Tag: National Weather Service

Live snapshot as of 8:35 AM EDT on Sunday, September 20, 2026. The warning below is active now.

The National Weather Service in Charleston, West Virginia, has extended a Flash Flood Warning for parts of central and north-central West Virginia. The warning is in effect until 10:00 AM EDT today and covers portions of Braxton, Calhoun, Clay, Gilmer, Lewis, Nicholas, Roane, and Webster counties. This is exactly the kind of interior-flooding scenario that produces the water-intrusion jobs restoration teams see most — saturated ground, small creeks rising fast, and roadways that go under before anyone expects it.

This is a live snapshot as of 8:35 AM EDT on September 20, 2026. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Central West Virginia — Flash Flood Warning

Issued by: NWS Charleston, WV
Issued: 8:25 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026
Expires: 10:00 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026
Message type: Update / extension of an earlier warning

The warning covers: southeastern Roane County in central West Virginia; Braxton County in north central West Virginia; southeastern Calhoun County in north central West Virginia; central Clay County in north central West Virginia; southern Gilmer County in north central West Virginia; northwestern Webster County in northeastern West Virginia; south central Lewis County in northern West Virginia; and north central Nicholas County in southeastern West Virginia.

Per the National Weather Service alert, at 8:25 AM EDT Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have already fallen, and additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1 inch are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

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

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include Sutton, Gassaway, Birch River, Big Otter, Wallback, Holly River State Park, Harrison, Burnsville, Flatwoods, Frametown, Little Birch, Wilsie, Exchange, Strange Creek, Servia, Rosedale, Widen, Heaters, Cedarville, and Centralia.

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

Highway exposure: This includes Route 19 between mile markers 47 and 61, between mile markers 64 and 66, and near mile marker 68 — plus Interstate 79 between mile markers 34 and 80. Drivers on I-79 through the corridor should expect rapidly changing conditions at underpasses and low spots.

NWS Charleston office page: weather.gov/rlx. Source alert issued by NWS Charleston WV at 8:25 AM EDT, September 20, 2026 (AWIPS identifier FFWRLX).

Stay safe this morning

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

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 — 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. Your report helps forecasters track what’s happening on the ground.

What this means for restoration teams

This is the signature central-West-Virginia flood pattern: radar-indicated training thunderstorms dropping 1.5 to 2.5 inches onto already-saturated ground, with small creeks and streams as the first failure points. For contractors across the warned counties, expect the call types that follow this kind of event:

• Interior water intrusion — seepage through foundation walls and basement entry points in low-lying homes, especially in Sutton, Gassaway, Flatwoods, and along the I-79 corridor communities.
• Saturated drywall and insulation — crawl spaces and lower wall cavities in homes near small creeks, where water rises from below rather than entering through openings.
• Mold risk within 24–48 hours — organic materials that stay wet through the day will start microbial growth; drywall in affected rooms needs moisture mapping and likely removal.
• Underpass and roadway splash damage — commercial buildings adjacent to flooded sections of Route 19 and I-79 can take on water through grade-level doors and loading areas.
• Holly River State Park area exposure — campgrounds, cabins, and recreation facilities in the warned zone face both flash-flood and access-road washout issues.

The play: stage extraction equipment now — the warning expires at 10:00 AM EDT but water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage. Pre-position drying assets, keep an on-call rotation through the evening, 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.

The National Weather Service notes flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly — treat the 0.5 to 1 inch of additional possible rainfall as still to come on top of the 1.5 to 2.5 inches already on the ground.

FEMA & federal assistance

If your home or business sustains flood damage, help may be available through FEMA. 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 visit fema.gov/drc to find a disaster recovery center near you.

Basic eligibility generally includes citizenship or qualified immigration 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

The Flash Flood Warning is set to expire at 10:00 AM EDT this morning. When it expires, the immediate threat window closes — but that does not mean the water is gone. Small creeks and streams can crest later in the morning as runoff works downstream, and saturated ground means any additional round of rain would produce flooding much faster. Watch for follow-up statements from NWS Charleston, which issued this warning as an extension and may adjust as conditions evolve.

