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Record Rainfall Causes Rivers To Rise

Bill Rinehart
/
WVXU

Cincinnati received a record amount of rain Sunday.  National Weather Service Meteorologist Brian Haines says the old record for December 27 was set more than 100 years ago.

“We ended up actually getting 2.22 inches of rain at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport. The old record was 1.09 inches,” he says.  The record for December 27 was set in 1902.

Rain over the long holiday weekend caused area rivers to climb.  Haines says the Ohio River is high at Cincinnati and should stay that way.

“The forecasted crest is right around 48.5 feet. And it’s probably going to remain elevated for the next couple of days now as all the water that’s fallen in the watershed works its way down the river.”

Haines says the level probably won’t start to drop until January 2.

Flood stage at Cincinnati is 52 feet.

Haines also cautions about flooding in low lying areas away from rivers and streams and ponding on roadways.

“(It’s) always going to be a concern when we have this much rain and the ground’s already saturated.”

He cautions drivers against driving through on a road that’s underwater, and asks that reports of flooding be made to the National Weather Service.

Great Miami River

Haines says the Great Miami River is expected to crest four feet above flood stage at Miamitown. Flood stage there is 16 feet.

He says the predictions take into account more rain expected to fall Monday night.

Bill Rinehart started his radio career as a disc jockey in 1990. In 1994, he made the jump into journalism and has been reporting and delivering news on the radio ever since.