Tag: Storm Damage

  • Storm Updates: Oklahoma and High Plains Slight Risk — Sunday, September 20, 2026

    This is a live Sunday afternoon snapshot of U.S. local-storm activity as of Sunday, September 20, 2026. The organized pulse is still the Storm Prediction Center Slight Risk over central and eastern Oklahoma and from eastern Colorado into far western Kansas. As of 2013 UTC, no convective watches are valid. Overnight Severe Thunderstorm Watches 670, 671, and 672 have expired. Restoration exposure this afternoon and evening is damaging wind and large hail on the Oklahoma and High Plains Slight Risk, leftover interior water where Midwest and Ohio Valley cells trained last night, and a local Florida flash-flood polygon that is not the national headline.

    These are county- and ZIP-scale thunderstorms, not a mainland hurricane landfall. Conditions change fast. Verify with the National Weather Service for the specific county or ZIP before you roll.

    What is live this afternoon

    The SPC 2000 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook, issued 0244 PM CDT Sunday, September 20, 2026 and valid 202000Z–211200Z, holds a Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms across parts of central and eastern Oklahoma and from eastern Colorado into far western Kansas. The official summary: thunderstorms with severe wind gusts and large hail remain possible this afternoon and evening across those two corridors. Isolated severe gusts and hail are also possible in parts of the southern Plains and from the Ozarks eastward into the Ohio Valley. The 20Z update said the forecast remained generally on track with only minor adjustments.

    No watches are currently valid. The most recently issued watch was Severe Thunderstorm Watch 672. Mesoscale Discussion 2316, issued 0149 PM CDT Sunday and valid through 2115 UTC, covers northeast and eastern Colorado, far western Kansas, and southwest Nebraska. Language is severe potential, watch possible, with a 60 percent watch-issuance probability. Isolated storms over northeast Colorado, large hail probable, a few severe gusts possible by early evening. Most probable peak hail size in that MD is 1.50 to 2.50 inches. Most probable peak wind gust 55 to 70 mph.

    The Weather Prediction Center Day 1 Excessive Rainfall Outlook, updated 1602 UTC Sunday and valid 16 UTC September 20 through 12 UTC September 21, keeps Slight Risks over portions of the Midwest and Ohio Valley and over the northern High Plains. The 16Z update trimmed the northern edge of the Midwest Slight (northern Illinois, southern Iowa, northern Missouri) and kept the better confidence farther east into the Upper Ohio Valley, where antecedent 24-hour totals already ran 1 to 2 inches areal average and 3 to 4 inches locally. A separate Slight pocket remains focused over southwest South Dakota and the Black Hills on upslope flow and Saturday’s leftover wet ground.

    Hotspot 1 — Central and eastern Oklahoma

    This is one of the two Slight Risk contours on the 2000 UTC outlook. A surface low sits over central Oklahoma along a cold front that arcs from northeast Oklahoma into southwest Oklahoma and back through the central Texas Panhandle. A shortwave trough is moving into western Oklahoma. The airmass ahead of the front is warm, moist, and moderately buoyant. Mid-level flow is stronger across Oklahoma than across Texas, which is why the organized severe corridor is drawn here rather than over the more disorganized Texas cells. Primary threat language is damaging gusts of 55 to 65 mph, with hail in the stronger cores.

    Cities and counties to watch: Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Muskogee, Shawnee, Ardmore, and the rest of the central and eastern Oklahoma Slight contour. Oklahoma City sits near the western edge of the broader risk language even when it is not the center of the Slight.

    Restoration read: wind and hail first. Stage tarps, generators, and roof tarping before dark. Photograph roofs in remaining daylight only if it is safe. Do not treat this as a statewide outbreak. It is a corridor.

    Hotspot 2 — Eastern Colorado into far western Kansas and southwest Nebraska

    This is the other Slight Risk plus MD 2316. Easterly low-level flow north of the surface front is holding 50s F dewpoints across eastern Colorado. Heating plus cool temperatures aloft support moderate destabilization. Storm coverage is expected to stay isolated to widely scattered because of cooler surface temperatures and leftover inhibition, but any storm that matures is favored to be supercellular. Primary severe hazard on the outlook is large hail of 1 to 2.5 inches. Isolated severe gusts are possible. Some lingering severe risk may develop over southeast Colorado late this evening and spread into the Oklahoma Panhandle overnight.