Demand window note: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage. Contractors in the warned counties should plan for a multi-day intake wave, not a single-day spike.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS Charleston WV Flash Flood Warning (AWIPS FFWRLX), issued 8:25 AM EDT September 20, 2026, expiring 10:00 AM EDT — weather.gov/rlx
• NWS office page for Charleston, WV: weather.gov/rlx

To verify the warning for your own county or ZIP code, go to weather.gov and enter your location, or check the NWS Charleston office page directly. Read dates: all data above is from the alert issued September 20, 2026 at 8:25 AM EDT, captured 8:35 AM EDT.

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

A Flash Flood Warning is active right now for five West Virginia counties — Clay, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Webster — issued by the National Weather Service office in Charleston, WV. Radar and automated rain gauges show thunderstorms have already dropped 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain across the warned area, and flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. This is the exact interior-flooding scenario restoration teams see most: creeks and low-lying roads giving way under heavy rain, and water finding basements and ground floors within the hour.

This is a live snapshot as of 5:05 AM PDT (8:05 AM EDT), Sunday, September 20, 2026. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

West Central West Virginia — Flash Flood Warning

The National Weather Service in Charleston, WV has continued a Flash Flood Warning in effect until 9:45 AM EDT this morning. The warning was issued at 7:54 AM EDT and covers southwestern Clay, Pocahontas, southwestern Randolph, Webster, and Nicholas counties.

Detection is radar and gauge indicated: at 7:54 AM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen, with an additional 0.5 to 1 inch possible in the warned area. The hazard, per the NWS: flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

Expected impacts, from 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, per the NWS, include Summersville, Richwood, Marlinton, Clay, Webster Springs, Cass Scenic Railroad, Green Bank, Addison (Webster Springs), Camden-On-Gauley, Craigsville, Snowshoe, Glen, Mingo, Cowen, Durbin, Hillsboro, Bergoo, Upper Glade, and Waneta. The warning also includes Route 19 between mile markers 34 and 49.

Source: NWS Charleston WV office page and the full NWS alert text.

Stay safe: flooding this morning

The NWS instruction is the one that matters most, and it is blunt: turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads — most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

If water reaches your home:

• Stay out of standing water where electricity may be present. Treat every wet room as live until you know otherwise.
• Stay out of the basement until the water recedes and power is confirmed off.
• Photograph everything before you touch anything. Wide shots of every room, close-ups of waterlines and damaged contents — documentation is the difference between a clean claim and a disputed one.
• Then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting doesn’t wait: saturated drywall, subflooring, and insulation start a second wave of damage within a day, and mold risk rises sharply within 24 to 48 hours.

Report flooding to the National Weather Service at the toll-free number 800-401-9535, when you can do so safely — it helps forecasters keep warnings accurate for your neighbors.

What this means for restoration teams

A radar-and-gauge-indicated flash flood warning with 1.5 to 2.5 inches already on the ground and another half inch to an inch possible is a water-intrusion workload trigger for the five-county area. The damage profile writes itself: flash flooding of small creeks and streams pushes water into finished basements and crawlspaces; urban and low-lying flooding backs up through floor drains and egress points; and saturated ground plus blocked drainage finds the lowest point in every structure it touches.

Expect the call mix to skew toward interior water intrusion, saturated drywall and insulation, standing water in basements and mechanical rooms, and sewage backup in low-lying areas — the classic flash-flood job set. Mold risk within 24–48 hours means today’s emergency response window decides next week’s mitigation scope: fast extraction and drying now is a smaller job than a mold remediation next week.

