIP, and read the current alerts tab — or open your local NWS office page directly.

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

Update: observed flooding in Kalona — 4:43 AM CDT

Issued 4:43 AM CDT, still until 6:15 AM CDT by the National Weather Service in Quad Cities, IA/IL. The warned area is unchanged: Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Keokuk, Louisa, Muscatine, and Washington counties. This update is observed flooding, not a forecast — spotters are reporting it on the ground right now.

Trained weather spotters reported flash flooding in Kalona. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen across portions of the warned area. Rain has tapered off to mainly light to at times moderate rain, with the heaviest rain already over — but flash flooding is ongoing. The English River is out of its banks: Washington County deputies reported around a foot of water covering the intersection of 133rd Street and Nutmeg Street in Kalona. Be alert for rapid rises and flooding on area streams and creeks and along the English River.

Drivers should know the highway exposure in this warning: Interstate 80 between mile markers 205 and 277 and Interstate 380 between mile markers 1 and 7 are inside the warned area. Turn around, don’t drown — most flood deaths happen in vehicles, and it is much harder to recognize flooded roadways at night.

What this means for restoration teams: observed, on-the-ground flooding in Kalona and along the English River means this event is already producing water-intrusion work, not just risk. First calls typically land within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as damage is discovered — saturated drywall and insulation, contents in flooded basements, and septic/sewer backup in low-lying areas. If you’re covering the Iowa City–Muscatine–Washington corridor this morning, keep an on-call rotation through daylight and capture address, water source, and affected areas on the first call.

Update published as a live snapshot as of 4:43 AM CDT. Conditions change fast — verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

East Central and Southeast Iowa — Flash Flood Warning

The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities has issued a Flash Flood Warning for seven eastern Iowa counties, in effect until 6:15 AM CDT on Sunday, September 20. The warning, issued at 12:16 AM CDT, covers southern Cedar County, Iowa County, Johnson County, Muscatine County, Keokuk County, northwestern Louisa County, and Washington County.

For restoration teams, this is a wide-area overnight water event: between 1 and 2 inches of rain have already fallen, with another 2 to 3 inches possible before sunrise. Urban areas, small creeks, highways, and underpasses across east central and southeastern Iowa are in the impact zone — the exact interior flooding and stormwater-damage jobs restoration contractors see most.

UPDATE 1:45 AM CDT: this warning continues (same counties, same 6:15 AM CDT expiry), and flooding is now observed — trained weather spotters report the creek in Kalona, Iowa is out of its banks and still rising. This is a live snapshot as of 1:55 AM CDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Southern Cedar, Iowa, Johnson & Muscatine Counties — Flash Flood Warning

Issued by NWS Quad Cities IA IL at 12:16 AM CDT, expiring 6:15 AM CDT. At 12:16 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area; at 1:45 AM CDT trained weather spotters reported the creek in Kalona is out of its banks and still rising (flash flood detection now OBSERVED). Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen, with additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Locations that will experience flash flooding include: Iowa City, Muscatine, Tipton, West Branch, Durant, Coralville, North Liberty, West Liberty, Wilton, Tiffin, and University Heights.

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.

Highway impacts: Interstate 80 in Iowa between mile markers 205 and 277, and Interstate 380 between mile markers 1 and 7. Do not drive flooded roadways — underpasses on these corridors are especially dangerous overnight.

Sources: the NWS Quad Cities office page and the official NWS alert (alert ID urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.b1647530b5db10f8acc8cbf7b275d41d896a364b.001.1).

Keokuk, Northwestern Louisa & Washington Counties — Flash Flood Warning

Same warning, same timing: issued by NWS Quad Cities IA IL at 12:16 AM CDT, expiring 6:15 AM CDT. Radar-indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain, with 1 to 2 inches already fallen and up to 3 inches more possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Severity: Severe; certainty: Likely; urgency: Immediate.

Locations that will experience flash flooding include: Washington, Marengo, Sigourney, Columbus Junction, Williamsburg, Kalona, Wellman, and Lone Tree.

Expected impacts: small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, and other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Stay safe tonight

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways.

Be especially cautious at night, when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. This warning covers the full overnight window across the Iowa City–Muscatine corridor and surrounding rural counties, where rural roads and low-water crossings are hardest to read in the dark.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

If water enters the home: stay out of standing water where electricity may be present, avoid the basement until water recedes and power is confirmed off, photograph everything before 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

This is a water-intrusion event across a broad service area, from the Iowa City metro to rural southeastern Iowa. Expect:

• Interior water intrusion — basements, crawlspaces, and ground-floor commercial spaces in low-lying areas and along creeks and the Iowa/Cedar river tributaries.
• Saturated drywall and insulation — water wicks upward fast; what looks like a wet floor line is often a two-foot wall cut.
• Mold risk within 24–48 hours — drying starts now, not Monday.
• Sewage backup in low-lying urban and rural areas where stormwater overwhelms the system — treat as Category 3 until verified otherwise.
• Stormwater damage to commercial properties along the I-80 corridor — loading docks, storage areas, and below-grade parking.