    Cities and counties to watch: the Palmer Divide and northeast Colorado, Lamar and the High Plains counties, far western Kansas, and southwest Nebraska where left-split cells can throw hail. Local Severe Thunderstorm Warnings already fired this afternoon in Dundy and Chase Counties, Nebraska.

    Restoration read: hail and isolated wind. This is a few strong cells, not a line. Staff it as spot jobs — broken shingles, cracked skylights, vehicle and siding hits — not a regional CAT.

    Hotspot 3 — Midwest and Ohio Valley flood leftovers, plus a Florida polygon

    WPC keeps a Slight excessive-rainfall risk on last night’s rain axis from central Illinois and east-central Missouri into the Upper Ohio Valley. Antecedent ground is already wet. Training or backbuilding later this evening and overnight could add 2 to 4 inches in the better cores. River and flash-flood products this morning and midday covered eastern Iowa (Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, Kalona and the English River), the Parkersburg–Athens Ohio River corridor, Charleston and Huntington, Washington County, Pennsylvania, and eastern Ohio counties including Belmont, Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson, and Tuscarawas. The Des Plaines River near Russell, Illinois, has a new Flood Warning for minor flooding from this afternoon until further notice.

    A separate local Flash Flood Warning this afternoon covers southwestern Suwannee County, Florida, with 2 to 3 inches already down. That is a North Florida urban and low-water-crossing desk, not the Slight Risk story.

    Restoration read: yesterday’s water is already a ticket in Iowa, Ohio, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania. Today’s new water, if it verifies, is more of the same corridor plus a standalone Florida polygon. Do not send the Oklahoma hail crew to the Ohio River without checking which county still has a warning.

    Just hit

    Saturday night’s Severe Thunderstorm Watches 670 (Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas), 671 (Colorado, Kansas), and 672 (Kansas, Missouri) are closed. Those are already on the books as wind and hail tickets across the central Plains and Lower Missouri Valley. Overnight and this morning’s Flash Flood Warnings along the Iowa–Illinois line and the Ohio River are extraction and drying work, not a new watch. This afternoon’s new work, if it verifies, is the Oklahoma wind corridor and High Plains hail cells under MD 2316.

    Pulse table

    RegionMain threatsSPC / NWS levelStatus this afternoon
    Central / eastern OklahomaDamaging wind 55–65 mph, hailSPC SlightLive outlook; no watch
    Eastern CO / far western KS / SW NELarge hail 1–2.5 in, isolated severe gustsSPC Slight + MD 2316 (watch possible)Isolated supercells favored
    Ozarks to Ohio ValleyIsolated damaging gusts, leftover waterSPC Marginal; WPC Slight floodScattered plus aftermath
    Northern High Plains / Black HillsFlash flood on wet groundWPC Slight excessive rainfallAfternoon–overnight cells
    SW Suwannee County, FLLocal flash floodNWS Flash Flood WarningStandalone polygon
    Atlantic / EPAC vs. U.S. landNo U.S. landfalling tropical cycloneNHC: Fay far east-Atlantic; Odalys and TD 17-E over open PacificQuiet on the mainland coast

    What this means for restoration teams

    Oklahoma wind at 55 to 65 mph is roof, siding, gutter, and tree-on-structure work. High Plains hail of 1 to 2.5 inches is shingle and auto work in a few counties, not a multi-state CAT. Midwest and Ohio Valley water from Saturday night is already inside some buildings. That mold clock started this morning, not this evening.

    For teams near the Oklahoma Slight or the Colorado–Kansas MD: stage before the first warning, not after. Property owners should photograph damage in daylight if it is safe, call the carrier, and start extraction the same night if water is inside. For teams on the Iowa and Ohio River leftovers: you are already on yesterday’s tickets. Check which gauge is still in flood before you drive.

    What this is not

    This is not a regional derecho and not a U.S. mainland hurricane landfall. Tropical Storm Fay is in the far eastern Atlantic near 34.4°N, 32.7°W and is not a U.S. land threat this afternoon. Tropical Storm Odalys and Tropical Depression Seventeen-E are over the eastern Pacific, well offshore. The work tonight, if it comes, will be scattered: a wind swath through an Oklahoma county, hail on the High Plains, leftover water in an Iowa or Ohio River town. That is the local-storm pattern this desk should staff.