The play for contractors in Clay, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, and Webster counties:

• Stage equipment now — extraction units, dehumidifiers, and air movers pre-positioned before the warning expires at 9:45 AM EDT, so the first calls don’t wait on loading trucks.
• Keep an on-call rotation through the morning. Water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — this is not a 9 AM-to-5 PM situation.
• Capture address, water source, and affected areas on the first call. Ask: where did the water enter, how deep, and is the power on or off? That triage decides crew size and equipment before you roll.
• Field discipline: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room. The insurance documentation habits that protect the homeowner protect your invoice too — keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

Local emergency contacts

Verified from the NWS alert itself: report flooding to the National Weather Service toll-free at 800-401-9535, when you can do so safely. For county-level emergency management, check your county’s emergency management page or dial 911 for life-threatening emergencies. This post does not list unverified county numbers — when seconds matter, 911 and the NWS line above are the two numbers that always work.

FEMA & federal assistance

If this morning’s flooding damages your home or business, federal help may be available. 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 or through the FEMA mobile app, and find recovery centers at fema.gov/drc.

Basic eligibility generally requires 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’s safe to do so — and remember that FEMA assistance is a bridge, not a replacement for insurance. Photograph everything before cleanup begins.

Looking ahead

When this warning expires at 9:45 AM EDT, the rain may stop but the water won’t be done moving. Flash-flood events in this terrain push creeks and small streams to their peaks after the rain ends — watch for rivers and creeks cresting later this morning, ponding in low-lying areas, and additional rounds of thunderstorms later in the day. The NWS will update the warning picture as conditions change; if flooding persists, expect extensions rather than an all-clear.

For restoration contractors, the demand window opens the moment water starts receding and stays open for days: calls typically begin within hours and keep coming as homeowners discover damage in rooms they don’t check daily. The contractors who document first, extract fast, and communicate clearly win these cycles — and this morning’s five counties are the ground to cover.

Sources & how to verify

• Full NWS alert — Flash Flood Warning, Charleston WV
• NWS Charleston, WV office page — active warnings and radar for the area

To verify for your own county or ZIP code: enter it at weather.gov, or check your nearest NWS office page for active alerts. Warning polygons update faster than news articles — the NWS page is the source of truth.

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 warning, as of now

The National Weather Service office in Charleston, West Virginia has issued a Flash Flood Warning for parts of central and western West Virginia, effective until 10:15 AM EDT on Sunday, September 20, 2026. At 7:20 AM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area — between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain had already fallen, with additional rainfall amounts of up to 1.5 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

This is the exact kind of event that turns into the interior flooding jobs restoration teams see most: water through finished basements, saturated drywall, overwhelmed sump systems. This is a live snapshot as of 7:35 AM EDT — conditions change fast, so always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Central West Virginia — Flash Flood Warning

Issued by: NWS Charleston WV (7:20 AM EDT, September 20, 2026)
Expires: 10:15 AM EDT, September 20, 2026
Severity: Severe • Certainty: Likely • Urgency: Immediate
Hazard: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms
Source: Radar and automated rain gauges

Counties and areas covered

The warning covers northwestern Boone County, southern Cabell County, southwestern Clay County, Kanawha County, Lincoln County, southwestern Putnam County, and northeastern Wayne County in West Virginia.

Locations in the warning path

The National Weather Service names the following locations that will experience flash flooding: Charleston, Huntington, Nitro, Wayne, Hamlin, Beech Fork State Park, Jefferson, South Charleston, St. Albans, Dunbar, Barboursville, Chesapeake, Marmet, Ceredo, Belle, Clendenin, Cedar Grove, East Bank, Glasgow, and Alum Creek.

Highways affected

Drivers should watch for flooding on:

• Interstate 77 in West Virginia, mile markers 96 to 109
• Route 119, mile markers 58 to 80
• Interstate 64 in West Virginia, mile markers 9 to 11 and 46 to 57
• West Virginia Turnpike, mile markers 85 to 95
• Interstate 79, mile markers 1 to 10

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.

NWS Charleston WV office page • Alert issued at 7:20 AM EDT via the National Weather Service.

Stay safe tonight

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

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

If you can do so safely, report flooding to the National Weather Service toll-free at 800-401-9535 — those reports help forecasters update the warning.