The play: stage equipment tonight, pre-position drying assets across the seven-county area, keep an on-call rotation through Sunday morning, and capture address, water source, and affected areas on the 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

FEMA Helpline: 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 in-person recovery centers at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility: U.S. citizenship or qualified non-citizen 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 — do not wait for insurance to settle first.

Looking ahead

The warning expires at 6:15 AM CDT. What to watch through the rest of the night: additional thunderstorm rounds can drop rain on ground that is already saturated, and small creeks and streams often crest after the rain stops. With up to 2–3 inches more possible, a reissue or extension is likely if flooding is still ongoing at expiry.

Demand window note: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as homeowners discover damage — especially in basements that weren’t checked overnight.

Sources & how to verify

• Official warning: National Weather Service Quad Cities IA IL, Flash Flood Warning issued 12:16 AM CDT Sept 20 (alert ID urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.b1647530b5db10f8acc8cbf7b275d41d896a364b.001.1)
• NWS Quad Cities office page

To verify for your own county or ZIP code, check weather.gov or the NWS Quad Cities office page — alerts update continuously.

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

Southeastern Ohio — Flash Flood Warning

The National Weather Service in Charleston, West Virginia, has issued a Flash Flood Warning for parts of southeastern Ohio, in effect until 5:15 AM EDT on Sunday, September 20. The warning, issued at 1:16 AM EDT, covers southwestern Athens County, northwestern Meigs County, and northeastern Vinton County.

For restoration teams, this is the classic overnight water-intrusion setup: heavy rain on already-saturated ground, homes and businesses taking water in low-lying areas and along small creeks. These are the exact interior flooding jobs restoration contractors see most after flash flood events.

This is a live snapshot as of the 1:16 AM EDT issuance. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Southwestern Athens County — Flash Flood Warning

Issued by NWS Charleston WV at 1:16 AM EDT, expiring 5:15 AM EDT. At 1:16 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 2 inches of rain have fallen, with additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

Locations that will experience flash flooding include: McArthur, Albany, Zaleski, Carpenter, Radcliffe, and Creola.

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.

Sources: the NWS Charleston WV office page and the official NWS alert (alert ID urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.146aedd8dd80e584ce97c035f29d0ff0e86be4ac.001.1).

Northwestern Meigs County — Flash Flood Warning

Same warning, same timing: issued by NWS Charleston WV at 1:16 AM EDT, expiring 5:15 AM EDT. Radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain, with 0.5 to 2 inches already fallen and another 1 to 2 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Severity: Severe; certainty: Likely; urgency: Immediate.

Locations that will experience flash flooding include: McArthur, Albany, Zaleski, Carpenter, Radcliffe, and Creola.

Expected impacts: small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, and other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Northeastern Vinton County — Flash Flood Warning

Also covered under this warning: issued by NWS Charleston WV at 1:16 AM EDT, expiring 5:15 AM EDT. Same radar-indicated hazard — flash flooding caused by thunderstorms — with 0.5 to 2 inches of rain already down and up to 2 inches more possible before the warning expires.

Locations that will experience flash flooding include: McArthur, Albany, Zaleski, Carpenter, Radcliffe, and Creola.

Expected impacts: small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses, and other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Stay safe tonight

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways.

Be especially cautious at night, when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding. This warning lands squarely in the overnight hours, when flooded roads are nearly impossible to read.

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

Report flooding to the National Weather Service by calling toll free, 800-401-9535, when you can do so safely. (This number is published in the official warning.)

What this means for restoration teams

This is a water-intrusion event, not a wind event. Expect the damage categories contractors in Athens, Meigs, and Vinton counties know well:

• Interior water intrusion — basements, crawlspaces, and ground-floor rooms in low-lying areas and along creeks.
• Saturated drywall and insulation — water wicks upward fast; what looks like a wet floor line is often a two-foot wall cut.
• Mold risk within 24–48 hours — drying starts now, not Monday.
• Sewage backup in low-lying areas where stormwater overwhelms the system — treat as Category 3 until verified otherwise.

The play: stage equipment tonight, pre-position drying assets, keep an on-call rotation through Sunday morning, and capture address, water source, and affected areas on the 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

FEMA Helpline: 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 in-person recovery centers at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility: U.S. citizenship or qualified non-citizen 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 — do not wait for insurance to settle first.

Looking ahead

The warning expires at 5:15 AM EDT. What to watch through the rest of the night: additional thunderstorm rounds can drop rain on ground that is already saturated, and small creeks and streams often crest after the rain stops. If flooding is ongoing at expiry, expect the National Weather Service to extend or reissue the warning.

Demand window note: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as homeowners discover damage — especially in basements that weren’t checked overnight.