    Looking ahead

    Monday’s SPC Day 2 Convective Outlook, issued 1137 AM CDT Sunday, is a Marginal Risk from Mississippi to the central and southern Appalachians. Official summary: a few instances of damaging gusts are possible across the central and southern Appalachians to northern and central Mississippi. Coverage is isolated to widely scattered. Shear is expected to stay weak. Watch the next Storm Tracker update rather than assuming today’s Slight is Monday’s story.

    Sources and how to verify

    Primary sources, all date-stamped Sunday, September 20, 2026: NOAA Storm Prediction Center 2000 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook; SPC current watches page (no watches valid as of 2013 UTC); Mesoscale Discussion 2316; Weather Prediction Center Day 1 Excessive Rainfall Outlook updated 1602 UTC; National Hurricane Center public page as of 2120 UTC; National Weather Service watch/warning text including Pittsburgh, Charleston, Chicago, La Crosse, and Tallahassee products. Morning desk for this calendar day: Storm Updates: Oklahoma and High Plains Slight Risk — Sunday, September 20, 2026 (Morning).

    Check weather.gov for the county warning, spc.noaa.gov for the outlook, watches, MDs, and LSRs, and WPC excessive rainfall for the flood overlay.

    Informational only — not an official weather warning. Follow local authorities and the National Weather Service. Turn around, don’t drown.

  • Storm Updates: Oklahoma and High Plains Slight Risk, Midwest Flood Leftovers — Sunday, September 20, 2026 (Morning)

    Storm Updates: Oklahoma and High Plains Slight Risk, Midwest Flood Leftovers — Sunday, September 20, 2026 (Morning)

    This is the Sunday morning Storm Tracker for September 20, 2026. Overnight Severe Thunderstorm Watches 670, 671, and 672 have all expired. The Storm Prediction Center’s 1300 UTC Day 1 outlook holds a Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening across parts of Oklahoma and from eastern Colorado into far western Kansas. Isolated severe gusts and hail remain possible in a broader Marginal Risk from the southern Plains across the Ozarks into the Ohio Valley.

    The flood story is leftover water, not a new Moderate Risk. Weather Prediction Center’s current Day 1 Excessive Rainfall Outlook is a Slight Risk over portions of the Midwest and Ohio Valley, plus a separate Slight over the northern High Plains focused on southwest South Dakota. Flash Flood Warnings fired overnight into this morning from eastern Iowa and the Quad Cities through southeast Ohio and the Charleston–Huntington corridor in West Virginia.

    These are county-scale thunderstorms and flash-flood polygons. There is no U.S. landfalling tropical cyclone. Tropical Storm Fay is well southwest of the Azores. Tropical Storm Odalys is well southwest of Baja California. Verify the county warning at weather.gov before you roll.

    What expired overnight vs what is live

    Watch 670, issued Saturday afternoon over Kansas into Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle, expired at 0400 UTC Sunday (11:00 p.m. CDT Saturday). Watch 671 expired at the same hour. Watch 672, issued after 8:00 p.m. CDT Saturday, expired at 0600 UTC Sunday (1:00 a.m. CDT). No convective watch is in effect as of this morning desk.

    NWS warning text from Saturday evening still shows the pulse that those watches covered: a 61 mph gust at Childress, Texas; Severe Thunderstorm Warnings over Childress and Collingsworth Counties in the Texas Panhandle; western Oklahoma counties including Harmon, Greer, and Beckham; west-central Kansas around Wichita, Wallace, Logan, and Greeley Counties with radar-indicated golf-ball hail; and a line that warned St. Joseph, Atchison, and neighboring Kansas–Missouri counties. Those products have expired. They are last night’s just-hit list, not today’s watch board.

    SPC’s storm-report table for the new convective day (1200 UTC Sunday onward) showed no tornado, hail, or wind LSRs at the time of this desk. That is consistent with a quiet pre-dawn after the watches died. Afternoon initiation is the next check.

    Hotspot 1 — Oklahoma Slight Risk, afternoon and evening

    SPC: thunderstorms with severe wind gusts and large hail this afternoon and evening across parts of Oklahoma. A frontal zone that convection modulated overnight over the eastern Texas Panhandle and Oklahoma will sag south. Mid-to-upper 60s dewpoints and heating support moderate buoyancy by mid-afternoon. Deep-layer shear is enough for organization.