What this means for restoration teams

This is a textbook water-intrusion setup for central West Virginia contractors. Charleston, Huntington, South Charleston, St. Albans, Dunbar, Nitro, and Barboursville all sit in the warned area — dense housing stock, finished basements, and river-adjacent commercial properties. Expect:

• Interior water intrusion from overwhelmed drainage, backed-up sewers in low-lying areas, and seepage through foundation walls as the additional 1.5 inches lands on already-saturated ground.
• Saturated drywall and insulation — wicking up walls within the first hours.
• Mold risk within 24–48 hours if drying doesn’t start promptly — warm late-summer air is a mold accelerator.
• Commercial hits along the highway corridors — flooded underpasses and low spots on I-64, I-77, and the Turnpike mean commercial properties near those interchanges take water first.

The play: stage equipment now, pre-position drying assets where they can reach Charleston and Huntington quickly, and keep an on-call rotation through the morning. On the first call, capture address, water source, and affected areas before you roll — dispatch is only as good as intake. Field discipline stays the same: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room, and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

Water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of the water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — the demand tail on this one runs well into next week.

Local emergency contacts

The National Weather Service asks anyone who can do so safely to report flooding toll-free at 800-401-9535. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. We are not listing county emergency-management numbers we cannot verify in real time — if you need them, start with your county’s emergency-management office via the state’s official site.

FEMA & federal assistance

If this event causes damage beyond what insurance covers, help is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency:

• FEMA Helpline: 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week)
• Apply online 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’s safe to do so.

Looking ahead

The warning runs until 10:15 AM EDT, but the hazard doesn’t end on the clock. With 1–1.5 inches already down and another 1.5 possible, creeks and streams can crest later than the warning window, and additional rounds of thunderstorms can re-trigger flooding in the same drainage areas. Watch for NWS updates as the 10:15 AM expiry approaches — Charleston’s forecasters will extend or let it expire based on gauge readings.

For restoration teams, the real demand window opens as water recedes and homeowners find the damage: Sunday afternoon through midweek. The contractors who are already staged will be the ones answering those first calls.

Sources & how to verify

• National Weather Service Charleston WV Flash Flood Warning, issued 7:20 AM EDT September 20, 2026 — NWS Charleston office (weather.gov/rlx)
• Report flooding to the NWS toll-free at 800-401-9535 when you can do so safely

To verify for your own county or ZIP: check weather.gov and the NWS Charleston WV office page for the latest active warnings.

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

Status: ACTIVE — Flash Flood Warning until 9:00 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026. This is a live snapshot as of 7:20 AM EDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

The National Weather Service in Charleston, West Virginia, has extended a Flash Flood Warning covering eight counties across north-central and northwestern West Virginia — Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood counties — through 9:00 AM EDT this morning. Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have already fallen, thunderstorms are producing more heavy rain as measured by Doppler radar and automated rain gauges, and flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. This is the exact kind of event that turns into interior water-intrusion work for restoration teams across the region: the basements, crawl spaces, and ground floors of homes and businesses sitting along small creeks and low-lying drainages.

West Virginia — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: National Weather Service, Charleston WV (weather.gov/rlx)
Issued: 7:14 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026 (an extension of the earlier warning)
Expires: 9:00 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026
Severity: Severe · Certainty: Likely · Urgency: Immediate

Hazard, in the NWS alert’s own wording: “Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.”
Source: “Radar and automated gauges.”
Rainfall so far: Between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain have fallen across the warned area. Additional rainfall amounts of up to 1 inch are possible.

Counties and areas covered:

• Northern Roane County in central West Virginia
• Calhoun County in north central West Virginia
• Gilmer County in north central West Virginia
• Southwestern Doddridge County in northern West Virginia
• Northeastern Jackson County in northwestern West Virginia
• Southern Ritchie County in northwestern West Virginia
• Wirt County in northwestern West Virginia
• Southeastern Wood County in northwestern West Virginia

Named locations that will experience flash flooding, per the alert: Spencer, Glenville, Elizabeth, Grantsville, Arnoldsburg, Cedar Creek State Park, Reedy, Sand Fork, Pullman, Auburn, Munday, Annamoriah, Brohard, Creston, Macfarlan, Big Springs, Mount Zion, Smithville, Cherry, and Millstone. This includes Interstate 77 in West Virginia near mile marker 150, and between mile markers 152 and 163.