Sources & how to verify

• Official warning: National Weather Service Charleston WV, Flash Flood Warning issued 1:16 AM EDT Sept 20 (alert ID urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.146aedd8dd80e584ce97c035f29d0ff0e86be4ac.001.1)
• NWS Charleston WV office page

To verify for your own county or ZIP code, check weather.gov or the NWS Charleston WV office page — alerts update continuously.

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 National Weather Service in Wilmington has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Hocking County in central Ohio, southeastern Pickaway County, and northeastern Ross County — in effect until 3:00 AM EDT Saturday, September 20. At 11:57 PM EDT, radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area, and flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

This is the kind of event that generates the exact interior water-intrusion jobs restoration teams see most: saturated basements, flooded ground floors, and a second wave of damage that shows up days later. This is a live snapshot as of 9:00 PM PDT (midnight local). Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Hocking, Pickaway & Ross Counties — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: National Weather Service Wilmington, OH. Issued: 11:57 PM EDT, Friday, September 19, 2026. Expires: 3:00 AM EDT, Saturday, September 20, 2026.

Per the NWS alert, the warning covers Hocking County in central Ohio, southeastern Pickaway County in central Ohio, and northeastern Ross County in south central Ohio. The hazard is life-threatening flash flooding, with thunderstorms producing the flooding. The source is radar indicated — thunderstorms producing heavy rain, with between 1.5 and 3 inches of rain already fallen and additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches possible in the warned area. The NWS flags the damage threat as CONSIDERABLE.

The expected impact, per the NWS: life-threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, and underpasses.

Some locations that may experience flash flooding include: Logan, Hocking Hills State Park, Starr, Laurelville, Murray City, Adelphi, Tarlton, Gibisonville, Lake Logan State Park, Ilesboro, Enterprise, Rockbridge, South Bloomingville, Union Furnace, Buena Vista in Hocking County, Haydenville, Oreville, Carbon Hill, and Whisler.

NWS Wilmington’s office page is weather.gov/iln, where you can submit flash flooding reports via their website or social media when you can do so safely.

Stay safe tonight

Turn around, don’t drown. When you encounter a flooded road, turn around — most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Never drive through flooded roadways; six inches of moving water can knock you down, and a foot can sweep a vehicle away.

If water gets into your home tonight:

• Stay out of standing water where electricity may be present. Avoid the basement until water recedes and power is confirmed off.
• Photograph everything before you move anything or start cleanup — room by room, water lines, damaged belongings. Documentation is what your insurance claim is built on.
• Then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage — saturated drywall, soaked insulation, and microbial growth — within a day.

What this means for restoration teams

A considerable-threat flash flood warning with 1.5 to 3 inches already down and up to 2 more possible is a direct pipeline event for water-damage contractors in Hocking, Pickaway, and Ross Counties. Expect the damage profile you know: interior water intrusion through low ground floors and walkout basements, saturated drywall and insulation, sewage backup in low-lying areas where storm drains surcharge, and standing water in crawl spaces.

The play tonight:

• Stage equipment now. Get air movers, dehumidifiers, and extraction gear loaded before the phones start — flash flood calls cluster in the hours after water recedes, not during the rain.
• Pre-position drying assets. With 3 to 5 inches of total rain possible in some pockets, expect multi-room losses and full first-floor jobs, not just basement seepage.
• Keep an on-call rotation through the morning. People discover damage at daybreak — the call volume runs for days as water recedes and the hidden saturation shows.
• Capture address + water source + affected areas on the first call. Category matters: rain-driven intrusion is cleaner than sewer backup, and it changes the PPE and disposal plan.

Field discipline that pays: photo-document before mitigation starts, moisture-map every affected room (not just the visibly wet ones), and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work begins. Mold growth on saturated drywall is on a 24–48 hour clock — speed plus documentation is what separates the pros here.

FEMA & federal assistance

If this event escalates into a declared disaster, the standard federal resources apply: the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local, 7 days a week), DisasterAssistance.gov, the FEMA app, and fema.gov/drc for recovery centers. Basic eligibility: citizenship or qualified 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.

Looking ahead

The warning expires at 3:00 AM EDT Saturday. When it does, the immediate risk doesn’t automatically drop to zero — creeks and streams can crest hours after the rain stops, and additional rounds of storms are always possible on a humid late-September night. Watch NWS Wilmington for updates through the morning.

For restoration operators: the demand window on flash-flood events like this runs in two waves — emergency extraction calls in the first hours after water recedes, then a slower wave of mold-and-saturation jobs over the following days as homeowners discover damage behind walls and under flooring. If you’re marketing to this corridor (Logan, the Hocking Hills area, the Route 23 / Route 35 towns), this weekend is the window.

Sources & how to verify

• The NWS alert: Flash Flood Warning — Hocking, Pickaway, Ross Counties (api.weather.gov)
• Issuing office: NWS Wilmington, OH

To verify for your own county or ZIP code, check weather.gov or your local NWS office page for the latest active alerts.

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