    The 1300 UTC outlook added an intensity Level-1 wind corridor over parts of southern Oklahoma where HREF/REFS guidance clustered 60–80 mph gusts on very steep 0–3 km lapse rates. Cities in or next to the Slight: Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, Lawton, Wichita Falls. Storms are expected to develop from the Low Rolling Plains and Red River Valley and move northeast into central and eastern Oklahoma. Mixed mode early, with a chance the wind threat maximizes if a line segment organizes toward evening.

    Restoration read: wind and hail first. Stage tarps, glass, and tree crews for late afternoon, not after dark. Southern Oklahoma is the gust corridor if the Level-1 language verifies. Photograph roofs in remaining daylight only if it is safe.

    Hotspot 2 — Eastern Colorado into far western Kansas

    A mid-level shortwave moves into the central High Plains today. Easterly low-level flow north of the front holds 50s dewpoints. Heating should remove inhibition by mid-to-late afternoon. Forecast soundings show straight hodographs and sizable CAPE in the hail-growth layer. A few supercells are the favored mode. Primary hazard is large hail, 1 to 2.5 inches, plus isolated severe gusts. Some lingering severe risk may drift into southeast Colorado late this evening and the Oklahoma Panhandle overnight.

    Lamar sits inside the tighter probabilistic contour. Watch the I-70 and High Plains county warning areas from late afternoon. Restoration read: hail and isolated wind. Vehicle and roof claims, not a flood headline, unless a cell trains on a burn scar or a small basin.

    Hotspot 3 — Midwest and Ohio Valley flood leftovers

    Yesterday’s WPC Moderate Risk over eastern Iowa, northern Illinois, and northern Indiana has been stepped down. The current Day 1 ERO, updated 0819 UTC Sunday and valid 12Z Sunday through 12Z Monday, is a Slight Risk from southeastern Iowa and northern Missouri east into the Ohio Valley, with a second Slight over southwest South Dakota. Overnight convection is why Flash Flood Warnings were still live into Sunday morning for the Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids and eastern Iowa, Parkersburg–Athens, Hocking–Pickaway–Ross, and the Charleston–Huntington counties.

    WPC language: the threat wanes from west to east this morning into early afternoon as the back edge of the rain moves off. Farther east, overnight convection near the Ohio River toward West Virginia terrain lowered flash-flood guidance. Some guidance rebuilds moderate-to-heavy rain later. Valley moisture supports locally 2–5 inch totals where cells train.

    SPC also keeps a Marginal Risk from the Ozarks east into the Ohio Valley for isolated severe gusts and hail this afternoon south of a front near the I-70 corridor. That is a secondary wind desk, not the Slight.

    Restoration read: Iowa, northern Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, southeast Ohio, and northwest West Virginia are extraction and drying work from last night. Check which county still has a warning. Do not treat the whole corridor as a new Moderate flood day.

    Just hit

    Saturday night’s organized pulse was the Kansas–Oklahoma–Texas Panhandle watch complex plus the Midwest and Ohio Valley rain. Documented hits in official warning text include the Childress airport gust near 61 mph and severe-warned storms over the eastern Panhandle, western Oklahoma, west-central Kansas hail cores, and the St. Joseph–Atchison line. Flood polygons stacked from eastern Iowa through the Ohio River counties overnight. Those tickets are already on the books.

    Today’s new work, if it verifies, is the Oklahoma afternoon Slight and the High Plains hail corridor. The Midwest is aftermath plus a declining Slight flood overlay.

    Pulse table

    RegionMain threatsSPC / WPC levelStatus this morning
    Oklahoma / Red RiverSevere wind, large hailSPC Slight; Level-1 wind southern OKOutlook — afternoon/evening
    Eastern CO / far western KSLarge hail, isolated windSPC SlightOutlook — mid/late afternoon
    Ozarks to Ohio ValleyIsolated wind, hailSPC MarginalOutlook
    SE Iowa / N Missouri / Ohio ValleyFlash flood leftover, urban waterWPC Slight EROWaning west to east
    SW South Dakota / northern High PlainsHeavy rainWPC Slight EROToday into tonight
    Watches 670 / 671 / 672Wind and hail Saturday nightExpired 0400–0600 UTCJust-hit
    Atlantic / East Pacific vs. U.S. landFay (Azores), Odalys (SW of Baja)No U.S. land threatQuiet on the mainland

    What this means for restoration teams

    Oklahoma this afternoon is a wind-and-hail stage. If the southern Oklahoma Level-1 gust corridor verifies, expect roofs, siding, and trees in a relatively small footprint — staff it as county work, not a regional event. The High Plains Slight is hail first. Midwest and Ohio Valley crews already have water in buildings from Saturday night. The mold clock on those interiors started last night, not this afternoon.