Expected impacts, verbatim from 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.”

Source: NWS alert (api.weather.gov) · NWS Charleston WV

Stay safe this morning

The alert’s instructions are plain: 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. Never drive through flooded roadways — turn around and find another route.

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

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

Eight counties, a mix of small cities, town centers, and rural valley communities along creeks and streams — this is a classic interior-water event shape. With 1.5 to 2.5 inches already down and up to another inch possible, the call volume won’t be dramatic structural collapse. It will be saturated basements, flooded crawl spaces, water pushing in at foundation walls, sewage backup in low-lying areas, and ground floors taking on water in the towns the alert names — Spencer, Glenville, Elizabeth, Grantsville, and the I-77 corridor between mile markers 150 and 163.

Damage categories to expect: interior water intrusion at slab and basement level, saturated drywall and insulation along foundation walls, mold risk building within 24–48 hours wherever porous material stays wet, sewage backup where drainage and low-lying areas overwhelm systems, and roadways/underpasses flooding along the I-77 corridor.

The play: stage equipment now, pre-position drying assets, and keep an on-call rotation through the morning — the warning runs until 9 AM EDT, but discovery calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people find damage they didn’t see the first morning. On the first call, capture address, water source, and affected areas. 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 your home or business takes serious damage, 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, through the FEMA app, or find a recovery center 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’s safe — don’t wait for insurance to resolve.

Looking ahead

When this warning expires at 9:00 AM EDT, the rain may have moved on — but flash flooding doesn’t always end when the rain does. Small creeks and streams in steep West Virginia valleys can keep rising after the heaviest rain stops, and poor-drainage areas and underpasses can hold water well into the morning. The NWS will update or let the warning expire on its own terms; check NWS Charleston for the next update.

For restoration operators: this is the start of the demand window, not the peak. Water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as homeowners discover damage — soft spots in drywall, musty basements, flooring that didn’t look wet on Sunday morning. The teams that capture addresses and document first get the jobs that go to insurance.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS Flash Flood Warning, Charleston WV — issued 7:14 AM EDT, September 20, 2026; expires 9:00 AM EDT — api.weather.gov (read September 20, 2026, 7:20 AM EDT)
• NWS Charleston WV office page

To verify for your own county or ZIP code: go to weather.gov and enter your location, or check the NWS Charleston hazards page. The alert above was verified against the live NWS API this morning.

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

This is a live snapshot as of 3:47 AM PDT (5:47 AM CDT), September 20, 2026. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

The National Weather Service in Quad Cities has extended a Flash Flood Warning for seven east-central and southeastern Iowa counties — Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Keokuk, Louisa, Muscatine, and Washington — until 8:15 AM CDT. This is an observed flash flood event: trained weather spotters have confirmed flooding on the ground in Kalona, with the English River out of its banks. For restoration contractors, this is the exact interior-flooding workload that fills a water crew’s week — saturated ground, rising streams, and homes taking water while families are still asleep.

The warning: Seven Iowa counties — Flash Flood Warning

Issuing office: NWS Quad Cities IA/IL (KDVN) · Issued: September 20 at 5:41 AM CDT · Expires: September 20 at 8:15 AM CDT · Status: Actual, severity Severe, urgency Immediate · Detection: OBSERVED (spotter-confirmed)

The warning covers Southern Cedar County in east central Iowa; Iowa, Johnson, and Muscatine counties in east central Iowa; Keokuk County in southeastern Iowa; northwestern Louisa County in southeastern Iowa; and Washington County in southeastern Iowa.

At 5:41 AM CDT, trained weather spotters reported flash flooding in Kalona. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen across portions of the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing. Rain has tapered off to mainly light to at-times-moderate rain, with the heaviest rain having already occurred. Residents should be alert for rapid rises and flooding on area streams and creeks and along the English River.

