Heavy rain, localized flooding possible through Thursday

Localized flooding is possible as the area sees up to 4 inches of rain from Tuesday through Thursday afternoon, according to officials.

The ground is saturated and ditches will have a hard time handling this amount of rain, Butler County Emergency Management Agency Director Robbie Myers said at 1 p.m. Wednesday.

“Rivers were pretty low up to now and the projections show them rising quickly, but also going back down very rapidly as well,” said Myers.

U.S. Geological Survey

The Twin Rivers R-X School District, which has been closed since Monday afternoon due to a flu outbreak, will be closed Thursday due to flooding.

The Black River at Poplar Bluff is currently projected to crest late Thursday at around 15 feet, or about one foot below minor flood stage.

“It’s just starting and we’ve got more rounds of heavy rain, possibly even severe weather later this afternoon and into the overnight hours,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Pat Spoden of the Paducah, Kentucky office. “The heaviest stuff looks like it’s going to be tonight into tomorrow morning and decrease as the afternoon goes on.”

A flash flood watch is in place until midnight Thursday for the area.

Most areas have already received 1-2 inches, Spoden said. Qulin had reported 1.87 inches as of Tuesday afternoon, Fisk 2.14 inches and south Butler County 1.62 inches, he said.

“By the time everything ends tomorrow, it looks like another two inches, on average,” said Spoden.

National Weather Service