    Do not send the same crew to Tulsa hail and Cedar Rapids extraction without checking which county actually has a warning now. Property owners should photograph damage in daylight if it is safe, call the carrier, and start extraction the same day if water is inside.

    What this is not

    This is not a U.S. mainland hurricane landfall and not a Moderate flood day on the current WPC map. Fay and Odalys are named and far from U.S. land. Last night’s watches are closed. Today’s organized severe risk is two compact Slight areas plus a wide Marginal. That is the local-storm pattern this desk should staff.

    Looking ahead

    The next official Day 1 convective update is scheduled by 1630 UTC. The front continues south through Oklahoma tonight. Isolated severe risk may linger into the Oklahoma Panhandle after dark. WPC flood risk over the Midwest should keep easing from west to east unless new training rebuilds on the Ohio Valley side. Watch the afternoon Storm Tracker rather than assuming the 1300 UTC Slight is the last line of the day.

    Sources and how to verify

    Primary sources: NOAA Storm Prediction Center Sep 20, 2026 1300 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook; SPC current convective watches page (Watches 670, 671, 672 expired); SPC storm reports for 19–20 September 2026; Weather Prediction Center Day 1 Excessive Rainfall Outlook updated 0819 UTC Sunday; National Weather Service watch/warning text; National Hurricane Center public advisories for Tropical Storm Fay and Tropical Storm Odalys.

    Check weather.gov for the county warning, spc.noaa.gov for the outlook, watches, and LSRs, and WPC excessive rainfall for the flood overlay. Prior desk: Saturday, September 19 afternoon Storm Updates. Local flood polygons posted overnight live under the same Storm Tracker category.

    Informational only — not an official weather warning. Follow local authorities and the National Weather Service. Turn around, don’t drown.

  • Flash Flood Warning: Eastern Iowa Area Until 8:15 AM CDT

    Flash Flood Warning: Eastern Iowa Area Until 8:15 AM CDT

    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

    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.

  • Flash Flood Warning: Cedar Rapids Area Until 8:00 AM CDT

    Flash Flood Warning: Cedar Rapids Area Until 8:00 AM CDT

    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

    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: Northern Illinois Until 8:00 AM CDT

    Flash Flood Warning: Northern Illinois Until 8:00 AM CDT

    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

    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: Quad Cities Area Until 7:30 AM CDT

    Flash Flood Warning: Quad Cities Area Until 7:30 AM CDT

    A Flash Flood Warning remains in effect until 7:30 AM CDT this morning (Sunday, September 20) for the Quad Cities region — covering Scott, Muscatine, and southwestern Clinton counties in Iowa, plus Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, and southern Whiteside counties and northwestern Bureau County in Illinois. The warning was issued by NWS Quad Cities (KDVN) at 5:00 AM CDT.

    Why this one matters beyond the roads: this is the exact setup that drives the interior flooding jobs restoration contractors see most — steady rain on already-saturated ground, water pushing into basements, crawlspaces, and ground-floor units across Davenport, Moline, Bettendorf, and Muscatine while most of the area is still asleep. This is a live snapshot as of roughly 3:05 AM Pacific (5:05 AM CDT). Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

    Quad Cities — Flash Flood Warning

    Issuing office: NWS Quad Cities IA IL (KDVN), Des Moines-coverage Quad Cities region.
    Issued: 5:00 AM CDT Sunday, September 20, 2026.
    Expires: 7:30 AM CDT Sunday, September 20, 2026.
    Severity: Severe · Certainty: Likely · Urgency: Immediate.
    Alert source: NWS alert (api.weather.gov) · Office page: weather.gov/dvn

    The NWS headline reads: “Flash flood warning remains in effect until 7:30 AM CDT this morning for southwestern Clinton, eastern Muscatine, Scott, northwestern Bureau, Henry IL, Mercer, Rock Island and southern Whiteside counties.”