Washington County deputies reported around a foot of water covering the intersection of 133rd Street and Nutmeg Street in Kalona due to the English River being out of its banks.

Hazard: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms (spotter-reported). Impact: 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: Iowa City, Muscatine, Washington, Tipton, Marengo, West Branch, Sigourney, Columbus Junction, Durant, Coralville, North Liberty, West Liberty, Williamsburg, Wilton, Kalona, Tiffin, Wellman, Lone Tree, and University Heights.

Highways affected: Interstate 80 in Iowa between mile markers 205 and 277, and Interstate 380 between mile markers 1 and 7.

Source: the live NWS alert is available here; NWS Quad Cities’ office page is at weather.gov/dvn.

Stay safe this morning

Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. The NWS stresses extra caution in the dark — it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding before dawn — and urges everyone to be aware of their surroundings and never 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, 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.

What this means for restoration teams

An observed overnight flash flood in eastern Iowa is a water-intrusion pipeline, not a one-morning event. Expect the call pattern to run: flooded basements and crawlspaces in Kalona and along the English River bottoms first, then saturated slabs and ground-floor rooms as homeowners discover damage through the morning. Saturated drywall and insulation that isn’t opened up and dried within 24 to 48 hours becomes a mold-risk job — and low-lying areas always carry a sewage-backup possibility in this kind of event.

The play for contractors in the seven-county warned area: stage equipment now, pre-position drying assets, and keep an on-call rotation through the morning. On the first call, capture the address, the water source (floodwater intrusion vs. interior source), and the affected areas — the answer shapes the entire job. Field discipline holds: photo-document before mitigation begins, moisture-map every affected room, and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

One more thing to watch: the English River cresting later in the day. Flash flood warnings expire, but rivers keep rising after the rain stops — the homes closest to the river may take water hours after this warning ends.

Local emergency contacts

Contact information for the individual county emergency management offices in the warned area could not be verified for this post, so no numbers are listed here. For authoritative local guidance, check your county’s emergency management page or the NWS Quad Cities office at weather.gov/dvn. Dial 911 for life-threatening emergencies.

FEMA & federal assistance

If your home is damaged, the FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply through DisasterAssistance.gov, 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’s safe to do so — don’t wait for a disaster declaration to gather your documentation.

Looking ahead

This warning runs until 8:15 AM CDT. When it expires, the immediate concern shifts from flash flooding to the English River and area streams, which can crest hours after the heaviest rain — the Kalona report of water over 133rd and Nutmeg shows the river is already high. NWS Quad Cities may extend or replace this warning depending on how creeks respond through the morning; watch their office page for updates.

The demand window for restoration work typically opens within hours of water receding and keeps coming for days as people discover damage. Contractors should treat the English River corridor — and the low-lying ground in Kalona, Columbus Junction, and the Iowa River towns — as the highest-probability call zones for the next 48 hours.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert: Flash Flood Warning issued September 20 at 5:41 AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
• NWS Quad Cities office: weather.gov/dvn

To verify for your own county or ZIP code: enter your location at weather.gov or visit 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.

The National Weather Service in Quad Cities has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, and Linn counties in east-central Iowa — including the Cedar Rapids metro — in effect until 8:00 AM CDT Sunday. Heavy rain earlier brought 2 to 5 inches across the warned area, and flash flooding is either ongoing or expected to begin shortly as that runoff combines with the steady rain still falling.

This is a live snapshot as of 5:20 AM Central (3:20 AM Pacific) on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

Cedar Rapids & Linn County, IA — Flash Flood Warning

Issued by: NWS Quad Cities (Iowa/Illinois), 5:04 AM CDT. Expires: 8:00 AM CDT Sunday.

The hazard, in NWS wording: At 5:04 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated a large area of light to moderate rain was occurring across the warned area. Heavy rain producing storms earlier brought rainfall of 2 to 5 inches across the warned area. Flash flooding is either ongoing or expected to begin shortly due to runoff from the earlier heavy rain combined with the steady rain falling. Source: radar indicated.