    Hazard detail, verbatim from the alert: At 5:00 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated a large area of light to moderate rain across the warned area. Earlier storms dropped 1 to 3.5 inches of rain across the area, and flash flooding is either ongoing or expected to begin shortly as runoff from the earlier heavy rain combines with the continuing steady rain. Hazard: flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. 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.

    Locations in the path named in the warning: Davenport, Moline, Rock Island, Bettendorf, Muscatine, East Moline, Kewanee, Aledo, Cambridge, Silvis, Geneseo, Eldridge, Colona, Milan, Le Claire, Coal Valley, and Galva.

    State parks included: Big Bend Fish and Wildlife Area, Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area, and Prophetstown State Park.

    Highways affected (from the alert): 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. If your commute touches I-74, I-80, I-88, or I-280 through the Quad Cities corridor this morning, expect flooded low spots and slow to closed lanes.

    Stay safe this morning

    Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads — most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Be especially cautious at night and in the pre-dawn hours, when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding, and do not drive on flooded roads.

    If water is entering 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 begins — documentation matters for insurance — then call a local restoration contractor. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage within a day. Please report observed flooding to local emergency services or law enforcement and request they pass the information to the National Weather Service when you can do so safely.

    What this means for restoration teams

    This is the signature scenario for early-morning water-intrusion calls: 1 to 3.5 inches on saturated ground, continued steady rain, and urban low spots across a metro area that woke up to water. Expect the call mix to skew toward interior water intrusion in basements and ground-floor units, saturated drywall and insulation where runoff ponded against foundations, and sewage backup in low-lying neighborhoods and older combined-sewer blocks in Davenport and Moline. Mold risk starts the clock within 24–48 hours wherever water sits.

    The play: stage extraction and drying equipment now, pre-position dehumidifiers and air movers for a mid-morning deployment wave, and keep an on-call rotation through at least the afternoon — water-intrusion discovery calls typically lag the event by several hours as people wake up and check basements. On the first call, capture the address, the water source (seepage vs. backup vs. surface water), and every affected room before the crew rolls.

    Field discipline: photo-document before any mitigation begins, moisture-map every affected room (not just the visibly wet ones), and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts — flood-source gray water carries a different conversation than a clean supply-line break, and it needs to be set up front.

    FEMA & federal assistance

    If your home or business takes damage: 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 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 — and keep your insurance documentation and the contractor’s photo log together from day one.

    Looking ahead

    The warning expires at 7:30 AM CDT, but the risk doesn’t end on the clock. Watch for additional rounds of rain redeveloping over the same saturated counties, and remember that small creeks and streams can crest after the rain stops — Rock River and Mississippi tributary lowlands stay vulnerable into the afternoon. The next NWS update will land as conditions evolve; check weather.gov/dvn or weather.gov for your county.

    Demand window note: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage in basements, crawlspaces, and storage areas they didn’t check on day one.

    Sources & how to verify

    To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter your location, and check the active alerts banner — or follow the NWS Quad Cities office page for the latest updates.

    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: Ohio River Tri-State (KY/OH/WV) Until 9:30 AM EDT

    Flash Flood Warning: Ohio River Tri-State (KY/OH/WV) Until 9:30 AM EDT

    A Flash Flood Warning is active right now across an 11-county stretch of northeastern Kentucky, southeastern Ohio, and western West Virginia, issued by the National Weather Service in Charleston at 5:30 AM EDT Sunday, September 20, and in effect until 9:30 AM EDT. Doppler radar at issuance showed thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area — between 1 and 1.5 inches had already fallen, with another 0.5 to 1.5 inches possible. This is the exact interior-flooding profile restoration teams see most: urban areas, low-lying streets and underpasses, small creeks and streams rising fast on saturated ground.

    This is a live snapshot as of 5:35 AM EDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

    Kentucky (Boyd, Greenup) — Flash Flood Warning

    The NWS Charleston office issued this warning at 5:30 AM EDT on September 20, 2026, for northern Boyd County in northeastern Kentucky and southeastern Greenup County in northeastern Kentucky, expiring 9:30 AM EDT. Hazard: flash flooding caused by thunderstorms. Source: radar indicated. At 5:30 AM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area; 1 to 1.5 inches of rain had fallen, with additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 1.5 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly. 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.

    Ohio (Gallia, Lawrence) — Flash Flood Warning

    Same warning, same window: southwestern Gallia County in southeastern Ohio and Lawrence County in southeastern Ohio are covered until 9:30 AM EDT. The alert’s rainfall numbers apply uniformly across the warned area — 1 to 1.5 inches already down at 5:30 AM, up to another 1.5 inches possible. With Lawrence County sitting along the Ohio River opposite Huntington, WV, and Ironton nearby, river-adjacent low-lying neighborhoods and drainage systems are the places to watch as creeks respond to the heavy rain.

    West Virginia (Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Mason, Putnam, Roane, Wayne) — Flash Flood Warning

    The West Virginia counties under this warning until 9:30 AM EDT: northern Cabell County in central West Virginia, northern Kanawha County, southwestern Roane County, Jackson County in northwestern West Virginia, southern Mason County in western West Virginia, Putnam County, and northern Wayne County in western West Virginia. This corridor includes the Huntington–Charleston stretch along the Ohio and Kanawha rivers — urban areas, highway infrastructure, and poor-drainage zones are the stated impact areas. The alert names three highway segments explicitly:

    • Interstate 77 in West Virginia between mile markers 109 and 148
    • Interstate 64 in West Virginia between mile markers 1 and 8, and between mile markers 10 and 46
    • Interstate 79 between mile markers 11 and 30

    Drivers on those stretches should expect possible water on the roadway and the approaches to underpasses — the places flooding catches vehicles first.

    NWS office page: NWS Charleston WV. Alert source: NWS alert text.

    Stay safe this morning

    Turn around, don’t drown. The NWS instruction on this warning is direct: most flood deaths occur in vehicles — never drive through flooded roadways. 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 begins — 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 toll free at 800-401-9535 when you can do so safely.

    What this means for restoration teams

    A 1-to-3-inch heavy-rain event across an urban tri-state corridor is the interior-water-intrusion playbook: saturated drywall and insulation, flooded basements and crawlspaces, sewage backup in low-lying areas where storm systems overload, and mold risk beginning within 24–48 hours on anything left wet. The stated impacts — urban areas, highways, streets, underpasses, poor-drainage and low-lying areas — map directly to basement and slab-on-grade work, parking-lot drainage failures backing into commercial suites, and roadway-adjacent structures taking runoff.

    The play this morning: stage equipment now, pre-position drying assets so techs aren’t hauling dehumidifiers across the corridor after first light, and keep an on-call rotation through the morning. When calls start, capture address, water source, and affected areas on the first call — that triage determines whether it’s a pump-and-extract job or a full dry-out. Field discipline: photo-document before mitigation, moisture-map every affected room (not just the visibly wet one), and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work starts.

    FEMA & federal assistance

    If this event causes damage beyond what insurance covers: the FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local, 7 days). Apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or find recovery centers at fema.gov/drc. Basic eligibility: 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.

    Looking ahead

    This warning expires at 9:30 AM EDT — but expiration is not all-clear. The next things to watch: additional rounds of rain possible through the morning, and small creeks and streams that crest after the heaviest rain passes. Residents and contractors should expect the next NWS update or any follow-on warning on the NWS Charleston page. Demand window note: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours of water receding and keep coming for days as people discover damage — a Sunday morning event means the first discovery calls often land Sunday afternoon and keep building through the week.

    Sources & how to verify

    To verify for your own county or ZIP: check weather.gov or your local NWS office page — warnings are issued by county and updated as conditions change.

    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: Southeast Ohio and Mason County Until 8:45 AM EDT

    Flash Flood Warning: Southeast Ohio and Mason County Until 8:45 AM EDT

    The National Weather Service in Charleston, WV has issued a Flash Flood Warning for southeastern Ohio and western West Virginia — Gallia, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, and Vinton counties in Ohio, plus Jackson and Mason counties in West Virginia — effective until 8:45 AM EDT, Sunday, September 20, 2026. Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain, with between 0.5 and 1.5 inches already fallen and another 0.5 to 1.5 inches possible. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

    For restoration teams along the Ohio River corridor — Gallipolis, Point Pleasant, Ravenswood, Jackson — this is the exact interior-flooding scenario you see most often: creek and river-tributary flooding pushing into low-lying neighborhoods, 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.