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.

Communities: Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, Robins, Fairfax, Ely, Walford, Springville, and Palo are all named in the warning. This includes Interstate 380 between mile markers 8 and 36 — drivers on I-380 should expect ponding and possible lane flooding through the morning commute window.

Benton, Iowa & Johnson Counties, IA — Flash Flood Warning

Same warning window: issued 5:04 AM CDT, in effect until 8:00 AM CDT Sunday, with the same 2-to-5-inch rainfall footprint from the earlier heavy storms plus continuing steady rain.

Communities: Vinton, Belle Plaine, Marengo, Solon, and Atkins are the named locations across these counties.

The runoff math here is the dangerous part: the big rain already fell, the ground is primed, and even light-to-moderate steady rain on top of 2 to 5 inches keeps pushing water into the same creeks and low spots. This is the kind of setup where the flooding starts after the heavy rain ends — don’t let a quiet radar fool you.

Cedar & Jones Counties, IA — Flash Flood Warning

Same warning, same timing. Communities: Mechanicsville, Stanwood, Center Point, Lisbon, Mount Vernon, and Anamosa sit inside the warned portions of these counties.

Small creeks and streams are the first to jump in this corridor — the NWS impacts list leads with them for a reason. Low crossings on county roads, underpasses, and urban storm-drain bottlenecks in the smaller towns are the places to watch before sunrise.

Stay safe this morning

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 — and be aware of your surroundings on the morning drive: I-380 between mile markers 8 and 36 is explicitly inside this warning, and flooded underpasses on a commuter highway are exactly where bad mornings happen.

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. 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 observed flooding to local emergency services or law enforcement, and ask them to pass the information to the National Weather Service when you can do so safely.

What this means for restoration teams

Two to five inches across a metro like Cedar Rapids is a volume job. The damage categories: interior water intrusion in finished basements (the exact jobs restoration teams see most), saturated carpet and pad, water wicking up drywall from slab edges, overwhelmed sump systems, and storm-drain backup in the urban core. With the warning naming I-380 explicitly, expect commercial properties along the corridor to report water in loading docks and low entries too.

Mold risk clocks start the moment materials stay wet: 24 to 48 hours on saturated drywall and insulation. The continuing light-to-moderate rain matters here — it extends the wet window, which extends the drying window, which is the number you put on the job sheet.

The play for east-central Iowa contractors: stage extraction equipment and dehumidifiers now, because the warning expires at 8:00 AM CDT and the discovery wave starts as people wake up. Keep an on-call rotation through the morning. Capture address, water source, and affected areas on the first call — “water source” matters more than usual here because runoff-driven flooding and sump failures and drain backup all dry out differently. 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 turns into a declared disaster, 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, through the FEMA app, or find 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.

Looking ahead

The warning expires at 8:00 AM CDT. After that, watch whether the NWS extends — steady rain on top of 2 to 5 inches is an extension-prone setup — and watch the creeks and small streams, which can crest after the rain lets up. The next NWS update lands with any extension or at expiration; check the Quad Cities office page for the latest.

Demand window note for contractors: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — in a metro this size, the tail on this one runs all week.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert: Flash Flood Warning — NWS Quad Cities IA IL
• Issuing office: weather.gov/dvn (NWS Quad Cities)
• To verify for your own county or ZIP: check weather.gov or your local NWS office page for the current active-alert map.

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 Chicago has issued a Flash Flood Warning for De Kalb, La Salle, and Lee counties in northern Illinois, in effect until 8:00 AM CDT Sunday. Three to six inches of rain have already fallen — the heaviest totals across Lee County — and while the heavy rain has ended for now, additional heavy rain is possible later this morning. That is a lot of water on the ground before sunrise, and it is the setup that floods creeks, drainage ditches, and low-lying neighborhoods in a hurry.

This is a live snapshot as of 5:20 AM Central (3:20 AM Pacific) on Sunday, September 20, 2026. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

De Kalb County, IL — Flash Flood Warning

Issued by: NWS Chicago, 5:09 AM CDT. Expires: 8:00 AM CDT Sunday.

The hazard, in NWS wording: At 5:09 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms produced heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 6 inches of rain have fallen. While the heavy rain has ended, additional heavy rain is possible later this morning. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. Source: radar indicated.

Expected impacts: Rapid-onset flooding of creeks, streams, drainage ditches, streets, underpasses, low-lying areas, and other poor drainage areas.

Communities: Sandwich, Shabbona, Hinckley, Somonauk, Waterman, Leland, and Paw Paw are among the named locations in De Kalb County.

La Salle County, IL — Flash Flood Warning

Same warning window: issued 5:09 AM CDT, in effect until 8:00 AM CDT Sunday, with 3 to 6 inches of rain already measured across the warned area.

Communities: Mendota, Sheridan, Serena, Millington, Troy Grove, Triumph, and Prairie Center are the named locations in the warned portions of the county.

Rapid-onset is the key phrase in this alert — persons along creeks, drainage ditches, and other waterways should take immediate precautions to protect life and property. When a warning says rapid-onset, it means the water does not give you the slow-rise grace period; it jumps banks.

Lee County, IL — Flash Flood Warning

Lee County saw the highest totals in this event — the top end of the 3-to-6-inch range, per the NWS alert. Communities: Amboy, Lee, Compton, Nelson, West Brooklyn, Harmon, Sublette, Lee Center, Woodhaven Lakes, and Earlville are all named in the warning.

With six inches of rain possible in the hardest-hit spots and low-lying drainage areas explicitly called out in the impacts list, field flooding, overwhelmed roadside ditches, and water over low rural roads are the immediate concerns. Turn around, don’t drown — most flood deaths occur in vehicles, and a flooded rural road in the dark is the highest-risk spot in this whole warning.

Stay safe this morning

A Flash Flood Warning means rapid-onset flooding is imminent or may already be occurring. Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads — most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

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. 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.

Be especially cautious through daybreak: pre-dawn flooding is the hardest to see, and this warning’s second act — additional heavy rain possible later this morning — could land right around commute time.

What this means for restoration teams

Three to six inches is basement-flooding arithmetic in northern Illinois. The job mix out of this one: flooded basements where sump pumps lost the race (ask about battery backup and pump age on the first call — it predicts the next house on the block), seepage through foundation walls in older housing stock, saturated carpet and pad, and water wicking into finished drywall that looks fine at noon and grows a problem by Tuesday.

Mold risk clocks start the moment materials stay wet: 24 to 48 hours on saturated drywall and insulation. In the agricultural edge of these counties, outbuildings and equipment storage take water too — don’t forget the farm jobs mixed in with the residential calls.

The play: stage extraction equipment and dehumidifiers before 8 AM, because the warning expires at 8:00 AM CDT and the call volume historically starts as people wake up and walk downstairs. Keep an on-call rotation through the morning — and remember the alert explicitly allows for a second round of heavy rain later this morning, which means a second call wave. Capture address, water source, and affected areas on the first call; photo-document before mitigation; moisture-map every affected room; keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

FEMA & federal assistance

If the flooding turns into a declared disaster, 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, through the FEMA app, or find 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.

Looking ahead

The warning expires at 8:00 AM CDT — but the story does not end there. The NWS explicitly says additional heavy rain is possible later this morning, so watch for an extension or a fresh warning if new cells develop on this saturated ground. Creeks and drainage ditches will run high through the morning and can crest after the rain stops; the water keeps moving downstream.

Demand window note for contractors: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — and a second round of rain would restart the whole clock.

Sources & how to verify

• NWS alert: Flash Flood Warning — NWS Chicago IL
• Issuing office: weather.gov/lot (NWS Chicago)
• To verify for your own county or ZIP: check weather.gov or your local NWS office page for the current active-alert map.

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