    Southeast Ohio & Mason County WV — Flash Flood Warning

    Issuing office: National Weather Service, Charleston, WV (weather.gov/rlx)
    Issued: 4:38 AM EDT, September 20, 2026
    Expires: 8:45 AM EDT, September 20, 2026
    Severity: Severe · Certainty: Likely · Urgency: Immediate

    The warning covers Gallia County in southeastern Ohio, Jackson County in southeastern Ohio, north central Lawrence County in southeastern Ohio, southern Meigs County in southeastern Ohio, southeastern Vinton County in southeastern Ohio, northwestern Jackson County in northwestern West Virginia, and Mason County in western West Virginia.

    At 4:38 AM EDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 0.5 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 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 and automated gauges.

    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: Jackson, Point Pleasant, Gallipolis, Rio Grande, Racine, Ravenswood, New Haven, Gallia, Henderson, Vinton, and Gage.

    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

    An Ohio River corridor flash flood is a two-front job: the creeks and streams that feed the river flash first, and then the river itself keeps low-lying ground wet for days. Contractors in Gallipolis, Point Pleasant, and Ravenswood know this pattern:

    • Interior water intrusion — ground-level entry through doors, window wells, and foundation cracks; floor-drain backup in low-lying streets of Jackson, Gallipolis, and Point Pleasant.
    • 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 mild temperatures and high post-storm humidity, microbial growth starts fast. Drying equipment needs to be on-site same-day.
    • River-adjacent commercial — watch for businesses near the Gallipolis and Point Pleasant riverfronts and along low-lying highways in Mason and Meigs counties.

    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 tributaries feeding the Ohio River 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 Gallipolis/Point Pleasant/Ravenswood corridor is the call map for the next 72 hours.

    Sources & How to Verify

    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.

  • Flash Flood Warning: Central West Virginia Area Until 9:45 AM EDT

    Flash Flood Warning: Central West Virginia Area Until 9:45 AM EDT

    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

    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.

  • Flash Flood Warning: Parkersburg–Athens Until 7:45 AM EDT

    Flash Flood Warning: Parkersburg–Athens Until 7:45 AM EDT

    ACTIVE: A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for the the Parkersburg–Athens corridor along the Ohio River area, issued by the National Weather Service Charleston WV at 4:05 AM EDT, expiring 7:45 AM EDT.

    Radar and automated rain gauges agree: 1 to 2 inches already down across Athens and Meigs counties in Ohio and Jackson, Mason, and Wood counties in West Virginia, with up to half an inch more coming.

    This is a live snapshot as of 4:18 AM EDT. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.

    Athens & Meigs Counties, Ohio / Jackson, Mason & Wood Counties, West Virginia — Flash Flood Warning

    Issuing office: NWS Charleston WV
    Issued: 4:05 AM EDT
    Expires: 7:45 AM EDT

    Hazard: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

    Source: Radar and automated rain gauges.

    Locations expected to experience flash flooding include: Parkersburg, Athens, Mineralwells, Lubeck, Washington, Pomeroy, Middleport, Reedsville, New Haven, Mason, Hartford City, Syracuse, Chester, Coolville, Rutland, Tuppers Plains, Darwin, Belleville, Portland, Forked Run State Park.

    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 up to 0.5 inches more possible. This includes Interstate 77 in West Virginia near mile marker 151 and between mile markers 164 and 171.

    Sources: NWS alert | NWS Charleston WV 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.

    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. A river-valley warning spanning both sides of the Ohio River — bottomland neighborhoods in Parkersburg, Athens, and the I-77 corridor towns take the first water, and river-adjacent commercial buildings follow.

    • Low-lying residential streets in Parkersburg, Mineralwells, and Athens — ground-floor intrusion and flooded basements where gauges confirm the heaviest rain.
    • I-77 corridor commercial properties (mile markers 151 and 164–171) — water at building perimeters and flooded loading areas.
    • Saturated drywall and insulation with mold risk within 24–48 hours — gauge-confirmed rain means these numbers hold up in documentation.
    • Creek and stream flooding in Meigs and Jackson counties — rural residential calls where response time is the differentiator.

    The play: stage equipment on both sides of the river now, keep an on-call rotation through the 7:45 AM expiry, and capture address + water source + affected areas on the first call — gauge data from this event strengthens the file for any insurance review.

    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

    When this warning expires at 7:45 AM EDT, creeks and streams may still be cresting — runoff continues after the rain stops, and NWS Charleston may extend or reissue if another round develops. The river corridor stays worth watching through the morning.

    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

    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.